Darkly Labs emblaser - affordable laser cutter - review

[Simond]

Thanks for the links & info (do please tell us your name, or a nickname you'd like us to use!).

 

I'll try engraving the marble if I can't use it as a platen!

 

I shall watch the videos, and reread anything I've missed. Steel sounds like a good starting point for a new platen - cheap, easy to clean, and attractive (to magnets).

 

The laser is on hold at the moment. I have my new Smoothieboard, and a 24V psu, just summoning the courage to rip the machine to bits and rebuild it!

 

The Smoothieboard has the facility to output PWM which can be used to drive the laser power output, that, however, is phase 2, as it is slightly more complicated, and requires electrickery rather than just connecting a few wires up.

 

I shall post more on the CO2 forum when I have more info.

 

Thanks again

Simon

[Giles]

Here's my latest lasering with the Emblazer - an expansion link in .028" nickel-silver.

 

 

Well, almost..... a slight cheat....

 

I laser the expansion link in 2mm MDF twice full size as a template

 

 

And then mill it out with my little Proxxon pantograph engraver, modified to light milling.

 

Edited June 15, 2017 by Giles

[BrushType4]

Clever!

[M Wright]

Hi Simond et al,     I post on most forums as "workwright". Your upgrade sounds very interesting, if you have time you should post it as well on the 40W and 50W chinese laser sites.  At the moment all is quiet with the laser I am busy trying to finish a batch of steam engines so feel guilty if I take time off to do my own stuff.  The only laser related task in the workshop is the repair of my broken power pack.  With the help of a most helpful and generous(with his time)guy in the US I think I have finally found the broken component  on the power supply board. Just waiting on the new diodes to effect the repair.  Please take care when working on your CO2 laser.  Remember even the small laser power supplies have very high voltages in them, more than enough to kill many times over.  So remember when working on the circuit boards power supply capacitors take at least an hour to discharge.  I always carefully check them with a HV insulated probe wired to a GOOD EARTH before going anywhere near.  It does seem a real advantage of these blue laser light cutters they are not so dangerous it terms of voltages.

[M Wright]

Nice to see an engraving machine being used.  Most of the great model makers of the last 50 years used a Taylor Hobson or Alexander engraving machine.  They used to be very sort after. I paid over £1000 for mine 30 years ago, now with cheap CNC millers available you see them on e-bay for a couple of hundered pounds.  The best cutters to use on them in my opinion are not the classic D bit type but solid carbide cutters. They last for ages and they will work dry on steel with the machine running at 15,000 rpm.  I use old bits of Formica to make the cutting patterns.  I wonder if I can laser cut this....... must find out.

[monkeysarefun]

If your laptop has multiple USB ports then here's a way to  not waste them..

 

(This is hopefully a good indication of  the size of the Emblaser 2 compared to his little brother...)

 

 

 

 

I found this little guy  lost and cold and alone on my doorstep when I came home tonight.

 

 

 

 

I was going to plug him in too, but the new lady that I'm  trying to convince that I'm not a murderer possibly might have thought all that toolery in the lounge room a bit weird, so it'll have to wait until the weekend.

Edited June 15, 2017 by monkeysarefun

[BG John]

I've got a Taylor Hobson that I've never used, despite having it for years. I wish I could time travel back to the past when they fetched high prices, so I could spend the proceeds now on a laser cutter and a CNC mill! I'll just have to make do with my Silhouette Portrait, and watch more YouTube videos on making CNC mills from old computer bits!

[M Wright]

Hi, I would dust off your Taylor H.  Why they were used and still are by a few is in helping to make masters for lost wax casting.  The advatage over CNC (cheap) is that the machine is very ridgid and very accurate when set up.  For O gauge a common ratio of pattern to part would be 4 : 1  ie any error is 4X smaller. To some extent the rididity of the machine and certainly the ease of use increases as the ratio becomes larger.  Anyway back to what this topic is about.  Does the emblaser have air assist on the laser head?  Does it have any form of air extraction from the workspace?  Is there a focus lens in the laser head? Regards.

[Giles]

The Emblazer 2 has optional air-assist and extraction, but the lens is factory pre-focussed. The Emblazer 1 doesn't have either air assist or extraction, and the user has to set up the focus oneself.

The Emblazer 2 also comes with a built-in camera for work positioning, and a motorised 'Z' axis, which increases the cutting depth. The camera doesn't work yet, and is awaiting a software update.

