<![CDATA[SoliForum - 3D Printing Community — L-Cheapo Laser Attachment (for 3D printer)]]> https://www.soliforum.com/topic/13229/lcheapo-laser-attachment-for-3d-printer/ Fri, 22 Jul 2016 19:30:57 +0000 PunBB <![CDATA[Re: L-Cheapo Laser Attachment (for 3D printer)]]> https://www.soliforum.com/post/125374/#p125374 http://www.3ders.org//articles/20160722 … s-how.html

Article on using the L-Cheapo as part of your tool-chain to engrave metals. Thought you might find it interesting.

]]> Fri, 22 Jul 2016 19:30:57 +0000 https://www.soliforum.com/post/125374/#p125374 <![CDATA[Re: L-Cheapo Laser Attachment (for 3D printer)]]> https://www.soliforum.com/post/125298/#p125298 Actully I am reading my own old comments on this thread and I found them helpful to myself since it has been a few months. It helped spark my memory that Inkscape was an easy way to go, especailly for engraving...could be a tad trickier for cutting since every color seems to cut better or worst, but I clearly was able to do it.

]]> Wed, 20 Jul 2016 14:20:28 +0000 https://www.soliforum.com/post/125298/#p125298 <![CDATA[Re: L-Cheapo Laser Attachment (for 3D printer)]]> https://www.soliforum.com/post/125297/#p125297 YSB did you ever end up trying that 3dpBurner-Image2Gcode-for-MPCNC-v3 software? Did it work with the L-Cheapo if you did? I admit I never got aroud to it, because got distracted with other stuff. Seems the laser stuff is starting to peek my intrest again hehehe.

]]> Wed, 20 Jul 2016 13:56:00 +0000 https://www.soliforum.com/post/125297/#p125297 <![CDATA[Re: L-Cheapo Laser Attachment (for 3D printer)]]> https://www.soliforum.com/post/115068/#p115068 Now just stick your hand under it and make an L-cheapo tattoo big_smile  (just kidding, eh.  Don't anybody do this, please).

Edit: holy crap, I'm too late.  http://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-Tattoo/

]]> Tue, 26 Jan 2016 16:32:51 +0000 https://www.soliforum.com/post/115068/#p115068 <![CDATA[Re: L-Cheapo Laser Attachment (for 3D printer)]]> https://www.soliforum.com/post/115067/#p115067 Thanks. I will have to check this option out.

]]> Tue, 26 Jan 2016 15:55:31 +0000 https://www.soliforum.com/post/115067/#p115067 <![CDATA[Re: L-Cheapo Laser Attachment (for 3D printer)]]> https://www.soliforum.com/post/115064/#p115064 i find this software on website for DIY CNC with laser head  ( www.vicious1.com )

it's a updated custom version of image2gcode that can help us..

see joined, the source is also joined

]]> Tue, 26 Jan 2016 15:28:31 +0000 https://www.soliforum.com/post/115064/#p115064 <![CDATA[Re: L-Cheapo Laser Attachment (for 3D printer)]]> https://www.soliforum.com/post/114192/#p114192 I didn't even really notice the 7 watt one! neat.  Here is a picture of my enclosure my father in law built for my Solidoodle 2 that I use for lasering. It can lift off easy for when I am 3D printing and has a nice laser protected front window ..... and my cat who apparently thinks it's a perch for him. On the printer bed, I just have a canvas panel.

http://soliforum.com/i/?nDPgtBh.jpg

]]> Fri, 15 Jan 2016 19:22:55 +0000 https://www.soliforum.com/post/114192/#p114192 <![CDATA[Re: L-Cheapo Laser Attachment (for 3D printer)]]> https://www.soliforum.com/post/114154/#p114154 How much is  a 7 watt laser?

]]> Fri, 15 Jan 2016 02:27:00 +0000 https://www.soliforum.com/post/114154/#p114154 <![CDATA[Re: L-Cheapo Laser Attachment (for 3D printer)]]> https://www.soliforum.com/post/113680/#p113680 Looking at the 7 watt head myself for my Mini Kossell.

]]> Sat, 09 Jan 2016 01:12:24 +0000 https://www.soliforum.com/post/113680/#p113680 <![CDATA[Re: L-Cheapo Laser Attachment (for 3D printer)]]> https://www.soliforum.com/post/113678/#p113678 I think it took about 15 mins to cut but I didn't pay attention. Though a 60w machine would be awesome,  but as you said far more expensive.

