Laser Cutter Upgrade

The tube on my laser cutter started died. It's a consumable item that produces the collimated beam. If I'm replacing it anyway, I felt it would be nice to upgrade it from a 35W (ostensibly 40W--the manufacturers tend to exaggerate) to a larger 50W model.

 

This laser model has a cutout for an extension case, but it doesn't actually fit with the power plug in the way. After a few iterations of tracing, cutting, and prototyping, I designed a 3d-printed enclosure that would fit the opening perfectly. The steel step flashing was secured inside the print to provide grounding.

The first stage is very sturdy and secures to the chassis with three screws.

It's a terrific fit with everything assembled. The power cable connects without any further modifications and the wire on top provides grounding to the internal metal plates. I couldn't be happier with how it turned out. the increased power almost doubles my cutting speed.

 

The second upgrade is a DIY riser. Although it's less impressive than the previous upgrade, it's still necessary to use a rotary attachment. FSLaser sells (or sold?) an official riser for $500, which is outrageously expensive for what you get. I made a simple one out of wood.

The alignment pins match the bottom of the laser to make sure nothing slides around.

All assembled, it looks a little hokey, but it works great. The interior metal floor can be placed either atop or beneath the wooden riser.

I've been impressed with how easily modifiable the laser has been. With the laser cutter, the CNC machine, and the 3d printer, it feels like we have quite the manufacturing capability.