plexi glass qestion

[phil744]

I use a laser cutter to do all of my panels, I dont own a CNC router

[spiro]

nice cutting how will you engrave if it was to make exampel a auto pilot panel???

[phil744]

You can use the same machine to engrave also, that is how many people make panels, but i use another laser engraver to do that for me

[spiro]

know i understand ok thanks for the tip

[RadarBob]

What Make/Model of Laser Cutter/Engraver do you use Phil ?


Rob

[phil744]

What Make/Model of Laser Cutter/Engraver do you use Phil ?


Rob

Sorry I cant tell you on a public forum, but the 2 machines together cost more than most sims

[RadarBob]

Ok understood - Thanks Phil

I guessed that they may be out of my league - It was just for interest
really.

Cheers,

Rob

[Buddym]

I have seen smaller laser systems for $5000 - $8000, but I have only read of them engraving, and cutting paper or thin sign making material. My cnc machine was only a fraction of that, but I would have to assume that if you had the right laser system that it would do a better job than the cnc.

I still don't have a handle on engraving with my cnc machine, but I continue to experiment and learn from my failures. It seems to do an adequate job cutting the panels, the only limitations are my own CAD skills and the lack of drawings for the panels I want to cut. I have cut a fcu panel, an engine start panel, and the flaps and gear panels, just eye-balling the control placement on panel dimensions I found on the web. Not perfect, but pretty good. As my CAD skills improve I hope to make better and better panels. By the time I get good I will be finished with the cockpit!!


Phil, do you make your own CAD files to cut from, or do you have a collection on which to draw from? Those panels look awesome!

BuddyM

[phil744]

I have seen smaller laser systems for $5000 - $8000, but I have only read of them engraving, and cutting paper or thin sign making material. My cnc machine was only a fraction of that, but I would have to assume that if you had the right laser system that it would do a better job than the cnc.

I still don't have a handle on engraving with my cnc machine, but I continue to experiment and learn from my failures. It seems to do an adequate job cutting the panels, the only limitations are my own CAD skills and the lack of drawings for the panels I want to cut. I have cut a fcu panel, an engine start panel, and the flaps and gear panels, just eye-balling the control placement on panel dimensions I found on the web. Not perfect, but pretty good. As my CAD skills improve I hope to make better and better panels. By the time I get good I will be finished with the cockpit!!


Phil, do you make your own CAD files to cut from, or do you have a collection on which to draw from? Those panels look awesome!

BuddyM

Yeah those cutters will do the job, best go for the 60W system, but 40W will do the trick, but a little slow, keep in mind the two major drawbacks, panels cut will need annaeling befor painting and you are limited to 3D relief work you can do, so you will end up machining the back of the panels so if you have a CNC stick with that, however they are good for engraving, even the cheap ones.

I do all the panel designs myself, basically model the entire flightdeck in 3D, then export the 3D back to 2D for panels, I also have a nice collection of real panels to reference from to check accuracy, and the 3D stuff allows me to check everything fits how it should

[autocadplease]

Kind of off topic, but some people are even building laser engravers with DVD burner parts: http://www.instructables.com/id/60-L...raver--Cutter/