 

I should love a TH, but my wife might be a little less keen in the living room....

 

At the moment, I'm getting about 0.1 to 0.2mm accuracy between my computer drawings and the final work piece with this little Proxxon set up, which I think is remarkable for such a basic and economical machine!

Edited June 16, 2017 by Giles

[raymw]

I've a Strigon pantograph mill - like a Taylor Hobson, but on steroids. When I was using it, making bespoke attachments for printers, it was easy enough to cut patterns by hand from cardboard, and trace them at usually 1:4 ratio. Often easy to cut curves, angles etc into hardboard for a pattern, and pin in various positions to get to the final shape. Working part time earned enough in a year to pay for the machine, and buy a brand new Cortina. The first job I did with it, made 'D-bits' from some darning needles. Most likely, a couple lengths of studding and stepper motors would adequately 'cnc' a small pantograph machine at minimum cost.

[TimP]

I have been lurking here for a while - and as a result of reading what you are all up to I was thinking of ordering an Emblaser 2 - does anyone know what the red tape is that is holding up UK import? or where I can get more info on the issue?

 

Thanks

 

Tim

[Greengiant]

I have been lurking here for a while - and as a result of reading what you are all up to I was thinking of ordering an Emblaser 2 - does anyone know what the red tape is that is holding up UK import? or where I can get more info on the issue?

 

Thanks

 

Tim

 

 

All held up trying to get EU type approval or whatever it is called.

Had mine on order since last July, so next week will probably light a candle on the 'One year waiting' cake!

There should be some information here.

 

Just found this thread.

 

Martin

Edited June 28, 2017 by Greengiant

[monkeysarefun]

There's a thread on the Darklylabs forum by a UK guy who has been experimenting with a different lens for the Emblaser 1:

 

https://darklylabs.zendesk.com/hc/e, thn-us/community/posts/115000699612-G-7-Lens-upgrade-

 

Results seem pretty impressive, maybe equal to what I'm getting with the Emblaser 2 - though you'd still have to wear those orange glasses - and its a simple changeover to use the new one. I ordered one plus the 7mm holder from the link in his thread, $12 Australian dollars with free postage.

 

I'll let you know how it goes.

 

And for a victory lap he's also come up with a pretty ingenious way to hold ply etc down flat, but there he's just an over achiever. (Just kidding Josh, if you find this forum!)

 

https://darklylabs.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/115000148851-Another-way-to-hold-ply-flat-and-cut-with-an-airspace-

Edited June 28, 2017 by monkeysarefun

[TimP]

All held up trying to get EU type approval or whatever it is called.

Had mine on order since last July, so next week will probably light a candle on the 'One year waiting' cake!

There should be some information here.

 

Just found this thread.

 

Martin

 

Thanks Martin, 

 

Thats a helpful thread.

 

TimP

[monkeysarefun]

I have been lurking here for a while - and as a result of reading what you are all up to I was thinking of ordering an Emblaser 2 - does anyone know what the red tape is that is holding up UK import? or where I can get more info on the issue?

 

Thanks

 

Tim

 

Here's the latest status as of today:

 

28 June 2017 Update

USA Orders

We are down to the final 70 orders for delivery to USA customers.

We had a delay as we dealt with our freight forwarder applying a significant increase to freight charges. We have decided to absorb this to prevent any further delays.

A shipment of 25 machines is ready for collection on Friday. They are fully up-dated with the latest accessories and firmware.

We are currently updating a further 25 machines which were in storage and will be ready for delivery next week. The remainder will be assembled and shipped either the end of next week or the following.

 

EU Orders

We continue to work through the required paperwork.

We have just contracted a CAD expert to complete all the required mechanical drawings and manufacturing documentation.

As yet, we cannot supply a completion date for this.

 

Canadian Orders

We have been addressing the extra electrical requirements for Canada and will report back shortly.

 

ROW (Rest of world)

Each region has it's own set of requirements. We are currently working on these individually. Some situations require submission of our test certificates and registering the product with the local authorities, while others are more involved.

 

 

All the regs and hoops to jump through are frustrating, especially since 50 years ago when we were all one happy Commonwealth it would probably have been just a matter of changing the plug on the end of the lead and  shipping them over , but then you all went off and joined the EU... and look where you are now!

