Olle F Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Our company just bought a small laser cutter, and my first thought was of course: "What can I make for model cars?" My material of choice would be styrene sheets, which it can cut with ease. It can also engrave, by adjusting the intensity of the laser to cut partly through the material. Then there are special materials you can get, like thin film that's layered in different colors so you can make the engraving appear in a different color (think instruments, emblems etc). You could also make a back lit instrument panel by cutting through a sheet of styrene, inserting it in the dash and putting a small lightbulb behind it. One idea I got from another forum is a straight hot rod style front axle with holes. This could be made as three separate parts for the beam, and some added pieces for spindles, mounts etc. "Bomber" style seats for hot rods would be another thing that would be fairly easy to make, and there must be a thousand different parts you can use it for. You have to produce a CAD-drawing to run it, but that shouldn't be too difficult as long as you know the dimensions of the part you want to make. I'm not sure how much access I will have to this machine, but I would still like some suggestions for things that can be cut. I have a total mental block right now, so let's hear some ideas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordairgtar Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Much on the line of multi-colored layering would be license plates with raised letters like our state has. 32 Ford grille with raised ribbing. Rocker panel trim. Wheel covers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAL Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Our company just bought a small laser cutter, and my first thought was of course: "What can I make for model cars?" My material of choice would be styrene sheets, which it can cut with ease. It can also engrave, by adjusting the intensity of the laser to cut partly through the material. Then there are special materials you can get, like thin film that's layered in different colors so you can make the engraving appear in a different color (think instruments, emblems etc). You could also make a back lit instrument panel by cutting through a sheet of styrene, inserting it in the dash and putting a small lightbulb behind it. One idea I got from another forum is a straight hot rod style front axle with holes. This could be made as three separate parts for the beam, and some added pieces for spindles, mounts etc. "Bomber" style seats for hot rods would be another thing that would be fairly easy to make, and there must be a thousand different parts you can use it for. You have to produce a CAD-drawing to run it, but that shouldn't be too difficult as long as you know the dimensions of the part you want to make. I'm not sure how much access I will have to this machine, but I would still like some suggestions for things that can be cut. I have a total mental block right now, so let's hear some ideas! Wood trims. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDO Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 A custom chassis for a Big Deuce '32 Ford. You could have it cut frame rails with kick-up front and rear to lower it. You could stretch the front part of the frame to fit a straight-6, straight-8, or V-12. Same deal for Big T, or even a Deuce in 1/24. Fujimi's V-12 in the Revell/Mono roadster sounds pretty cool. Frame rails with a radical "C" section in the rear for ground-scraping modern pickups. A box-truck conversion kit. Cut all sides of the box, plus a diamond plate bumper and steps. Make stretched frame rails or frame extensions. Engrave horizontal lines for a rear door that slides up. Don't forget 90degree braces to make assembly a bit easier. This, without the need for precise measurements and cuts: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDO Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 Smooth firewalls for street rods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalefinishes Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 License plate frames, slam locks for big rigs, pulley sets/engine accessory brackets, custom grills, wrench sets, and custom wheel centers. That's all I have for now. Jameston Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torinobradley Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 I think it would be easier to tell you what you couldn't make with it... From multi-leaf springs of all shapes and sizes to multi part assemblies like moon tanks (two end caps, inner support, exterior skin, filler neck, cap, and mounting brackets) , radiators, frame rails, roof sections with cutouts, hood sides smooth or with cutouts for the also laser cut vents, super detailed fans, cutout grill covers, wheel centers, interior door, hood and trunk skins, suspension mounts from rear bat wings for four link/ladder bar to front radius rod mounts, engine dress covers, brackets, motor mounts, disk brakes (drilled, slotted or both), etc... Considering multi piece assemblies, pretty much everything can be broken down and made in layers. Imagine the '32 frame... side rails would be two parts each for the side profiles, one inner, one outer with the side reveal. You laminate those together. Then cement the thin top profile piece that makes up the upper portion of both frame rails as well as the upper part of the inner crossmemebers and spring pockets. then you cement the inner support for the inner crossmembers and then attach the bottom profile piece to tie it all together into one solid and fairly correct looking frame that has a frame look rather than the boxed look of traditional kit molding processes. I am sure anyone could do this manually but all of the cuts would take forever and a day whereas a laser cutter could cut the entire frame out in a heartbeat with nothing left but assembly. You could even cut a jig to line it all up. And, with just a few changes to the artwork, you could modify the frame for any size Z you want and any crossmember setup, narrowed for an A body or whatever else you can dream up. I volunteer to build the test samples and write the assembly instructions... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olle F Posted September 26, 2008 Author Share Posted September 26, 2008 Thanks for the replies, guys! So let's see... so far, we have this: -I-beam axles (easy to draw and cut, but finnicky to assemble) -Instruments -Custom chassis for hot rods (not sure if I can make the '32 rails look right though) -Box-truck conversion kit -Wood trim -Smooth firewalls for street rods (difficult to draw in CAD and make it fit...) -License plates with raised letters (I hope I can engrave this, would make an excellent detail!) -License plate frames (easy to draw, but PE parts would probably look better) -32 Ford grille with raised ribbing, custom grilles (another one that's difficult to draw in CAD) -Rocker panel trim -Wheel covers, custom wheel centers (more of a 3D thing, not sure if I can make this look good) -Slam locks for big rigs -Pulley sets/engine accessory brackets (great idea, and easy to draw!) -Wrench sets I might add that I would like to start with something fairly generic that can be used for as many models as possible. It will take some time to make a CAD-drawing, but I can duplicate the parts with ease once the drawing is done. So keep 'em coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olle F Posted September 26, 2008 Author Share Posted September 26, 2008 I think it would be easier to tell you what you couldn't make with it... From multi-leaf springs of all shapes and sizes to multi part assemblies like moon tanks (two