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Thread: Adding a 3.5watts Laser to my Shopbot Desktop

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Victoriaville, QC, Canada
    Posts
    64

    Default Adding a 3.5watts Laser to my Shopbot Desktop

    Hi everyone,

    I recently installed a small laser on my Desktop 2418.

    I asked for help from the Shopbot technical staff but it turned out they did not point me in the right direction and I ended up spending many $ on a new control-card for nothing. That’s why I’m posting this. I want to share some info with others who would be interested in doing something similar with their CNCs.

    Here is a very brief overview:

    1- Bought a 3.5w laser from china (laser, power supply, goggles …).
    2- Found an existing signal on the Shopbot Desktop control-card to control the laser with variable intensity (as opposed to full power/no power).
    3- Used a couple of electronic devices to interface the laser control with the Desktop so that they don’t share common ground (completely isolated electrically).
    4- Created a new post-processor for VCarve to create cut-files.

    For a detail explanation, you can check this pdf document :
    https://www.dropbox.com/s/aow9m5t0c2...notes.pdf?dl=0

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Garland Tx
    Posts
    2,334

    Default

    Marc…

    Thanks for taking the time to document this!

    SG

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Victoriaville, QC, Canada
    Posts
    64

    Default

    You are very welcome.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Cleveland TN
    Posts
    369

    Default

    Marc - Wow, that is awesome. You really did good on this and we all appreciate the quality of the work so others could possibly add a laser to their machine.

    Joe
    2005 PRT Alpha 48x96
    2013 Colombo 3hp spindle
    Indexer (converted lathe)
    Aspire 9.0

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Rogers, Arkansas
    Posts
    1,010

    Default

    Thanks for the detailed write up! This is something I've wanted to try.
    Can you show us some projects done with the laser?
    Ken Zey
    Lookout Mercantile / Digital Millwork
    Rogers, AR
    www.CedarSlabSigns.com
    www.lookoutmercantile.com
    www.digitalmillwork.com

    6x12 PRS alpha

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Victoriaville, QC, Canada
    Posts
    64

    Default

    Thanks for the positive response. I hope my writing is «readable»... (I'm french Canadian eh! )

    Unfortunately it's been only a week so far and I gave my first protypes to a friend

    I'll make new ones shortly and post the results.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Victoriaville, QC, Canada
    Posts
    64

    Default

    News update...

    I have been in touch with the Shopbot tech support today regarding the fact that the laser won't turn off when the cut-file is interrupted...

    They tell me their design intended to turn off the PWM signal when the user hits a «stop», just like with other outputs like a router. It's a bug that got through with their development and they are currently looking into it. They will try to get a fix for it in the software and push an update to the website and issue a new version of SB3.

    In the meantime, they suggested pairing the PWM signal with another output (like output2 from the control-board) so that the PWM is turned off when output 2 turns off...

    Personnaly, I think I'll wait and see if Shopbot can fix it, if not, I'll add a few components around the optoisolator in the control box to shutdown the PWM signal if output #2 is off. A small transistor and a few resistors would do the trick.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Cleveland TN
    Posts
    369

    Default

    Sounds like a good workaround while waiting for a fix from ShopBot. Please keep us informed...
    2005 PRT Alpha 48x96
    2013 Colombo 3hp spindle
    Indexer (converted lathe)
    Aspire 9.0

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Victoriaville, QC, Canada
    Posts
    64

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Piedmont, SD
    Posts
    728

    Default

    Looks like that's working swimmingly well. The foam cutting is something you don't immediately think of for a laser use.
    Well done!
    jeff

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