This are some pictures of my latest modification .....I'm using ~10W CO2 RF excited laser for Dremel replacement....it's clean and quiet now





....and first test

 

Wow, how much does that cost? it's awesome

 

Price is a factor , but you guys in USA are so lucky....so many good deals on Ebay for lasers are shipped only to USA ...anyway I paid for mine ~150$ plus shipping charges and with some help from a laser forum guys i get it working...this was my first laser too.
Laser head including mirror and lens was 185$ ...good Chinese quality
i do not have a video yet but if is are any interest I will try to record something these days ...is not much to be seen on a laser side anyway ...CO2 is deep infrared ..

 

No , is 150$ for laser tube and RF exciter +185$ for a laser head with optics ...plus a small compressor for a air-assist .....It's expensive but for me is worth every cent.

 

Wow, imagine that as a ready buy retail Phlatprinter MK3 option version, undoubtfully the clostest to heaven in this life you could ever get!

(ps, the prefix MK is pronounced as "MARK" and not as many incorrectly say "EM KAY"..(and it originates from the military.))

 

So, how do you stop the laser beam from burning the ceiling? Thick copper plate inside the lid?

 

I am really interested in the speed you can cut at, something like that has to have a low ipm I would think

 

Oh thou silly one, everybody and their grandmother knows that you can deflect the beam proper with a standard Jedi light saber, and if the chrystals are worn out just cup the beam with your hands... How easy can it get? :mrgreen:

 

Alex,

Details / Video PLEASE !!!

Dell

 

Very nice, what cam program are you using? How do you keep it from burning when moving between parts?

 

O so many questions ......but I'm happy you guys liked the idea

Mark,I'm sure MK3 will be amazing machine even without laser attachment but if you do some overhead detachable laser module will be a best of both worlds ...milling and laser cutting/engraving , in one machine. Now when I wont to mill something I have to reattach my Z gantry ...by the way this is very easy but still ..takes time

Dennis , right now I have nothing installed on top lead and laser strikes directly , but I assume with 10W laser beam and far from a focal point is not a big deal , eventually I have to install something ... aluminum may be ...I don't wont to burn my Phlaty

Cutting speed for 2mm balsa is more then 25IPM ...for 6mm depron I can go much faster

Software is standard Skechup-Phlatscript-Mach3 .I'm trying to stick to the original idea as much as possible ...laser beam is controlled by MACH3 Z DIR PIN ,ON/OFF beam control for now ...I just change plunge speed value in Phlatscript to the maximum

I will try to record a short video , and upload more pictures these days.

 

Some industrial machines that I've seen have used a copper mass to "receive" the laser beam. The beam is pointed directly at the copper plate or bar, which has too much thermal mass to melt so it only absorbs the energy. I'd be afraid that aluminum might tend to reflect the beam, especially if the surface reached melting temperatures.

 

We have a laser die cutter where I work, how do you cool your laser. The one at work has a tank that holds 20 gallons of distilled water. I know you will but, Please be careful nice mod

 

Laser I'm using is CO2 10W RF Excited Air cooled .

 

"What a brave new world that should have such people in it"! (sic). Well done sir! I was recently spending time looking and wondering if those 300mW 'pen' lasers would be sufficient to task (a la Motori plotter). I wasn't even aware of "RF Excited laser". Now, I too would be intested in being able to swap out modules on the MKIII.

 

Alex,

Any luck on a video and additional photo's of this mod? I for one would appreciate if you could put together a little "how to" report on this amazing mod. Maybe include a list of the manufacturers and model/part numbers of the units you used, as well as the assembly steps to put it all together.

Any more info would be greatly appreciate... I truly wish to adapt this to a MK-II

Dell