Printing up the Z mount bits for the laser and the Makita I can’t help but wonder if I should maybe give some thought to building a laser-specific MPCNC which I could box in to help with ventilation and safety. I certainly wouldn’t need it as large as the drop table MPCNC is…24 X 24 would be too big I think. From a safety standpoint I feel like enclosing the laser would be a good idea - especially with kids that could pop into the garage anytime (I’ve already given thought to a “Laser On” light or sign on the other side of the garage to house door).
So the question then is, if I DO build a laser-specific machine, I hardly need more than an inch of Z travel, no?
Depends on what you plan on doing. If you are LASER cutting 3/4" and smaller stock, then 1" should be fine. I think enclosing it is a better idea as kids like to ignore rules and test boundaries. Plus you can ventilate to outside. Burned wood gases can cause a lot of heath issues. Plastics and metals too. Better safe than sorry. I assume you’ll have safety goggles for the LASER?
Yes, the JTech kit comes with a pair of goggles - hopefully and assumingly of sufficient quality.
I was under the impression that the lasers can’t really cut much more than 4mm plywood (2.8w laser). Was I incorrect in this thought? In any case, thanks for opening my thinking up a bit here - what if I had a 2" piece of stock for a sign that I wanted to do some laser engraving on - I had better make it at least 3" I think…The size will be the big question although I guess if I ever had a job come through that was larger than I could fit in the laser specific machine I could always pull the Z assembly and slide it into the drop table. I’d have to plan ahead for that and make sure the electronics could be extended or relocated. Maybe a removable/portable electronics control box?