]]> Sat, 09 Jan 2016 00:51:42 +0000 https://www.soliforum.com/post/113678/#p113678 <![CDATA[Re: L-Cheapo Laser Attachment (for 3D printer)]]> https://www.soliforum.com/post/113677/#p113677 So that part took 10 minutes to cut? That'd be about a 6 second cut on my (admittedly more expensive) 60w machine.

]]> Sat, 09 Jan 2016 00:47:58 +0000 https://www.soliforum.com/post/113677/#p113677 <![CDATA[Re: L-Cheapo Laser Attachment (for 3D printer)]]> https://www.soliforum.com/post/113676/#p113676 I tested cutting the inkscape plugin to generate the gcode and it went just fine. I tested it with 1/8th inch Black acrylic.

For my test I used the following settings:
- 8 passes
-0.05mm pass depth
- Speed of 25 mm/min (I maybe could of had it go a lil faster)
- Also note so it would have room to go UP I started placed my material( mand focused my laser) a lil below the very top. I chose to give it 20 mm wiggle room for the hell of it

The inkscape plugin seems the easiest way to do this for sure

http://soliforum.com/i/?pBInCTZ.jpg

]]> Sat, 09 Jan 2016 00:33:35 +0000 https://www.soliforum.com/post/113676/#p113676 <![CDATA[Re: L-Cheapo Laser Attachment (for 3D printer)]]> https://www.soliforum.com/post/113667/#p113667 Ok, this time I slowed the engraving down a tad, but more importantly I did not chose the "Simplify Path" option after creating the path. So clearly leaving the path more complex seems better

http://soliforum.com/i/?oecPjMq.jpg

]]> Fri, 08 Jan 2016 23:31:11 +0000 https://www.soliforum.com/post/113667/#p113667 <![CDATA[Re: L-Cheapo Laser Attachment (for 3D printer)]]> https://www.soliforum.com/post/113664/#p113664 Here is another picture of an engraving on thin plywood. I used the Inkscape plugin for this one. About an inch across. Not perfect but still looks nice in person.

http://soliforum.com/i/?HqibJ9q.jpg

]]> Fri, 08 Jan 2016 23:21:22 +0000 https://www.soliforum.com/post/113664/#p113664 <![CDATA[Re: L-Cheapo Laser Attachment (for 3D printer)]]> https://www.soliforum.com/post/113626/#p113626 I have had some success using the Inkscape and the free Inkscape plugin. To get it to show up I had to place the plugin files directly in Inkscape extensions folder (if overwrote something on my install, but didn't seem to break anything).
Below is a sample of my settings, clearly speed would vary. The directory would be wherever you want to save the files. 

- Pronterface seems to handle to generated gcode much better, I wouldn't recommend R-Host as it does not show where the image will be

- Set the Inkscape files to mm and the size of the file to whatever your bed size is, even if the image only takes up part of that space

- The inkscape plugin works on paths, so make sure you have selected a path

- generated gcode does not home your printer, so either manually home before an engrave or add that gcode on before you use it

- Inkscape plugin shows up under Extensions -> Generate gcode- > J Tech Photonics

- Seems sometimes when I was playing with it and I ran the laser tool consecutively on the same image  it was adding extra paths, so be careful of that you might have to undo a few times to make sure of that it is only sending on path in the gcode. It could have been the file I was working on or maybe user error..but just putting it in here just in case. For me last night since I was tracing a bitmap, seem if I wanted to run the laser tool plugin multiple times it was best I reload the image, retrace the bitmap into a path and then run the laser plugin again.

- While using the tracing bitmaps to make a path in inkscape, it works but I noticed it worked but I think I need to figure out some tweeks. One thing that helps is to simplify the path first before using the laser plugin.

- I have only tried it to engrave and not cut as of yet..

I think if I can try the cuts and make it work and maybe work out a few more things, this may be the way I go. It requires far less steps then I was doing before.

http://jtechphotonics.com/?page_id=2012 <~~ The plugin and some instructions

https://youtu.be/xw8h0c5Vdw8        <~~        A relevant video that shows the Inkscape plugin being used

http://soliforum.com/i/?E1dcRSy.jpg <~~  My screenshot of my settings for the Inkscape plugin but I was only engraving and not cutting. If cutting I would increase the number of passes and make my pass depth 0.05 or maybe 1.0 depending

]]> Fri, 08 Jan 2016 13:50:46 +0000 https://www.soliforum.com/post/113626/#p113626