Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] LASER

> My idea was for an engraving machine to etch(burn) divisions in various
> scales and/or designs into other metal materials.

That's good because metal is actually quite a bad absorber of the beam a CO2
laser emits, 10.6um or microns. Things like stone are going to be a real
problem to get working yourself because the incredibly confined heating will
most likely just crack the work. You could experiment with heating the stone
first I suppose. I don't know how, or even if, stone is laser engraved
commcercially. Plastic and wood wouldn't be too hard. You'd just need to use
less power in the beam or have it moving faster and have a jet of inert gas
blowing side-ways across the cut to 'gouge' the waste out the way. You may
end up having trouble with the plastic not getting hot enough or closing
back up on itself. I would suggest just using a gantry with a dremel or
something on if you only plan to do plastics and wood, it'll be a lot
cheaper and lasers won't really help much unless you plan to do lots of
critical stuff.

> My impression of the list is that most are more interested in the
> sucessful building of a CNC machine; as everyone seems to move on to
> another; as in actually making parts. That is somewhat my interest also.
> Building tools to build tools to build tools...etc.

Although the description is something like 'Use of CNC machine tools in a
hobby enviroment' it's almost a garantee someone else on here will be very
interested in something you're making. As for building tools to build tools,
I'd say that's pretty much this list. There are a number of people on here
who have built or designed their own tools. I believe Smoke the gunsmith on
here is working on a Dream Machine which'll not only mill but also do the
washing and the likes.

> Being retired I have too
> many ideas and not enough time (or money) to get at them all. Thanks

again,

> PJH

That sounds just like me, I'm still at school so I don't have much free time
outside when I'm not doing project work etc for my A Levels and I have just
a single £k to my name. : ) Infact I finally got the last of that £1000
this very week. And, hopefully, I'm spending it all on bits of oily
machinery! What kind of things where you thinking of engraving?

John H.