What’s the highest wattage people have safely modded to the mpcnc? Like 40watts to ideally 100/120+watts. I’m aiming to cut plywood. References to a suitable high power laser are appreciated.
Once you attach a CO2 laser, you’re doing the mirror and lens thing. I don’t think it really matters to the mpcnc what wattage you use after that. There have been some large diode lasers attached, but I haven’t seen any successful CO2 lasers. It doesn’t really make sense to use an mpcnc for that. It wasn’t built for those geometries and it is so much bigger than it needs to be for moving mirrors around.
1 Like
I agree the MPCNC is not the most logical design for a CO2 laser, but it has been successfully done. Nick Ellson has done it and has some videos about it on his YouTube channel.
2 Likes
Make a vertical mount, no mirrors needed.
I have a few diode lasers, one is a Chinese 15w (7w actual output) it struggles to cut 4mm plywood with an air assist.
3 Likes
That sure does simplify things.
2 Likes
One of their machines was going to be the cnc I built before I found the mpcnc.
@jamiek, seems like a perfect application of the double decker Z, eh?
It would also be fun to have on a tool changer. That would turn some heads.
I’m assuming it still needs the water cooling though?
1 Like
Holy cow that is scary. Double-decker would definitely have the support for it. If you’ve got a tool changer then you would want a water-jet cutter, naturally.
Or another direction, maybe you can learn how to sinter metal for 3D printed steel.
2 Likes
Yea, those tubes have to be water cooled, or they only run for about a minute before melting.
1 Like