Pocket Laser Engraver

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Pocket laser engraver.

by Groover on February 22, 2011
Table of Contents
Pocket laser engraver. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Intro: Pocket laser engraver. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Step 1: Acquire the parts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Step 2: Rip apart the DVD-Roms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Step 3: Putting a laser together. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Step 4: Construct the mechanics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Step 5: Electronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
File Downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Step 6: Prepare the Arduino. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Step 7: Getting the software ready. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Step 8: Final assembly and extras. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Step 9: Final results. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
http://www.instructables.com/id/Pocket-laser-engraver/
Author:Groover
I'm just a poor lonesome cowboy... Not really, I am divorced and live in the cold country of Sweden. I am not much of a author but tries to share what I have
done so that others might learn from my mistakes. I think I love the technical part of DIY as it is close to my work without being my work. I am a software
engineer by day and a, well whatever I think is fun at the moment by night.
Intro: Pocket laser engraver.

I have been trying to get my hands on a laser cutter for some time but they always seem out of reach. All the great things that can be done with a real laser cutter tickle
the imagination.
I feel it's time to share my latest project - a low cost laser engraver,. The workspace is a bit small but none the less it works and comes so cheap that most will be able to
replicate the result. I did take a few shortcuts, as I feel I don't have the knowledge to do all the electronics I opted for readymade but low cost in favor of trying to make
my own (and most likely fail). All parts used are however easy to find.
I am pleased with the end result even if there is room for improvements. The small size and low power is a bit limiting but I have made allot of fun things already. Paper
cutouts, plant markers and stamps among some. The engraver itself might not fit in a pocket but the workspace limits what you can do with it to fit in the pocket.
A word of warning is in place . This instructable is using a ~200mW red laser. It might nut cut through chunks of wood but it will make you go blind if you are not
careful. Never look into the beam, even reflections can be dangerous if focused. Please be careful.
Step 1: Acquire the parts.

Most of the hardware comes from my junk bin. The aluminum profiles, the piece of MDF and various nuts, bolts and wires. But some things need to be acquired. Most of
the electronics can be found over at Sparcfun and the rest on e-bay or a swap meet.
- Arduino - this is the heart of the control electronics.
- Easydrive - stepper driver.
- Two DVD-rom drivers - Maybe more if youre unlucky, and at least one DVD-R to salvage the laser from.
- Laser housing - singles can be found on e-bay.
- Laser driver - There are lots of alternatives here, I use a simple LM317 based circuit.
- Various nuts, bolts and other building materials.
Image Notes
1. Laser housing
2. Easydrive x 2
Step 2: Rip apart the DVD-Roms.

All you need from the DVD-Roms are the stepper motor assembly and one laser diode. I had a bit of bad luck and found that one of my DVD-Roms had a plastic
assembly that would be very hard to work with. Thus I ripped apart three DVD-Roms and only used parts from two of them. It is pretty strait forward and most DVD-Roms
I have opened works more or less the same way.
After removal of the screws at the bottom of the drive you can lift it of like a lid. Underneath you will most likely find two circuit boards and none of them are any use to us.
But remember to salvage other useful parts that can be used for other projects. For example under the front circuit board there is a small dc motor worth saving. This is
when it is time to remove the front together with the front of the tray; the front comes loose after you pull out the tray (just use a hairpin and the small hole in the front).
The next step can include some screws and/or mild force. Remove the two circuit boards. Be careful with the ribbon cable to the stepper motor. If you turn the DVD-Rom
right side up and remove the cover, you should find what we are looking for, the stepper motor assembly. Remove the screws and just lift it out.
Now that we have the assembly out it needs to be cleaned up a bit. Remove the spindle motor, it could be useful but I feel they are hard to drive and thus don't keep
them. They are usually hold in place by three very small screws but sometimes they are part of a larger assembly so be careful that removing it wont compromise the
two rods holding the lens.
The lens is another story, just remove it best possible way, we need a smooth surface to attach other parts to later. Be careful to not harm the DVDR laser diode. It can
come to good use if you don't want to buy a new powerful laser later. See the next step.
Image Notes
1. Broken DVD-rom drive.
Image Notes
1. Right under here there are a small DC motor that could be salvaged for future
projects.
Image Notes
1. This motor needs to go.
Image Notes
1. This whole assembly was discarded (put aside for future projects) due to the
bulky plastic.
Step 3: Putting a laser together.