end caps, inner support, exterior skin, filler neck, cap, and mounting brackets) , radiators, frame rails, roof sections with cutouts, hood sides smooth or with cutouts for the also laser cut vents, super detailed fans, cutout grill covers, wheel centers, interior door, hood and trunk skins, suspension mounts from rear bat wings for four link/ladder bar to front radius rod mounts, engine dress covers, brackets, motor mounts, disk brakes (drilled, slotted or both), etc... Considering multi piece assemblies, pretty much everything can be broken down and made in layers. Imagine the '32 frame... side rails would be two parts each for the side profiles, one inner, one outer with the side reveal. You laminate those together. Then cement the thin top profile piece that makes up the upper portion of both frame rails as well as the upper part of the inner crossmemebers and spring pockets. then you cement the inner support for the inner crossmembers and then attach the bottom profile piece to tie it all together into one solid and fairly correct looking frame that has a frame look rather than the boxed look of traditional kit molding processes. I am sure anyone could do this manually but all of the cuts would take forever and a day whereas a laser cutter could cut the entire frame out in a heartbeat with nothing left but assembly. You could even cut a jig to line it all up. And, with just a few changes to the artwork, you could modify the frame for any size Z you want and any crossmember setup, narrowed for an A body or whatever else you can dream up. I volunteer to build the test samples and write the assembly instructions... You're right, I should have mentioned that this machine is best suited for cutting flat pieces out of flat stock, and that limits the types of parts you can make. And I'm not sure about the engraving yet, chances are that the engraved areas will show the lines from the engraving, very much like what you would see on milled parts. That could look kinda ugly and would be difficult to sand out on, for example, a license plate with raised letters. Another possible limitation is the heat generated by the laser. Let's say that you're trying to cut a spoke wheel for a dragster: You can easily cut one side of the spoke, but once you cut the other side, the spoke might get totally ruined from heat distortion. I have a lot of homework to do here. And I have thought about how to layer pieces, make multi-piece assemblies and so on, but some parts already exist (like '32 Ford frames) and I don't feel like I can make anything that's better than what's already on the market. Bat wings and other chassis parts would be easy to make though, as long as they can be built from flat pieces. from the looks of the previous responses, you are looking @ a list of Requests, not Suggestions... Yeah, maybe so. I'm not taking any orders yet though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDO Posted September 27, 2008 Share Posted September 27, 2008 TorinoBradley was more descriptive than I was with the Big Deuce frame idea. I understand that it can only make flat pieces, but each frame rail could be an assembly of 3 or 4 flat pieces. I really like his idea of a laminate to get the reveal. A coat of primer and a light sanding will make it look like stamped steel. The builder would need to do more work than if he had bought machined billet frame rails, but it could sold for just a few dollars. Try that with CNC-machined parts and it could cost hundreds...or more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harold Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 (edited) A hole in a bank . Then I could crank up my lifestyle. Actually, though, I might try doing a Predictor like the one in my sig. Edited September 30, 2008 by Harold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raydee Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 A mess,hahahahahaa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samdiego Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 (edited) This is for a Lindberg 1/8 scale T. I did this while I was working at a sign shop that had a 75 watt Epilog laser. The art was generated in Corel x3. I used 1/16 in black plexiglass. The face was done in print mode and was then through cut at the outside shape. The yellow was infilled and removed from the high spots. The serial number in the reg sticker is fully legible. It's all one piece, the frame is BMF You can do three dimensional stuff in print mode, it's just a little slow and requires multiple sends. A clean-up pass at 10% power smooths things out. A great machine, the more I worked with it, the more ideas struck. Just stay away from anything PVC based. It will screw with the optics. Also, never leave the machine running, it will set itself on fire! The unit was demo model from a trade show, picked up for the bargain basement price of $40,000 + a PC and an exhaust system. I had the art nearly finished for a '40 dash for the Big Deuce, but switched shops before i could do it. Edited October 1, 2008 by samdiego Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDO Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Sam- Very impressive. It's a shame that the dash never got built. I think it's only a matter of time before someone builds one of these things at home. There are homebuilt EDMs and CNC lathes/mills/routers. I bet someone does it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Payne Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I could go for some track nose grilles, a '36 Ford grille, almost anything now made as photo-etch. Circular gauge bezels are another idea, also steering wheels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samdiego Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 (edited) 75 watts isn't enough to do anything to metal and I'm not sure how high you have to go, at least double. Mine wouldn't even mark the surface of a "chrome" plated tape measure. You can burn burn funny pix onto a co-workers cookie when he's not looking, that's worth the price of admission right there. Not to give the impression that these are hand held. They are more like a big print head inside a sandblasting cabinet. Interface-wise, of all the machines I've run in 20+ years doing this, this is the easiest, most bang for the buck piece of stuff. It's dead simple mechanically and the input could be just hand-drawn and scan-to-print for the output, if need be. No black art cad-cam stuff involved. The only hard part is ponying up for the initial. Edited October 2, 2008 by samdiego Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torinobradley Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 I would be more than happy to help in any way possible. A friend of mine worked for a wood shop and they had a CNC cutter there. I had sent him designs for a few items and he was able to cut em out. Just did simple bitmaps. Awesome stuff! He had cut me a very nice Orion Pirate Ship from a design I sent him. What is the resolution/cut width? When you consider everything as a sum of parts, you can pretty much make anything. Albiet some things are much more difficult than others... I was looking to see just how much those things cost and the little "entry-level" machines can get into the 10k range! Way beyond cottage industry... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samdiego Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 As I recall the resolution maxed at 300dpi and the cut width is like a hair. That's why print mode is relatively slow, tiny print head. I could cover my maximum area, 24 x 36, in about 45 minutes at 100% speed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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