Okay people, it’s really taking shape now! Cameron had another busy weekend and as he likes to tell me, he has made progress I can SEE ????.

The 3D printer has been key once again as he printed the plate for the switch panel. I saw that he posted on the Rezo forum that his printer isn’t big enough to print the panel in one piece so he had to do it in two pieces. Anyone wanna lay bets on how long it will be before a bigger 3D printer lands on the front steps? I feel it coming ????. Here is a photo of it.

He also printed a mount for the sensor that tells the machine where the honeycomb is. The laser head needs to have an awareness of that so it doesn’t hit it. It’s the red doodah in the photo below.

Almost forgot, here is the back of the switch plate.

Cameron also installed the lighting. It’s hard to see it well even though he took this photo with all of the shop lighting turned off. Take a look.

He says he aligned all of the ball screws for the honeycomb bed. There is one in each corner and they have to be square so the bed will go up and down without getting stuck because it isn’t level.

So as we sit today, the chiller and compressor need to be connected, the laser tube gets installed next week, the acrylic and aluminum side panels need to be added, a little more wire tightening/cleaning up, and an exhaust rig are what’s left as far as I can tell. I scrolled back to our first photos of the shop before the build started. It’s hard to believe so much has been built since those four stakes marked the perimeter of the space needed for the laser. I’m prodding Cameron to name her. I’ve decided she’s female…she runs super hot like a woman whose estrogen levels are bouncing ????. Cameron will have the final say, of course.

I already have an alphabetized binder and plastic sheet protectors so we can maintain a log of settings for all of the various materials and their corresponding thicknesses we will cut and engrave. I have an idea for a fiber art fish I have been anxious to make but first I need the laser to cut hundreds of tiny ovals of adhesive backed fabric!

I’m told it is “very possible” that Cameron will fire the laser next weekend! Wooooo hooooo! No promises from him but I can live with a maybe for five more days!

Have a great week everybody!