CNC Laser Kits

[ThunderBox]

Other Aircraft | Laser Cut Kits Australia

lasercutkits.com.au

A few years ago I built my own CNC machine, it was OK but lacked the finesse for the accuracy I needed, so I am considering buying a laser one from chincom

I always wanted to build my own rc aircraft or boat.

Maybe now a 3D printer would be a better investment.

Anyone dabbling in this hobby?

 

[Nimbus]

Got to say that I’m biased because I’ve used laser cutter/engravers for a decade, and only dabbled with 3D printing. As I see it a laser is more useful for fabrication (cutting wing ribs/bulkheads etc whereas 3D is better for (eg) pilots torsos, smoke discharges and other complex shapes. A laser can also make stencils and vinyl stickers, but you can make stamps (cobbles, zimmerit, bricks etc) with either. 3D printing can be sluggish, but you can download files to make just about anything.
Short answer: Both.
Here’s one I made earlier:

 

[Effendi]

I would love a cnc router.

 

[ThunderBox]

Got to say that I’m biased because I’ve used laser cutter/engravers for a decade, and only dabbled with 3D printing. As I see it a laser is more useful for fabrication (cutting wing ribs/bulkheads etc whereas 3D is better for (eg) pilots torsos, smoke discharges and other complex shapes. A laser can also make stencils and vinyl stickers, but you can make stamps (cobbles, zimmerit, bricks etc) with either. 3D printing can be sluggish, but you can download files to make just about anything.
Short answer: Both.
Here’s one I made earlier:
View attachment 514952

Are you making a flight sim? I did these for my F/A-18C pit but am going VR,

This was my Homemade CNC Router

 

[Edwardian Fred]

Wow.

 

[Nimbus]

Are you making a flight sim? I did these for my F/A-18C pit but am going VR,

View attachment 515465This was my Homemade CNC Router

View attachment 515466

Nice job, mine is merely a clock for my van. It’s black paint on white acrylic, with the details lasered in. If I’d used clear acrylic I could have embedded leds and illuminated it. Didn’t think of that at the time...
Edit: looks at pictures and sees you’re already there...

 

[ThunderBox]

Not quite, the DIY router was not accurate enough to do the text so they are just printed paper lifted from the NATOPS manuals and coloured in.

The panels are 3 layers though, a base layer the switches are attached, should be aluminium but I just used plaxi, a middle layer which is a diffuser (if you use lighting) but its also a spacer around the switches holding bolt and then a top layer which is supposed to be the etched writing.

All in all, I was able to build the panel up, got all the switches working but ultimately failed on the top panel!!

In the end, I resorted to a scroll saw and drill, the DIY router just didnt cut it, would dig in, the base material would slip, was fecking noisy, plastic dust everywhere......

Would recommend a laser in a cabinet with an air extractor every day.