CNC or Laser


Tom Cancelleri

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In the next year I plan on adding an 18"x24" Spindle CNC or Laser Cutter to my arsenal of tools in my shop. 

 

They each have their own pros and cons. Does anyone have any experience in using either in a home shop? 

 

I'm computer savvy and can generate the gcode for either using a variety of applications.

 

I'm thinking that Spindle CNC would be more useful on the Z axis for controlling depth and such in a cut versus a laser just burning away material. Though the ability to make really small fine intricate cuts and engraving  would be really nice. 

 

Would make inlaying a much sweeter process also, and open up a lot of options in certain builds.

 

Thoughts?

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I don't have any real experience with a home shop cnc other than a DIY I made years ago that worked but went into the scrap pile. A small router table will do some pretty fine work but so will a big one. I've never used a laser but never saw a use for one in my own shop. We use a thermwood auto processor, I can't claim to know much about it since I don't actually use the machine. My son in law has been working on Logos to be engraved in cabinets and what I've seen so far even the 12hp router seems to be able to do some pretty fine cutting. I guess really any router table you buy will probably work just fine for inlays or even cutting.

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There are techniques such as v-inlay using a v-bit rather than a straight bit that can get you as much detail as the wood can hold with a cnc.  My little Shark isn't really rigid enough for accurate machining of parts but does a nice job with engraving and decorative stuff, along with the odd part or template here and there.

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I would look at what you want to use it for. I did a fair amount of work building models in college for my architecture degree. Laser cutters, 3D printers, multi-axis CNC machines etc. For most model work, the laser cutter is absolutely incredible. The detail and things I cut and built with those machines....For woodworking applications, I almost have to say CNC all the way. First, the bed size on CNC machines is going to be a lot larger per the price. I cant say I have ever seen a homemade laser cutter, so most of the middle of the road models are going to have an 18" by 24" bed. Something along those lines. That is a very small bed for a CNC machine, unless we are talking about homemade/low end. Next, a laser cutter isn't cutting through 4/4 hardwood. Atleast the $25k models I used would not. I graduated 3 years ago, and I realize there have most likely been great improvements, but I see each tool as vastly different functions. I loved the laser cutter for extreme detail and the ability to work in different mediums very well--incredible things with paper--but I don't know how practical it would be for most woodworking applications. CNC seems to be much more versatile machine for doing inlays, machining parts etc. I made a pretty sweet curved/rippling bookshelf in school using solely the CNC and plywood.

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Another aspect to consider with lasers is heat. In a former life I was a service engineer for a garment manufacturing company. We used CNC cutting machines for cutting fabric. Available tech included reciprocating knife, water jet, and laser. Lasers couldn't be used with synthetic materials because they melted the edges together on multi-layer cuts.

I would imagine cutting wood with a laser will result in a fair amount of scorching that has to be sanded out.

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Another aspect to consider with lasers is heat. In a former life I was a service engineer for a garment manufacturing company. We used CNC cutting machines for cutting fabric. Available tech included reciprocating knife, water jet, and laser. Lasers couldn't be used with synthetic materials because they melted the edges together on multi-layer cuts.

I would imagine cutting wood with a laser will result in a fair amount of scorching that has to be sanded out.

Yes, an incredible amount of scorching. And woe is you if your material isn't perfectly flat. The laser only cuts cleanly at the point you focus it at, so if your material suddenly changes height 1/8" at some point during the cut, it wont cut your material. The laser would be out of focus at that point. This happened a lot with thin chipboard/plywood that was warped. The only reason I would pick a laser cutter for woodworking was if I planned on doing a lot of raster engraving. Other than that, those machines are made for other kinds of makers.

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Don't get me wrong, the laser cutter will do detail that I cant ever imagine a CNC machine matching, but do you plan on doing that sort of detail? Probably not in woodworking. Please post which machine you go with. I haven't explored the machines available/feasible to a hobbyist workshop. Even if the one at school was $10, it wouldn't work for me. The bed alone was 8'x16' or something close to that. Absolutely gigantic.

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