DIY Jig for your Laser Cutter with Custom Arduino Automation

[@MAYERMAKES]

What would you like to automate in your life?

[@silentmodetv]

I'm getting started on a custom photo/video turntable, which I can use to automatically record footage of models I've designed. Ideally it would also control lighting, but I will cross that bridge when I get to it.

[@MAYERMAKES]

Thats an awesome project! For light control look at constant current drivers with variable voltage, that way you get flicker free dimming

[@DuhRake]

Cool project, great tip about the magnets, thanks for sharing!

[@MAYERMAKES]

You are welcome!

[@PsychogenicTechnologies]

Looks like you're as obsessed with automating as I... let the machines do as much drudgery as possible, let us focus on the fun stuff: love it. Also loved that you showed the snafu, retarget and fix (oh and the magnet trick... it's in the bag now, gonna find a use for that one eventually)

[@MAYERMAKES]

thanks, the process is more intersting than the outcome quite often.

[@philhutchinson360]

I might have a go at the business card set up with mine! thats such a good idea

[@MAYERMAKES]

They look quite fancy

[@castlecodersltd]

Epic and funny. Thank you 😊

[@MAYERMAKES]

Thx🎉

[@curtiscagle6261]

You must be an engineer.

[@MAYERMAKES]

I'm actually not.😂

[@j.f.christ8421]

You don't need the Arduino or the stepper. Use an ordinary geared DC motor, and add 4 bumps to the turntable. These bumps hit a microswitch that is wired to the motor, and at that point it turns the motor off. Wire your button across the switch, pressing it shorts the microswitch and the motor starts, once clear of the bump the microswitch closes so the motor will continue to run until it hits the next bump. Simple.

[@MAYERMAKES]

Rhats one, but not flexible way. As i showed in the vode you can easily adapt the code to use a different divider. So 4 6 8....pieces. how many you csn fit on the mechanism. Bmwith thexset button you csn move the zero position exsctly to set it up. Which mesns the zero position does not have to be hardcoded . The solution you described would work but would need a rebuild when the positions change. The flexibility would be lost.

[@j.f.christ8421]

@@MAYERMAKES What? No. The stops for the microswitch go on the divider, which you need to make anyway for different parts. The zero position is whatever stop you start on. Here's an idea for a video, take something that's unnecessarily complicated and simplify it - that's engineering. (Never mind that as pointed out by another commenter laying the parts onto a flat plate is what everyone does because that's far simpler than a rotating things, or even a feeder. A feeder would be a better choice for business cards, and not that more complicated than what you made.)

[@roundcheesewheel]

Cool project but why wouldn't you just make a jig and that can fit a large amount of cards onto the bed of the laser? This seems to be a rather inefficient way to automate

[@MAYERMAKES]

Because. everytime it try to get material that is big enough to cut many pieces at once , it is either not flat (plywood is usually very wonky in bigger sizes) or it gets alot more expensive. I tend to buy packets of offcuts to save money and those are usually just big enough for one or maybe two workpieces i usually need. if I would put stuff like these card just o nthe bed they would flopp arround die to the air system and get misaligned, if Id laser a jig for them to keep them in place we are back at the old problem of nt getting flat stock to make the jig.

[@j.f.christ8421]

@@MAYERMAKES You can't make a jig so you 3D print one instead? What?

[@Elberto71]

​@j.f.christ8421 engineers love to overcomplicate, it's a challenge 👍🏻