¶ Introduction
Our laser cutter is one of our most popular tools. It can be used to cut or engrave lots of common materials including timber, plastic, and paper, to name a few. Unfortunately it cannot cut metal or glass (though it can engrave them in the right circumstance).
A picture of our laser cutter
¶ Bookings
BMS Events and Bookings
or
Make a New Booking
¶ Recommended Uses
You can cut out unique shapes from sheets of materials up to 8-10mm thick (material dependent). Laser cutting is ideal for making mounting plates, custom enclosures and boxes, personalising projects, etc.
You can also engrave text, images and other shapes directly onto your projects. This allows you to create truly unique works of art, add a personal touch to your project, or make something as simple as a name badge or plaque.
¶ Specifications
¶ Usage Cost: $10/hr
Induction Class: Orange Tool (Induction Required)
Cut/Engrave Area: 700 x 500mm Max
Laser Power: 100w usable power from a 130w peak Reci tube
Focal Length: 50.8mm
Max Cut Depth: Up to 8mm - 10mm (depending on material)
Notable Features: Camera assisted positioning, Automatic focus
¶ Camera Positioning System
We have a super cool camera positioning system setup on the laser cutter. It allows you to put offcuts or irregular sized sheets inside and visually move your cut/engrave job around with a preview of where it's going to cut. It's accurate to within 2-3mm normally, but may deviate by up to 5mm towards the outer edges. Make sure to move the Z height of the machine to the engrave/cut height for best accuracy.
¶ Software / Cut Files
We use an industry standard software called Lightburn to run our laser cutter. This software supports the following files: .SVG, .DXF or . PDF. You can bring your files on a USB flash drive/SD card, or use AirDrop to copy it to our iMac. Alternatively, you can purchase a license of Lightburn if you'd like to experiment at home or on your own computer (recomended if you do a lot of lasering).
¶ Induction Process
This induction has two options:
- Email us to book an appointment to be inducted.
OR
Attend our introductory laser cutting workshop for a complete introduction. https://brisbanemaker.space/workshops/
¶ How To Operate
You should be familiar with how to operate this tool after completing an induction. However, a quick reference guide is included below to assist you.
¶ Before Use
- Check that your material is on the approved materials list (we recommend up to 8mm thick acrylic or plywood as they work best).
- Turn on the machine and "focus" it by using the on board control panel. Place your material onto the bed and click on "Update Overlay" to update the camera preview.
- Import your job into lightburn and place it on your material. Use our pre calibrated profiles to start with and adjust settings as needed.
- Check the material thickness, then start the job and watch the machine until it is finished.
¶ During Use
- Watch the machine at all times while it is running.
- Do not leave the machine unattended for even a moment. You must watch it at all times while it is running. Leaving it unattended will result in a warning (or worse) for breaching our safety policy.
- Immediately press the red "e-stop" button if you think there is a problem with the machine. It's better to spoil a piece of material than a $10,000 machine. If a fire does not subside after stopping the machine, immediately grab a fire extinguisher then open the machine to put it out.
¶ After Use
- Wipe down the horizontal surfaces with the provided cleaning wipes.
- Dispose of all offcuts into the bin and tidy up the area.
- Turn off the machine.
¶ Offcuts and Scraps
We have an offcuts box right next to the laser cutter. You are welcome to use any offcuts or scrap pieces of material from this box for free. You are also encouraged to leave any offcuts from your projects in this bin (ie give some/take some). However, you should break off any thin pieces and you should check that there is at least 10cmx10cm of usable material left.
¶ Approved Materials
Some materials are dangerous to cut or engrave and can damage the machine or even worse, release poisonous fumes. We operate a very strict list of approved materials. If you use a material not on this list without prior approval from staff, we will issue a warning (or worse) for breaching our safety policy.
We recommend that most people use Acrylic or "Laser Safe" Plywood for the cleanest cuts and least amount of hassle.
¶ List of Approved Materials
- "Laser Safe" plywood such as from Plyoneline or LaserPly from Plyco
- Balsawood
- Bunnings Plywood (BC Grade) * not recommended if you need a high quality finish
- Bunnings MDF * not recommended to use due to excessive charring and smoke
- Acrylic
- Some materials are similar in appearance to acrylic but are quite different. Some can release poisonous fumes or result in poor cuts. Any acrylic that is not from our material shelf must have a receipt or manufacturer affixed label showing that it is acrylic.
- Cardboard and Card
- Veg Tan Leather (other colours / types please ask first)
- Very thin polycarbonate (<1mm)
- EVA Foam
¶ Brisbane Makerspace Stocked Materials
We try to keep the following materials / consumables in stock for members to purchase. However, please check with us first if you really need something as we sometimes run out of stock. We recommend using these materials unless you have a special need, as they've been chosen to work well with our machine and have calibrated profiles to choose from.
¶ 600 x 400mm sheets
These sheets are approximately sized - please check each sheet if the exact size is critical for your intended use.
- 3mm Acrylic - C Grade, approx size, has scratches and marks (White, Black) ($3)
- 3mm MDF ($3)
- 3mm Radiata Plywood ($7)
- 3mm Poplar Plywood ($14)
- 6mm Poplar Plywood ($20) * limited availability
¶ Tips / Suppliers
The following is a list of tips/recommended suppliers for commonly used consumables:
- Radiata Plywood, MDF & Sand Paper - Bunnings
- Poplar (and other laser safe) Plywood - Plyco
- Acrylic (local supplier) - Acrylics Online
- Acrylic (online supplier) - Koenig
- Extra Wide Masking Tape - Graphpic Art Mart