Laser cutting your own Flite test aircraft.

[BobW55]

Sorry, I was thinking you were using a very fine laser beam (which lacks a focal point) to cut the foam, not a focused one.

Sorry, but "ALL" lasers require optics (mirrors/lenses) to focus the beam.

 

[Mark P]

But not all have a focal point, and that is what I was confused about. Carry on.

 

[skymaster]

Nice post and thank you for sharing. i was also looking for a way to cut foam board a little faster. so i was looking for options and i too landed on some very interesting types of cnc machines, including laser cutters. so one day while going through my email came upon this deal. https://us.banggood.com/Wholesale-W...wp-Usa-1268114.html?akmClientCountry=America&

 

[skymaster]

Got a question BobW55 so lets say that i get one of these laser engravers, can i remove the laser and put a pen holder. can i use this as a plotter. to draw the FT plans on the foam board?

 

[Kendalf]

@BobW55 I'm seriously looking into this option. The Acro 1010 was the exact kit that I've been looking at, so seeing someone else utilize it for laser cutting is very helpful. I'm curious whether a 2nd pass over the foamboard with the laser would cut through fully, if the first pass only does a partial cut?

It's been a lot of back and forth weighing the options of needle cutter vs laser. Needle cutter is excellent for foamboard, with clean and complete cuts in one pass once dialed in, but it would not be usable for other things. Diode laser could be used for etching and cutting other materials (I would like to do some acrylic work), but it wouldn't cut completely through white foamboard (which is my primary purpose). Plus the inherently greater safety requirements with lasers (goggles, shields, cooling and ventilation, etc.). But it's a LASER!

 

[Apis]

@Bob, are you going to consider selling your laser printing expertise by printing other people's design files? If not, do you know of any commercial service providers that do?
Thanks.