There are so many good instructables on this subject, I will just make this part a quick one and let the pictures do most of the talking.
Removing the laser from the DVDR is not hard but most lens assemblies look different. Locate the diodes (there will be two, one IR and one red) and remove them from
the assembly. There are some optics and two magnets that can be saved for future projects. Once you have removed the two diodes you must be careful. The two diodes
are very small and fragile. Remove the small connecting PCB strips from the diodes and use two AAA batteries to check for the red diode.
Now that you have the bare diode it is time to mount the diode in the housing. Place the diode in the housing and use the back of the housing to press down the diode
very carefully using a vice. When you get this far you are on the home stretch. Solder the wires to the positive and negative pins, screw in the lens and you are done.
Image Notes
1. Laser diode.
2. Laser diode.
Image Notes
1. The optics can be saved for future projects.
Image Notes
1. On each side of the lens there are two powerful magnets worth saving.
Image Notes
1. Trash
2. Magnets from the lens.
3. Mirrors and lenses.
4. The laser diodes.
Image Notes
1. The laser diodes needs to be removed from the mounts. This can require some
mild force. Be careful not to hurt the diodes.
Image Notes
1. One of these are an IR diode and the other is the red laser we are after.
Image Notes
1. Remove the connecting PCB from the diode.
Image Notes
1. The small hole on the back of the laser housing fits over the pins of the
diode.
Image Notes
1. The diode is now secured in the housing.
Image Notes
1. Some Teflon tape keeps the lens secure in place.
Image Notes
1. 178mW output is not bad. But this is with the diode way into overdrive.
Image Notes
1. The diode running at 310mA
Step 4: Construct the mechanics.

