Cheap Lasers and Driving Them With VCP 7

[dmoore]

I'm looking to add a laser cutter/engraver to the shop and since my Vinyl Cutter and CNC (Router) already work perfectly fine with VCP, I'd like to find a solution using VCP that can most easily utilize the functionality I already have there. I'd like to know what laser systems and control system (Laser DSPs, Mach3, etc) that anyone might be using and how much of the functionality you've been able to port over from VCP (vectors and so on) and what was missing (power level management).

Thanks,
David

[sailfl]

I would be interested in what you consider cheap in a laser? What size and what wattage size for the tube?

[dmoore]

I've determined now why pretty much no one has a laser driven off applications like Mach3 - they just are not fast enough when it comes to switching the laser, hence the dedicated DSP based controllers on the market. It looks like I'll just have to pull my standard DXF into another application to apply the power levels and speeds. Oh well...I tried...

I'm still on the fence between a buildlog.net DIY laser (I've built 5 CNC machines so it might be fairly easy) or just biting the bullet and ordering a pre-built unit from china.

Thanks!
David

[1BigPig]

David,

Maybe a day late and a dollar short, but I just wrote a post processor for a Full Spectrum Engineering's RetinaEngrave3D. The laser software is ok but I did not like that I had to use Corel Draw and the "direct print" feature... So I wrote a post processor for the RetinaEngrave3D controller. Still involved a step or two but now at least it works reliably, unlike their HPGL implementation...

Shoot me an message if you have any questions about their Hobby laser (4th gen with RetinaEngrave controller).

Bruce

[dmoore]

David,

Maybe a day late and a dollar short, but I just wrote a post processor for a Full Spectrum Engineering's RetinaEngrave3D. The laser software is ok but I did not like that I had to use Corel Draw and the "direct print" feature... So I wrote a post processor for the RetinaEngrave3D controller. Still involved a step or two but now at least it works reliably, unlike their HPGL implementation...

Shoot me an message if you have any questions about their Hobby laser (4th gen with RetinaEngrave controller).

Bruce

I wish they would sell the RetinaEngrave controller apart from their system again....

[dgoddard]

Check out this link - http://www.vectric.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=15161

Not the cheapest (you get what you pay for), however Jeff does some really great engraving work.