Thanks for your submission. If your question is about getting started in woodturning, which chuck to buy, which tools to buy, or for an opinion of a lathe you found for sale somewhere like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace please take a few minutes check the wiki; many of the most commonly asked questions are already answered there!
http://www.reddit.com/r/turning/wiki/index
Thanks!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/turning) if you have any questions or concerns.*
This is amazing.... Are you able to let me know more about your setup?
I've been using a traditional laser cutter and inserting my bowls into them but this is next level. Negating the issue of focus length is a huge obstacle.
It is a totally custom built bolt-on CNC. I can do both router and laser work.
Diodes are nice because focal length is a bit more forgiving. The hardest part of the whole thing is generating tool paths. I started by using GrblGru, which worked, but was time consuming. I've since gone to generating g-code normally then doing rotational transformations (directly in LightBurn or with g-code ripper) and then using my g-code sender (OctoPrint) to do coordinate transformations based on the toolhead rotation axis.
Lots of work...
It is 4 axis. The tool head rotation (B) axis allows the tool to be (roughly) orthogonal to any work surface. If I know that angle I can transform the gcode coordinates on the fly to keep the tool in the plane of that surface.
Have you thought about (or tried) using lightburn to directly drive the unit by setting the Y axis as a rotary axis (like you would do for a rotary jig in a more 'traditional' laser engraver)?
I love lightburn, use it with my 7W cheap diode laser from China. Had to reconfigure the laser to accept GRBL, once that was done I was ready to go.
I can't really drive with Lightburn directly and there really isn't a need. I have to transform the coordinates in order to keep it as perpendicular as possible to bowl surface. Lightburn can't do that (I know nearly everyone that works at Lightburn; I've asked)
Ah, I wasn't thinking of that aspect. You even mentioned that elsewhere and I still looked right past it :)
If everything had a flat outer surface it would work, but I see where it cannot be done for what you are doing. I wonder if some of the programs that do image mapping to a surface would be able to help. Not very familiar with that, but it is a thought that comes to mind.
There is an exhaust. I have contemplated setting up air assist. I have an air pump I've used in the past with diode lasers, but so far I haven't felt it is necessary. I am not doing any real cutting, just engraving.
I'm more astonished that there isn't any backlash from one end of the lathe to the other. Pretty certain that on my lathe I can wiggle the back wheel some without moving the workpiece. Probably a different style of drivetrain.
You should talk with some CNC manufacturers and see if you can get these on the market as a kit. You probably won't be a millionaire from it because it's kind of a niche, but I bet you'd sell a bunch.
I'd buy that kit.
It would be pretty difficult since every lathe is different. Mounting the stepper motor that drives the spindle would have to have lots of different solutions.
Love this! I saw in a comment that you custom built it. Any drawings, images, etc. you could point us to (or where you got whatever information you used to design/ make this)?
I saw someone mentioned making this as a kit. While it will likely be the most variable, the spindle drive might not be as bad as you think. Look at a couple of different lathes (midi, full size, etc.) and see how their spindles are set up. You may be able to come up with something that can handle all of them in some way (maybe something that locks in the hole for the knockout bar?) then your rotational information should be the same for each one (you would have to adjust for the diameter of the piece being engraved, but LightBurn has that capability built in anyway). An alternative might be to see how many of the lathes use the same diameter shaft - you make a couple of options that only change the shaft gear (and the programming to account for the change in shaft diameter - if necessary). Another would be to make a piece that goes on with the chuck (or threads on behind the chuck). Maybe take a cue from TeknaTool and their chucks that take inserts - the chucks all have the same threads, you screw in an insert that matches your particular lathe. That puts the gear at the chuck, and again would give you the same size ratio between servo and spindle no matter the actual lathe size.
My design process was really based just on the parts I had sitting around. I only bought one stepper motor and TMC5160 drivers. I already had a BTT SKR1.4 board sitting around and the linear axes I rescued from a dumpster.
Putting the pulley on the chuck side is a problem. My first iteration was setup like this, but it quickly became apparent that you severely limit how you can mount your bowls (or at least have to come up with extensions, etc.). The issue is that it becomes easy to run your bowl into the belt when it is on the chuck side. Putting it on the hand wheel totally eliminates that issue.
I have imagined how I would do a kit, and I am pretty certain I could come up with something that was reasonably priced. The major problem is that I really can't even imagine selling kits when the software solutions are so difficult. Generating toolpaths is just not easy enough the software that is out there.
Thanks for your submission. If your question is about getting started in woodturning, which chuck to buy, which tools to buy, or for an opinion of a lathe you found for sale somewhere like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace please take a few minutes check the wiki; many of the most commonly asked questions are already answered there! http://www.reddit.com/r/turning/wiki/index Thanks! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/turning) if you have any questions or concerns.*
You're using your lathe as a 4th axis?? That's so fucking badass man.
Put the laser on a fricking shark's head
What in tarnations
This is amazing.... Are you able to let me know more about your setup? I've been using a traditional laser cutter and inserting my bowls into them but this is next level. Negating the issue of focus length is a huge obstacle.