To make this as easy as possible I got hold of a piece of MDF just a little bit larger than the DVD-Rom stepper assembly. This will work as the base to hold both the X and
Y axis. I found some spacers to hold the Y axis but bolts with a couple of nuts would work just as well. The measurements here are not critical but it is important that
every axis is square to the other entire axis. I found that mounting the first assembly level with the MDF would make it easier to align everything.
The workspace is mounted on the old laser diode assembly. Make sure it is flat and level then glue something on that will serve as workspace. I found a piece of 1/4"
acrylic that worked out just fine. It made this workspace stable enough but as the laser can shine through it I was not sure if this would be a security hazard or not. Later I
found the solution I think works out for the best. I cut a piece of the DVDR metal case to the same size as the acrylic and glued it on. This way it still very stable and you
get a workspace that will be tough. One positive side effect is that you can secure whatever you are engraving with small magnets.
For the X axis I found some aluminum profiles in my junk bin but just about anything could be used as long as it is stable. Measure the height you feel will be right for
what you want to engrave. I opted for 7.5" long pieces for the support. This would give me a little under 2" clearance.
One important thing, the mounting holes on the assembly are not symmetrical. Be sure to measure the distance from the bottom end of the supports to the linear guides.
That way you will be sure to get everything aligned. Where you mount the X axis will be dependent on the laser mounting. The laser should be in the center of the work
area when the Y axis is in the middle position. When you mount the axis to the base plate drill a small guide hole for the screws after you made sure that everything is
square.
Now you should have the X and Y axis done and square to each other.
The laser mount does not have to be very sophisticated, mine is made from a small piece of plastic sheet and a clip then everything is glued together. Using a clip to hold
the laser lets me change the focus point by simply slide the laser up and down. As with all other parts the size is not that important as long as everything is square. There
are just one measurement you need to think about here, the laser should be in the center of the work area when the Y and X axis is in the center position.
Image Notes
1. I had the luxury of finding these spacers but a bolt and some nuts would work
just as well.
Image Notes
1. This piece of acrylic is used as a base. Later I will mount another plate on
top of this.
Image Notes
1. I drilled a couple of small holes to be able to fasten the wires with cable ties.
Image Notes
1. The most important measurement is making everything square.
Image Notes
1. Here I test a piece of the same black plastic that I used in the laser mount. In
the end I used a piece of metal from the DVDR case.
Step 5: Electronics
I started soldering the steppers. I used a ribbon cable to connect the steppers and solder them to the existing connections from the DVD boards. On the other end I solder
a four pin header so that it could be used with a breadboard. The same thing goes for the Easydriver, solder pin headers and use them with the breadboard. Ribbon cable
can be found in abundance around old computer shops and service centers. All those old disk drive cables can be of good use.
In the schematics I have added a relay for use with a fan. This can come in handy as the engraving produces some smoke.
The Easydriver have two pins called MS1 and MS2, these sets the step sequence. Tie them both to the five volt output from the Easydriver. This sets the step sequence
to micro stepping . The four pins from the stepper connect to the motor output. All steppers I have found have all had the same pinout on the small connecting PCB.
Connect the pins in the same order to the Easydriver as on the connecting PCB. The control pins (step, dir, gnd) goes to the Arduino. Besides this the Easydriver needs
motor power connected. I use a twelve volt wall wart that drives the motors, fan and Arduino. There is a potentiometer that controls the power to the motors, I just set this
to the lowest setting and turn it up a tad if the steppers don't have enough force. I don't know the rating on the steppers, if they gets to hot youre driving them to hard.
The fan just needs to be connected to the fan output. A small computer fan works well, just connect the positive and negative leads to the correct output.
The laser driver is an LM317 based circuit with no specials. This will work fine but it is far from optimal. I am driving the laser diode far too hard at about 300mA and if you
do that you cant expect a very long life for the diode. The best solution would be to find a stronger laser and better driver but to keep to the spirit of things I wanted to
use the laser from the DVDR itself. Laser on/off is controlled by the same relay as the fan.
If you want to simplify you could skip the whole laser driver and use a readymade driver. Then all you would have to do would be to connect the power to the fan relay. Of
course this would probably be a little bit more expensive.
The whole thing evolved into a new Arduino shield, the Laser Shield. I have included the schematic and board layout in Eagle format . Creating a circuit board is a bit out
of the scope for this instructable, but there are lots of really good guides here on Instructables.
If you want to make your own layout with Easydrivers I have made a Eagle library with the driver, it can be downloaded here .
Image Notes
1. Old computers are a great place to find ribbon cables for your projects.
Image Notes
1. First test with the Easydriver and Arduino. Great success.
Image Notes
1. This is not easy to solder but worked out well. I did the same thing with both
steppers.
Image Notes
1. Stray components not used in this project.
Image Notes
1. Always remember to check the placement before soldering all pins.
Image Notes
1. I placed the Easydrives in sockets to be able to use them again in future
versions.
File Downloads
Lasershield.zip (73 KB)

[NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'Lasershield.zip']
Step 6: Prepare the Arduino.

