Laser engraving and 3D printing?

[wkearney99]

Anyone here mucking about with computer controlled laser engraving and/or 3D printing?
 
I'm debating the purchase of one or the other (or a combined unit).  For laser engraving I'd like to entertain being able to engrave wall plates with text.  So something known to work reliably with plastic, nylon, etc, would be good.  No big items, or large quantities and it's fine if it's not the speediest.
 
For 3D printing it's more for curiosity's sake.  I don't have any particular need for one, but there's a few things that might be interesting to try.  I'd love to make some custom-fit cradles for various tablets and other accessory items.  
 
There's so many options out there it's hard to figure out where to start.  Like I mentioned, I'm not looking for volume/speed or the ability to do large pieces For 3D, typically under 10" in any given dimension.  For engraving labels, no more than a few inches.  I can always move things or do things in stages.
 
Any time I keep gizmos under the $250 price point they fly right under the WAF radar.  Higher than that and I start to get questions about 'need'.  Which I'm prepared to argue, of course, and it's not like I ever really 'lose'.  But these aren't really something I 'need' so less expensive it generally easier.
 
So, any success or horror stories?

 

[BaduFamily]

Pick up the most recent Maker magazine - it's a review of many machines with some context. I don't think you will find any at the pricing you sketch out.
 
Any maker spces / hacker spaces near you? it looks like unallocatedspace.org is just getting going. HackDC looks to be close but It's been a decade/kid-raising while since business took me to that neck of the woods. 20 odd min from downtown Bethesday according to the goog.
 
There is a TechShop in Arlington ( disclaimer, I am a TechShop Inc. investor ) which should offer intro classes in laser cutting and 3d modeling/printing. Would be a way to take a dip without taking a bath. half an hour?
 
I mention hacker / maker spaces as they often offer classes/workshops too and may be less expensive.

 

[wkearney99]

I'm fine with spending more.  I've been eyeing up gizmos like a glowforge or a pirahna.
 
I'm less inclined to use the spaces as traffic/travel time is a hassle.  They're a fine idea, and I've used a local woodworking place for time with the bandsaw.  But for stuff like this, where build times might be long and might take a lot of iterations, I'm fine with getting something of my own.  At least as a start for tinkering around.  That and if I need to make more there are services.
 
As for price points, some of the stuff has gotten pretty cheap.
http://www.gearbest.com/3d-printers-3d-printer-kits/pp_242560.html
 
Granted, that's not going to do the kind of plastics I'm considering, and it's got a very small working space.  Still, it shows there's a lot of movement in the market's pricing.  I'd love to find something cheap that'd let me play around a bit with engraving plastic wall plates.

 

[BaduFamily]

I understand your points.
 
Interesting idea with the wall plates.
 
I haven't had the key engraving done on my Vantage install because ... well it's pricy, even DIY,  and we change things pretty often.
 
 
but wall plates. I wonder what the plastic actually is, and if it's 'laser friendly.'

 

[Waynedb]

  I have a cheap 1/2 watt laser engraver and a 3d printer. I tried making some buttons for my insteon Keypads using ABS and they came out pretty nice, I also tried engraving them with the laser but have to play with the speeds some to see if it is going to work well enough. I have been playing with my new cnc router lately so I have not been using the laser much.
 
You can buy a 40 watt CO2 laser for a little over $400 dollars now, you might have to do some fine tuning to get it working perfectly.
 
  With 3d printers I find that with ABS it is pretty easy to get a smooth finish with a little sanding, to print ABS you should have at least a heated bed and fully enclosed is better, ABS stinks when printing and is really bad when you hit it with a laser, some plastics can give off some really bad fumes that you don't want to breathe. CO2 lasers should come with a smoke extractor.  Youtube has lots of videos on lasers and 3d printers.

 

[Waynedb]

  For 3d printing here is some software you can try for designing stuff http://www.123dapp.com/design is free and also Fusion 360 which is free for 1 year for students, teachers, hobbyists and startups earning I believe less than $100,000. http://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/overview?src=OMSE&mktvar002=638405&gclid=CNSyoPnHnckCFQoVfgodH4wO4Q&gclsrc=aw.ds
 
Also check out http://www.thingiverse.com/ for ready to print designs

 

[wkearney99]

Thanks wayne, that's the kind of feedback I'm looking to see.

From what little I've read I haven't heard good things about the off gassing from laser and plastics. Read about somebody trying to do it with Delrin and the side effect is formaldehyde. So, yeah, dealing with fume extraction is on my list.

But of course, as usual, getting one new gizmo requires a bunch of others to support it! I suppose it would be better to deal with core drilling of vent out through my 12 inch concrete foundation now before it's too cold. Which, of course, leads to the wife asking why? I joke about it, but my wife is very accommodating of all this. It's just the smart man that plans ahead (before wandering through the minefield)

I suppose my first stop should be to find somewhere to try out engraving some of the wall plates I'd like to use. I think some of them are nylon. And I just picked up some new Lutron screwless Claro wall plates, I don't know what material those use.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

If you want Delrin, but are concerned about the fume product produced when machined, check out Ertalyte® as it has very similar specifications and I'm pretty sure does not have the formaldehyde emission problem.

 

[wkearney99]

Oh, I don't have any particular materials in mind, just yet.  As I'm learning I run across what other people have observed and it makes it clear that fume management is something to plan for ahead of time. Delrin is good for some stuff, but it's good to hear about alternatives. 

 

[TonyNo]

I have an xyz printing DaVinci 1.0 3D printer and an Inventables x-carve CNC router (not laser, but I can do similar stuff), and, so far, I'm happy with both.