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Has anyone attached a J Tech laser to their desktop or desktop max with a spindle? I have a friend that added one to his home built CNC and he is able to use the laser to engraver on the round using an indexer. I would like to do the same.
Thanks
Rick
Actually in the process of adding one to my gantry machine. Printed a mount to hold the laser to my second Z and also hold a cooling fan for it. Have just run a couple basic test runs so far as I'm still working on getting the second Z fully usable. I've got the 3.8w kit from Jtech
http://http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/showthread.php?23389-Laser-attachment-for-Shopbot&p=193872#post193872
Visit this thread, learn a bit, take warning, and play safe.
We are purchasing a 7w laser from JTech to mount on a yet to be delivered Desktop Max. Due to budgeting and timeframe, we have to buy now (Vectric Module and Laser) or not at all. So, we are unable to know which Vectric laser module to obtain for our ShopBot. We are running VC 11.XX. Any suggestions, we need direction, please?
Sorry to rain on your laser parade, but unless ShopBot has actually added "PWM" support to their board (be it the normal controller or FabMo), you won't be able to vary the power output of the JTech laser. You will be limited to only on/off at 100% power. There will be no varying of power at directional changes, which will lead to overburning. This also means that you won't be able to engrave photo/grayscale images. You'll also have to edit an existing postp or create your own postp in VCP/Aspire to generate the needed code to turn it on/off by way of an output (JTech may have one that works for this for Vectric products).
There is only one Vectric Laser module. It works with both VCP or Aspire. Another very good laser software is LightBurn, but there's no output that would work with ShopBot without a lot of work in an editor to get some form of compatible G-code that would run in SB3.
That said, I've been running a 7w JTech on a restored Techno Isel benchtop using the Centroid Acorn controller, which has full PWM support for lasers and PWM spindles, using both Vectric's laser module and LightBurn. It has been working quite well.
That machine is the first one featured here. https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_diy/acorn_laser_cnc.html
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nGx...ew?usp=sharing
As far as I know all ShopBots have had PWM control capabilities since the early plasma cutter days. My suggestion would be to check with the ShopBot support folks and find out the details about using lasers with ShopBots.
That's right, it's been so long since plasma was actively supported/updated, that I had forgotten about it. Not much in the way of documentation to be found on it. Must be something in the archives somewhere. Not sure where one could connect the PWM signal wire for the JTech and more importantly, would it be able to cycle fast enough to manage image engraving where the power level is constantly being changed? Would need to find a old plasma post that you could edit for use.
Here's the JTech on ShopBot install page. They show setting it up on a DTmax, but there's no mention of power level control, just on/off with SO,5,1 and SO,5,0.