Edited June 28, 2017 by monkeysarefun

[nick_bastable]

There's a thread on the Darklylabs forum by a UK guy who has been experimenting with a different lens for the Emblaser 1:

 

https://darklylabs.zendesk.com/hc/e, thn-us/community/posts/115000699612-G-7-Lens-upgrade-

 

Results seem pretty impressive, maybe equal to what I'm getting with the Emblaser 2 - though you'd still have to wear those orange glasses - and its a simple changeover to use the new one. I ordered one plus the 7mm holder from the link in his thread, $12 Australian dollars with free postage.

 

I'll let you know how it goes.

 

And for a victory lap he's also come up with a pretty ingenious way to hold ply etc down flat, but there he's just an over achiever. (Just kidding Josh, if you find this forum!)

 

https://darklylabs.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/115000148851-Another-way-to-hold-ply-flat-and-cut-with-an-airspace-

I have also taken the plunge with this thanks for the head up  ( slowly getting back into actual modelling )

 

Nick

[Giles]

Likewise...... it looks excellent.....

[JCL]

Well, about $20 Canadian, it's got to be worth a try. Just ordered one.

[nick_bastable]

Darkly are shipping a focus ring to me FOC  at the cost of postage  only   

 

will report when I have the bits assembled on results

 

Nick

[nick_bastable]

slowly getting back into things while  awaiting hopefully the parts to make a successful lens upgrade.  In a fit of madness I went of on a irregular tangent and started this in n6.5 which is 2mm on z gauge track.  At first  nothing would cut even on previously part cut sheets where I normally note the speed etc in pencil, a clean of the lens and refocus soon had things working  properly 

 

 

 

its the giant pound coin shot again although readers may note the design has changed 

 

 

posed on a test piece of duel gauge track 6.5mm/9.42mm

 

 

Nick

[monkeysarefun]

G'day Emblaserers!

 

I noticed a photo of this building   that Phil_sutters had posted in grahame's thread in the card structure modelling area:

 

 

I'd love to build a model of it  but the carved facade looks a little daunting. So I got in touch with Phil who generously sent me a high res photoshop tweaked black and white version:

 

 

I'd always wanted to try 3D engraving of something like this but every forum on the subject always has a load of  Negative Nancies saying "You can't just take a black and white photo and send it to a laser cutter  and hope to  engrave it in 3D - you need expensive and complex 3D modeling software"

So I took the black and white photo and sent it to the emblaser hoping to engrave it in 3D, and... (should mention that this is 55mm wide..)

 

 

 

This is the   the laser cut output VS  laserweb interface:

 

 

I think its done pretty good. I've been a bit down on laserweb but its raster option is  top notch- here it shows that it has cut timber away:

 

 

Here is a close up comparison with the original VS the laserweb cut one. For you  overseas emblaser buddies the 5c piece is 18mm in diameter, which highlights the detail that the emblaser has managed to get into the figures clothing, face and hand.

 

 

HOWEVER - one thing that has me intrigued is the last word in the inscription:

 

 

I have this scene in my head:

 

Facade engraving guy:     " Orright gov I've finished your carvings, now I'm orff to the rub a dub for some trouble and strife. No wot I mean orright?" (See I know how you all talk because I've seen Lock Stock and two smoking Mary Poppins, Just like you think we all say "Stone the crows and put another jumbuck in me tucker bag sport" Which I sometimes do say actually.)

 

Mr WH & H Lemay:    FactorY! Its a sodding FactorY!!...........No wot I mean orright?

 

A big thanks to Phil for the cleaned up high res pic.

Cheers,

Chris J

Edited July 14, 2017 by monkeysarefun

[Simond]

Cracking job.

 

I need to get on withsorting mine out. It's just that stuff keeps happening....

 

Not bad stuff, just, well, stuff.

 

Best

Simon

[eldavo]

Stunning!

 

Cheers

Dave

 

P.S. A factor is someone who buys and sells. It ain't a factory guvna, they was factors.

[monkeysarefun]

Stunning!

 

Cheers

Dave

 

P.S. A factor is someone who buys and sells. It ain't a factory guvna, they was factors.

 

I thought THAT was a monger!

[Giles]

I really love that engraving - WHEN I get mine, i look forward to giving it a go, and at that time i'll come back to you and ask what all those fancy words such as raster mean. I know what a 'factor' is....

 

Something you might try if you fancy, which I have successfully done is engraving on (the back of) glass. Excellent for pub windows....