For the Arduino I started out writing my own software. But while searching for a good way to control movement from the serial port I stumbled upon something called "
Grbl ". This is a g-code interpreter with lots of nifty functions. As I already had everything connected to the Arduino I had to ether change my connections or change the
software. Luckily it is easy to change control pins in the software. I did however have to download Winavr and then the code from github.com . It is not that hard to do.
After downloading and extracting the code you have to change the port numbers in config.h and make sure you get them in the right order. Then all you have to do is start
a command window, enter the correct folder and type "make". If all goes to plan you should end up with a .hex file ready for the Arduino.
I have however changed the pin-out since then and here in the instructable I use the default pin-out of Grbl. This will make it a lot simpler to follow and setup. You can just
download the prepared hex file from the Grbl download page .
Important:
The current version of Grbl (0.6b) has a bug in the queue system. The laser on and off (M3, M5) commands are not put in the queue and the laser will be turned on and
off as soon as the Arduino receives the commands. This is resolved in the edge branch. You can download and the source from here , or grab the compiled hex I am
using from here . This should resolve the issue until the next version of Grbl.
Any way you choose to do it you will end up with a .hex file that you must get into the Arduino. I have tried a couple of different ways and the one I like the most is by a
program called XLoader . The programming is pretty straight forward; select the correct serial port for your Arduino. Select the hex file and type of Arduino and press
upload. If you are using the new Arduino Uno the XLoader doesnt work, you will get an upload error. In that case I recommend using ARP/Arduino Uploader but even
this uploader has some issues with the Uno. When programming the Arduino select the com port and microcontroller in the respective dropdown. After that you will have
to make a change in the AVR Dude Params text. Erase the -b19200 (without the quotes) part and click on the upload button. In any case, a couple of seconds later
you are done and are ready to try it out. Exit the XLoader and get to the next paragraph.
The Arduino needs to be set up for the job. Start your favorite serial terminal and open the port your Arduino is connected to. You should get a welcome message:
Grbl 0.6b
'$' to dump current settings"
If you enter $ followed by return you will get a list of options. Something like this:
$0 = 400.0 (steps/mm x)
$1 = 400.0 (steps/mm y)
$2 = 400.0 (steps/mm z)
$3 = 30 (microseconds step pulse)
$4 = 480.0 (mm/sec default feed rate)
$5 = 480.0 (mm/sec default seek rate)
$6 = 0.100 (mm/arc segment)
$7 = 0 (step port invert mask. binary = 0)
$8 = 25 (acceleration in mm/sec^2)
$9 = 300 (max instant cornering speed change in delta mm/min)
'$x=value' to set parameter or just '$' to dump current settings
ok
You must change the steps/mm for X and Y axis to 53.333 on both. Just enter "$0=53.33" followed by return and then "$1=53.333" followed by return. Z axis can be
ignored as it is not used. The acceleration can be ramped up to something like 100 ("$8=100" and return). As we move really slowly with this machine acceleration can be
high. Another side effect of low acceleration can be that curves get a lot more burnt than straight lines as the controller constantly tries to accelerate and decelerate but
never reach full speed. If you build this like me one of your axis might be mirrored. This is easy to fix. Option $7 lets you change direction on axis. I wanted to change
direction on the X axis so I type in "$7=8" as I want to change bit 3 (8 = 00001000 binary) if you want to change direction on Y axis you type in 16 (00010000) or 24
(00011000) to change both. The complete documentation of the invert mask can be found here .
Now you are ready for the computer setup. If you want to try some movement you can type "G91 G28 X0 Y0 [return]" to zero the axis. Followed by "X10 Y10 [enter]". You
should see 10mm movement on each of the axis.
Step 7: Getting the software ready.

I will just go through the basics here. What software you need, how to set it up and the basic tool chain. I will only talk about windows based systems, all you Linux people
will have to do some digging around (even if Inkscape and the extension should work fine on Linux as well). First you will have to download three files:
Inkscape - this is open source vector editing software. (download )
Laser engraver extension - This generates the g-code needed to control the laser. (download )
G-code sender - A small windows program I wrote to communicate with Grbl. (download )(source )
Install Inkscape by following their instructions. This should be a pretty painless process. And any help on the subject should be easy to find in the documentation on their
web page. Next up is the extension; this is a little harder but not much. Open the .zip file in your favorite unpacker and copy all the files to "c:\Program
Files\Inkscape\share\extensions". You have to restart Inkscape for the extension to show up. The extension is a heavily modified version of "Gcodetools ". That is it for
setting up Inkscape. You can leave the "G-code sender" on your desktop or any other place where you will find it later. It does not need to be installed.
One important word about the extension, I am not a python programmer and there might be some kinks in the code.
I assume you have everything installed and ready to use by now. Here is a quick screencast of the work flow.
I hope this was not too quick. There are loads of guides on how to use Inkscape out there. I will not go into any details on how to use it.
The G-code sender is another story; there is no documentation as I just made the program. All the documentation is in this instructable, but feel free to ask if you have
any questions. When you open the program it should be pretty self explanatory. The only strange thing is the radio buttons "\n\r" and "\r\n". Depending on what version of
Grbl you are using the line ending are different. If the one doesn't work try the other one. Choose your serial port, and if you do forget to plug in your laser engraver, plug
it in and hit the refresh button and your serial port should show up. Hit the "open" button to open hailing frequencies. Once the port is open you can type in commands like
any terminal software in the text box above the open button. To start engraving a file you can ether type in the file path or click on the browse button and select a file.
When you click on "print" your file transfer will begin. The file will be transferred until the buffer on the Arduino is full, about 20 rows or so. When the buffer is ready for
more data another row will be transferred. When you hit stop the transfer will end but the Arduino will not stop until the buffer is empty. When you hit the "close" button or
exit the program the serial port will be closed and any transfer will be stopped.
Sometimes there will be a G-code that Grbl cant interpret and will return an error. Most of the times these errors can be ignored but they will show up in the sender. This
can be comments or the start and end "%" sign. If there is a comment after a command there will be an error but the command will still be executed. For example "G21
(All units in mm)" the G21 command will be executed but the comment will give an error.
Step 8: Final assembly and extras.

