Cameron’s Laser Build

Wanna See the Laser Tube?

So, another weekend in the shop and more progress to report. The first accomplishment was the installation of the motor for the bed lift. This motor raises and lowers the honeycomb bed to position what ever is being engraved or cut at the ideal distance from the head of the laser to achieve the result you want.

Second, Cameron installed the floor in the laser bay and the mounts for the laser tube. This part was exciting for me as it was my first glimpse of the laser tube in its final location (it has been in a wooden crate for many weeks now). I can’t help but get a little jazzed about inching closer to completion!

Alignment of the light path of the laser is of particular importance. You’ll hear me say this about a lot of things during this build because the success of this build rests or falls with the the precision with which these components work together to perform intricate tasks. Cameron’s nature and skill sets (along with his patience with granular details) lend themselves readily to the minutiae of this build. In one of the photos below you’ll see some items he 3D printed to ensure that the light path was on target. The hole for the path is so small that it’s akin to threading a needle. I don’t know how he does it all but he does. All of this is to say that he aligned the light path of the laser using parts he printed and a laser pointer much like one you’d buy to amuse your cats (and yourself because it’s hilarious to watch them go after that red dot).

Additionally, he installed the side panels of the cutting area and printed risers for the tube brackets and the mount for the lift motor along with some other parts for wire routing.

He ran into some trouble with the assembly of the ball screws that raise and lower the bed. It turned out that he had unknowingly deviated from the plans. After conferring with some of the Rezo builder community he decided to reassemble them/correct the change he had made even though the way he initially did it may have worked out. This cost him some time but there isn’t much about this build that is speedy! Take a look at the latest photos below.

Laser Tube
Motor for the bed and the 3D printed motor mount he printed in blue and green.
Light path alignment. The round green disc in the upper left corner holds the laser pointer and shoots the laser beam through the TEENY hole in the second green disc and then into the black things that are a mirror and a beam combiner.
One of the panes inside the cutting area. The white belt, which as not yet been spliced, attaches to the lift motor to raise and lower the bed.

Cameron won’t tell you this but he took time out to do a small project for me this weekend too, which stole some time from the build. He is a peach!

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  1. DEBORAH DATCHUK

    I know I’ve said this before, but this is AMAZING! How much longer do you think it will take him to finish building? What an accomplishment it will be!

    Reply
    1. Cameron’s Rezo Laser Build

      He thinks he will finish in May, hopefully early May. I don’t think there are any other three day weekends until Memorial Day weekend so only having the time and energy to build on weekends protracts the build time. Also, as with any project, there are always bumps along the road that cost you time. I’m hoping for a laser hot summer (figuratively speaking of course…you know I’m a winter girl)!

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