And my kids’ 19th anniversary photo…
I’m starting to get quite the eclectic collection…
Alright! All this silliness aside, on to some more serious subject matter…
Things are looking up…
– David
This is getting out of hand… I want a laser… you have a designated machine for the laser? Would it be difficult to reproduce similar results with a laser mounted on a MPCNC?
To do the engravings like this, you can certainly use an mpcnc.
Lasers can be put on most any machine… MPCNC or as here, the loosely LR-inspired, rolling-gantry, machine build that I documented earlier in this thread.
This is a Grbl-based machine (I prefer Grbl for laser use…) and I use Jeff’s V1Pi /CNC.js on a Pi-3B+ to control it. It has rapidly become my favorite machine… it’s a nice size for most of what I want to do.
– David
So you are using a NEJE 6W?
No, this a little 2.5W Eleksmaker laser I got off Banggood… and works great for engraving ceramic tile. I recently got a Neje 6W laser module… but haven’t hooked it up yet, as it supposedly uses 3.3v PWM and I don’t have controllers on hand that have 3.3v PWM output. I know there are converters and controllers out there… just prefer to work out of my current stash right now. – David
Thats encouraging! (not that you don’t have the right gear for the 6W, but that it’s perfectly doable with 2.5W) Thanks - Torbjørn
Knowing little about lasers other than having an interest, I’m curious: Would that particular power laser be capable of pictures/writing on wood or ???
2.5W is plenty. Often larger lasers just have larger dots, not more power/area.
Thanks1 The etchings on tile are fascinating, being able to also do wood makes it more tempting.
Maybe if you construct a giant foam-core badger…
Badger? We doan’ need no steenkin’ badger!
Wait, wrong script…
Now go away, before I taunt you a second time!
Okay! Just a little more absurdity…
And, with no frolicking lady-friends in sight, it’s just my good buddy, Mac, and me…
– David
The laser I ordered maybe the same as that one & looks like it arrived in country now. Does that mean I need something like Mike referenced to change 5v to 3.3v? The keyestudio board shows a 3.3v power connection. Here is an image from their wiki page. Ks0152 keyestudio CNC Shield V4 - Keyestudio Wiki
Yes, pretty sure Mike’s board is what’s needed. While the Keyestudio board has a 3.3V output, I’d guess it to simply be a DC power output… not PWM. It could power the LV connection on Mike’s level shifter however… and the HV would connect to the Keyestudio 5V output. Then Nano’s 5V PWM (D11) output (normally used for laser modulation) would be run through one channel of the level shifter to provide a 3.3V PWM for the Neje laser’s PWM input.
Is there a good webpage or youtube video on setting up these lasers? What is the advantage of the electronics manufacturers using 3.3v versus 5v? Guess this more of the fun part of the DIY experience.
I don’t know of any since I’ve not yet tried setting one of the Neje lasers up. But I’d be surprised if it was significantly different than what I described above.
Electronics technology is always pushing for smaller, faster, and lower power requirements. Entire systems that used to require multiple, large, boards and board sets… is now shrunk down to a single IC that takes a microscope to see and work with.