To finish the small engraver I made a small box from the Masonite board I found in a picture frame. It is just glued together. In the front there is a small fan from an old
graphics card. The cooling is necessary for the Easydrivers when you mount them in any kind of housing. They get hot when out in the open and even hotter in some sort
of housing. In the box I glued some threaded spacers; this allows me to screw on the bottom. The Arduino is in turn screwed to the bottom. It makes the engraver into a
useful and easy to handle little tool.
Some small extras have been added along the build. First of is the fan that keeps smoke away from the workspace. This is a small 40mm computer fan connected to the
laser relay that I wrote about in the electronics step. The fan is pointed away from the workspace and gently sucks away smoke.
Another small but very useful extra are the magnets to hold down paper and other light weight objects. I got these from an old toy . After gluing some nuts on top of them
they are done.
To change the focus you can screw in and out the lens. Or you could set the focus once on the workspace and then slide the laser up and down in the mount. This is how
I do it. I have a set focus when the laser is at the lowest possible position in the mount. Then all I have to do is measure the thickness of the material and raise the laser
the same amount. Most times I just hold the material next to the laser mount and move the laser to the correct height.
Image Notes
1. When mounting the Easydrivers in a box they need a fan to cool them down.
They get crazy hot.
Image Notes
1. Glued spacers makes it easy to screw on a bottom lid.
Image Notes
1. Ventilation holes.
Image Notes
1. All wires goes in the box through the top.
Image Notes
1. I found this small fan on an old graphics card complete with fan guard.
Image Notes
1. This fan is connected to the laser relay and pointing away from the workspace.
It removes smoke without disturbing whats on the workspace.
Image Notes
1. Small neodymium magnet with a nut glued to the top. Perfect for holding
down your workpiece.
Image Notes
1. The focus is set to the workspace surface when the laser is at the lowest
possible position.
Image Notes
1. By moving the laser to the height of the material I get the focus point at the
top of the material.
Step 9: Final results.

Here are some of the things I made with this little engraver so far. I will let the images tell most of the story. The only limit is your imagination (besides the low power and
small work area).
Key chain.
I found some paint stirrer sticks at my local DIY shop. I liked the look of the wood and they were cheap. I saw of a piece and drilled a small hole. After some sanding I
engraved the Binford logo from the sitcom "Home improvement".
Plant marker.
A normal Popsicle stick engraved with the plants name.
Personalized matches.
I'm just trying to show off ;)
Memo note holder.
A clothespin engraved and with a small neodymium magnet glued to the back makes a great way to stick a bunch of notes together on the fridge or any other metal
surface. I like clothespins they are very versatile.
Stamp.
Cut out of a small foam sheet and glued to a piece of Masonite.
Airplane.
Thanks to scriptster who made the G-code for the model. Check out his model here .
Image Notes
1. I love the old "Home improvement" show. Why not make a Binford key chain.
Image Notes
1. The text is less than 2 mm high. It is fully readable but hard to take a picture of.
Image Notes
1. Thin foam from a craft store.
2. Cutout glued to a piece of Masonite.
3. Black ink pad.
4. Stamped result.
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Comments
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view all 629 comments
Make it BIG says:
Oct 5, 2014. 5:20 AM REPLY

I remixed your project and added a third axis. It's not a laser anymore, but you can mill small PCB's. Very nice Instructions. It helped me a lot!
fthebunny1 says:
Where did you find your lasermount ?
The only one I found is to adafruit, and with the shipcost, it's a bit expensive.
Sep 30, 2014. 11:32 PM REPLY
james.pelt.7 says:
Sep 26, 2014. 2:31 PM REPLY

