High-tech tool (ie laser-cutter) gripe
You know, there are some high-tech tools that I'd like to have, and it's starting to annoy me that they're so SIMILAR, but there doesn't seem to be any way to combine them and save some of the costs. Consider your Laser cutter, your CNC router (for plastic or wood), your PCB milling machine, and your CNC hotwire foam cutter. All feature a major portion of their cost in a precision X-Y tool movement (and sometimes Z.) But can I switch tools (and perhaps bases) and convert one to another ? No! Sigh.
The differences in tool and base properties are pretty significant; is there any way something like this might be possible?
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Dec 5, 2008. 7:29 AMPolymorph
says:
CNC Router, Laser cuttter, and PCB milling machine could be done on one machine with replaceable heads and maybe a changeable bed. A hot wire foam cutter has an entirely different layout, though.
Westfw forgot about the water jet. You have to call a plumber to fix that.
Dec 18, 2008. 6:23 PMstarwing123
says:
water jet is a machine that cuts using high pressure water
You get that awful knocking in the pipes when it hits Mach 1.
I just finished reading a short story by Asimov about spaceships that used water propulsion once in space...interesting concept....although complete fantasy as far as I know.
Oh I wish I knew where I put those plans for turning an old dot matrix printer into an X-Y plotter. That might be a start.
Dec 5, 2008. 2:38 PMstarwing123
says:
Yeah, Also, 3-D printers are so similar to the rest too.
Sounds like a mod for a CNC is needed. Good idea, patent it quick :-P
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