Starting a diary of my Openbuilds laser build - good - bad - ugly

[Fivetide]

This started 5 years ago !! I'm determined to finish it this year.. no matter what lol

@JAZZCNC look away, the next picks may offend you lol :)

As I achieve some minor victory during this war of attrition, I'll post details of - what it is, specs etc and my thoughts on it.









its footprint is 750mm x 750mm

working area 600mm x 590mm

Build cost .. not sure about £1000 by the time I've finished

It will be capable of Laser and wood milling/routing

Like I said I'll break it down in to achievements by post and add the details.. but so far not any major problems.

[WoodKnot]

Hello Fivetide

Love the avatar by the way!!

What's wrong with that - it looks great to me - looks like a classic OpenBuilds style machine

They have posh names for them like Cartesian and Sphinx and Piranha style builds

Some here would call them other names

That's a good build cost!

I also based mine on this kind of style - but you are 5 years in front of me!! (damn, i hope it does not take me that long?)

I personally would be interested to see how it mills and lasers - as i wanted both options as well!

WoodKnot

[Fivetide]

Its only 5 years because its been boxed up half way through for 3years because of moving house, grand kids etc.,
I bought almost everything form Ali Express direct.
I wont be milling wood soon with it as I intend to make a box for it and have it in my computer room permanently. I don't want to be working in the shed with it in winter and I can do other stuff while it cuts.
And Ill probs upgrade to the 40x twin lens because I have a specific use for the cnc.

[WoodKnot]

Its only 5 years because its been boxed up half way through for 3years because of moving house, grand kids etc.,
I bought almost everything form Ali Express direct.
I wont be milling wood soon with it as I intend to make a box for it and have it in my computer room permanently. I don't want to be working in the shed with it in winter and I can do other stuff while it cuts.
And Ill probs upgrade to the 40x twin lens because I have a specific use for the cnc.

Let me know how you get on with the canopy Fivetide, as i was also thinking of going down that route as well.

I know the laser is quiet, but the fumes can (so i have read) be harmful.

Wood and manmade boards milling can be noisy and dusty -

So good extraction will be required in either instance.

Is there any risk of a fire if swapping from milling to laser?

You say you have a specific use for it - just being nosy and interested in what you are going to make with it?

Thanks

WoodKnot

[JAZZCNC]

@JAZZCNC look away, the next picks may offend you lol :)

Argh, my eye's they burn!...

Nice to see you are back in the game, I thought we had lost you it's been so long. Nearly on the home straight..

[Fivetide]

Argh, my eye's they burn!...

Nice to see you are back in the game, I thought we had lost you it's been so long. Nearly on the home straight..

Thanks mate :) , my wood turning lathe spindle attachment worked fine, sold that to a guy who's still using it to make table legs.

The BlackCat sold for a profit.

And I still have the lapidary stone ball grinder in mothballs, it works but what a fricking pain in the arse lol

Yeah I'm determined to have it working in the next 6 weeks, its my main focus now.. I have plans for stuff I want to make lol

[Fivetide]

Ok.. thanks to m_c the power problem is solved. Thanks to Doddy for the help as well.

here's my first power/speed scaling test. Seems good so far. Need to do a lot more tests before I have accurate rates , but that's the fun part :)

[Fivetide]

some updated pics

[Doddy]

Looking good. Just a passing, friendly thought - if you've not got/planned it already - it's generally recommended for a little air-assist, particularly with composite materials, so when you ablate the binder/glue it doesn't deposit a sooty film on the lens of the laser. Nothing urgent, but think of it as a potential near-term upgrade.

[Fivetide]

Looking good. Just a passing, friendly thought - if you've not got/planned it already - it's generally recommended for a little air-assist, particularly with composite materials, so when you ablate the binder/glue it doesn't deposit a sooty film on the lens of the laser. Nothing urgent, but think of it as a potential near-term upgrade.

Its on the list mate :) I'll be encasing the cnc and making a nice heavy stand for it. I have my eye on a compressor from a you-tube video. Some triple 12v fans off Aliexpress and a home made air filter.
Fireproofing/cooling for the electrics.
Some heat and smoke sensors
the list goes on lol.