What Laser Cutter

adams152

Junior Member
Hi guys

Great work with your YouTube channel and foam build kits. Love it.

Which laser cutter do you use? Looking at getting one myself don't know where to start. do you have any recommendations?

Cheers

Scott

PS keep it coming. This is something I have always wanted to get into but was always put off by the cost. Thanks again Guys.
 

Balu

Lurker
Staff member
Admin
Moderator
I think they are using multiple cutters in the 60 W range. But I don't know any details.
 

Rubicon

Member
I'm not sure what is being used by the flight test guys but I have heard from others to STAY AWAY from the Chinese company Cheapcnc. If you can get it to work it will take forever to do it.
 

feliponcho

New member
Hi. I want to start laser cutting at home. I have seen in the videos some big laser cutters where they put the entire foam board panel. Can you share some details of what you use?
 

Merv

Site Moderator
Staff member
From what I understand, it takes a very powerful and expensive laser cutter to cut foam board. The cheap diode laser just will not work, it takes a several thousand dollar CO2 laser to get the job done. It takes a lot of power to cut white foam, far more than it takes to cut balsa.

It’s far more cost effective for us mere mortals to use a needle cutter on fb than a laser. Here are 2 threads, either needle cutter can be built for $200 or less.

https://forum.flitetest.com/index.php?threads/cutting-foam-sheets-with-a-needle.24251/unread
https://forum.flitetest.com/index.php?threads/erc-timsav-cheap-diy-cnc-foamboard-cutter.61018/
 

Apple Pie

Elite member
From what I understand, it takes a very powerful and expensive laser cutter to cut foam board. The cheap diode laser just will not work, it takes a several thousand dollar CO2 laser to get the job done. It takes a lot of power to cut white foam, far more than it takes to cut balsa.

It’s far more cost effective for us mere mortals to use a needle cutter on fb than a laser. Here are 2 threads, either needle cutter can be built for $200 or less.

https://forum.flitetest.com/index.php?threads/cutting-foam-sheets-with-a-needle.24251/unread
https://forum.flitetest.com/index.php?threads/erc-timsav-cheap-diy-cnc-foamboard-cutter.61018/
If what you want the laser to do is cut foam board I agree fully with the needle cutter suggestion. I’ve cut out over 75 sheets with mine and it works like a dream.
 

feliponcho

New member
Thanks @Apple Pie and @Merv , your suggestions are really good and I will explore them eventually. I decided I want to do the investment and focus is something bigger. This is the machine I am going to buy and explore https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I1H3G04/?tag=lstir-20

Not sure if it is the same I saw in the FT videos (I remember it was a big red one), but it seems that Lombardi is having really good results. So having seen somebody making it work (and giving good tips) I made my mind and I am going to follow that path.