When you ask any DIY hobbyist who is interested in digital fabrication, what’s on top of their wishlist, chances are pretty high that they’ll say a 3D printer or a laser cutter/engraver.
Like many, my first step into digital fabrication was with a 3D printer, namely a TronXY X3. That was it, I was hooked, now with 5 printers in total, I have fallen deep down the rabbit hole. Suddenly I found myself in this odd situation, where I could identify an issue, design (CAD) a solution, then print a prototype and then eventually the final product.
So, how can I expand on my ability to undertake digital fabrication…? Well, the answer is a laser engraver. So, I started looking, there are many expensive CO2 laser solutions available, but their cost was far too high for a beginner like me, so I ended up with a A3-sized 5 watt diode laser Eleksmaker. This was a fantastic learning tool, but ultimately the module died after several months, and I suspect it wasn’t actually rated for 5 watt as I was struggling to cut through objects that people with lower powered diode laser could do easily.
It didn’t matter that the Eleksmaker failed, because now I knew I wanted to go bigger and better. Enter MPCNC (Mostly printed CNC) and Endurance lasers (http://endurancelasers.com), Endurance has gained a name in the maker community owing to the powerful lasers it creates for the community. It makes diode lasers for hobbyists, enthusiasts, 3D printer makers, and CNC machine workers worldwide.
After some more research, I realized that not all lasers are created equal, not even lasers of the same wattage. After hours of research I came across Endurance lasers, a company that offered good value laser solutions, ranging from 2.1 W – 10 W, and even some Frankenstein type creations that used two or three 10 watt lasers pointing at a central point. Best of all, their lasers actually put out what they are rated for.
Although intrigued by these 20 watt and 30 Watt creations, I was confident that the 10 watt+ solution would be good for me. It would allow me to print up to 5mm acrylic and plywood in a single pass and thicker material with more passes if necessary., which was exactly what I was after.
The 10 W + kit comes with everything you would need to get started, namely the 10 W+ laser with a TEC cooling, a large focusing ring, an air assist pump (must have for thicker materials and clean cuts), an air assist tube and a laser control box.
With this kit I was set! Now, a bit more about what this laser would be mounted to. I found the design for the MPCNC and was immediately drawn to it. What more could you want, and CNC that is incredibly cheap to make (under $200 AUD without the router), is fairly rigid, uses “mostly” 3D-printed parts and can be easily customised. The MPCNC essentially is a large 3D printer. Paired with the Endurance 10 W +, it was a match made in heaven. In case you already own a 3D printer, and just want to add a laser module, Endurance has you covered for that too, they offer ready kits for the Wanhao, MakerBlock XY, Anet A8 and CNC 3018. They also have a DIY option, but I am sure they will have many more kits coming in the future. I’ll briefly go over the build of the MPCNC, but this review will be primarily for the Endurance laser module, a review of the MPCNC will come later.
by Kieran Brocx