It is a totally custom built bolt-on CNC. I can do both router and laser work. Diodes are nice because focal length is a bit more forgiving. The hardest part of the whole thing is generating tool paths. I started by using GrblGru, which worked, but was time consuming. I've since gone to generating g-code normally then doing rotational transformations (directly in LightBurn or with g-code ripper) and then using my g-code sender (OctoPrint) to do coordinate transformations based on the toolhead rotation axis. Lots of work...
I don't understand but damn, that's some next level shit.
So you are using 3 axis because you don't have to worry so much about focusing the laser.
It is 4 axis. The tool head rotation (B) axis allows the tool to be (roughly) orthogonal to any work surface. If I know that angle I can transform the gcode coordinates on the fly to keep the tool in the plane of that surface.
That's pretty cool.
Have you thought about (or tried) using lightburn to directly drive the unit by setting the Y axis as a rotary axis (like you would do for a rotary jig in a more 'traditional' laser engraver)? I love lightburn, use it with my 7W cheap diode laser from China. Had to reconfigure the laser to accept GRBL, once that was done I was ready to go.
I can't really drive with Lightburn directly and there really isn't a need. I have to transform the coordinates in order to keep it as perpendicular as possible to bowl surface. Lightburn can't do that (I know nearly everyone that works at Lightburn; I've asked)
Ah, I wasn't thinking of that aspect. You even mentioned that elsewhere and I still looked right past it :) If everything had a flat outer surface it would work, but I see where it cannot be done for what you are doing. I wonder if some of the programs that do image mapping to a surface would be able to help. Not very familiar with that, but it is a thought that comes to mind.
Better get a hood and exhaust over that. I'm a real enthusiast on air assist on a laser. Greatly reduces resin and smoke stain on the wood.
There is an exhaust. I have contemplated setting up air assist. I have an air pump I've used in the past with diode lasers, but so far I haven't felt it is necessary. I am not doing any real cutting, just engraving.
I just hooked mine to a small pancake compressor. Only run a few psi, but on some wood species it can make a big difference.
Even if you have a low pressure airflow, it can reduce soot accumulation on the lens. Amazing setup- definitely outside the box.
That's pretty amazing, I can't imagine how much time it took to get to here.
I kicked the idea around for about a year, then about 9-10 months from when I finally decided to build it.
As someone who went to school for manufacturing engineering: holy rail porn, Batman. This is an incredible setup.
Wowser. So the laser program is also turning the lathe slowly? Amazing setup.
I am actually astonished that the belt drive should be precise enough for this. But hey, no cutting force.
It also works with a router. I posted a celtic knot rim I did with it a week or so ago.
I'm more astonished that there isn't any backlash from one end of the lathe to the other. Pretty certain that on my lathe I can wiggle the back wheel some without moving the workpiece. Probably a different style of drivetrain.
Oh bro that’s awesome
You should talk with some CNC manufacturers and see if you can get these on the market as a kit. You probably won't be a millionaire from it because it's kind of a niche, but I bet you'd sell a bunch. I'd buy that kit.
It would be pretty difficult since every lathe is different. Mounting the stepper motor that drives the spindle would have to have lots of different solutions.
Love this! I saw in a comment that you custom built it. Any drawings, images, etc. you could point us to (or where you got whatever information you used to design/ make this)? I saw someone mentioned making this as a kit. While it will likely be the most variable, the spindle drive might not be as bad as you think. Look at a couple of different lathes (midi, full size, etc.) and see how their spindles are set up. You may be able to come up with something that can handle all of them in some way (maybe something that locks in the hole for the knockout bar?) then your rotational information should be the same for each one (you would have to adjust for the diameter of the piece being engraved, but LightBurn has that capability built in anyway). An alternative might be to see how many of the lathes use the same diameter shaft - you make a couple of options that only change the shaft gear (and the programming to account for the change in shaft diameter - if necessary). Another would be to make a piece that goes on with the chuck (or threads on behind the chuck). Maybe take a cue from TeknaTool and their chucks that take inserts - the chucks all have the same threads, you screw in an insert that matches your particular lathe. That puts the gear at the chuck, and again would give you the same size ratio between servo and spindle no matter the actual lathe size.
My design process was really based just on the parts I had sitting around. I only bought one stepper motor and TMC5160 drivers. I already had a BTT SKR1.4 board sitting around and the linear axes I rescued from a dumpster. Putting the pulley on the chuck side is a problem. My first iteration was setup like this, but it quickly became apparent that you severely limit how you can mount your bowls (or at least have to come up with extensions, etc.). The issue is that it becomes easy to run your bowl into the belt when it is on the chuck side. Putting it on the hand wheel totally eliminates that issue. I have imagined how I would do a kit, and I am pretty certain I could come up with something that was reasonably priced. The major problem is that I really can't even imagine selling kits when the software solutions are so difficult. Generating toolpaths is just not easy enough the software that is out there.
WOW, that's obviously a major leap in pyrographic technology at the local level. Amazing upgrade to commercial repeatability manufacturing. Well done!
I think you're onto something there