This is so going to be my next project! I guess I need to put some shoes on so I can go out to the shop and start digging out old computer parts...
Mohamed ALIT says:
Sep 24, 2014. 10:40 AM REPLY
Which pin in Arduino is used to control the laser?
jan.wouter.5 says:
Sep 22, 2014. 6:07 AM REPLY
Real cool project. I do need to take a lot of time reading is and than duplicating.
jduffy54 says:
Nov 18, 2012. 11:35 AM REPLY
Cool project! I'm trying to do the same, but with a scanner and printer instead of DVD drive parts.
MrHallows says:
Jun 1, 2014. 12:57 PM REPLY
I'm attempting to do the same. Did you end up getting anywhere with it?
jduffy54 says:
Jun 1, 2014. 1:21 PM REPLY

Unfortunatealy, no. I never got a laser that worked (I smashed one and over volted another), so I tried making a 3D printer with a "frostruder" style
extruder instead using the same base, but because I tried using my own software instead of something like grbl or teacup, if failed miserably. Now I'm
working on a much larger CNC that I plan to (at some point) make a laser attachment for, but I have yet to actually cut anything, so that will be a
while.
MatthewS2 says:
Sep 13, 2014. 6:41 AM REPLY
Is your machine still half assembled? it's never too late to finish off a shelved project.
jduffy54 says:
Sep 13, 2014. 9:33 PM REPLY

Actually, the new CNC is fully built and has done a little engraving (with a dremel), but it still binds on X, the Z isn't quite as stiff as I'd like, and
the tool holder is angle brackets and zip ties. I've had some other things going on, and haven't had much time to put into it recently. I've got
something MUCH bigger that I'm finishing right now, and I'll probably get back to this once that is done.
MrHallows says:
Jun 1, 2014. 2:29 PM REPLY
Sorry to hear that.. The new project sounds awesome, though!
arnab321 says:
Jun 7, 2014. 5:20 AM REPLY
can i use L293D instead of easydrivers (cause they are damn expensive)?
fthebunny1 says:
Sep 11, 2014. 5:12 AM REPLY
look on banggood, there is cheap clones of easydriver
Olek410 says:
Aug 21, 2014. 5:23 PM REPLY
Could you tell me the cutting area in milimeters
IBH says:
Jul 20, 2014. 8:40 AM REPLY
Can i use http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__46905__...

instead of Easy drivers??
IBH says:
Jul 20, 2014. 8:40 AM REPLY
Can i use http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__46905__...

instead of Easy drivers??
The Lightning Stalker says:
Jul 6, 2014. 8:29 PM REPLY

I was thinking of doing something similar, but the worm gear style drives didn't seem like they would have enough resolution. Now you've got me rethinking
this assumption.
onecell says:
Jun 30, 2014. 12:36 PM REPLY

hello, i have arduino uno and Adafruit_Motor_Shield_V1 . Do think is it possible make this project? what kind frimware i should use? Thanks
Tuckoguy says:
May 8, 2014. 4:29 AM REPLY

what is RR1A coming out of 5V on the arduino? The symbol looks like a thermistor, but I cannot tell. Also, is SV1 a female header?
Jdukate says:
May 6, 2014. 11:21 AM REPLY
I was also needing the parts list for the laser module please. Thank you in advance.
mwezel says:
May 5, 2014. 3:36 AM REPLY
under construction still, but soon its readyy
gama1998 says:
Apr 28, 2014. 3:36 PM REPLY
Hei guys could anyone tell the list of parts to make the laser module/driver?????
goldrake says:
Apr 19, 2014. 7:58 AM REPLY
Hi ,
very nice project I have done mine thanks to groover instructions.
More I have fixed the z Axis problem from the homing cycle. modifing the config.h
now hen I use $H the X axis goes on the left far away from motor while if I use X0 goes right. My question is : Do I mirror the inkscape image before use the
laserengraver plug in?
BTW this is my calibration:
Grbl 0.8c ['$' for help]
['$H'|'$X' to unlock]
[Caution: Unlocked]
$0=53.333 (x, step/mm)
$1=53.333 (y, step/mm)
$2=53.333 (z, step/mm)
$3=10 (step pulse, usec)
$4=200.000 (default feed, mm/min)
$5=200.000 (default seek, mm/min)
$6=8 (step port invert mask, int:00001000)
$7=25 (step idle delay, msec)
$8=100.000 (acceleration, mm/sec^2)
$9=0.050 (junction deviation, mm)
$10=0.100 (arc, mm/segment)
$11=25 (n-arc correction, int)
$12=3 (n-decimals, int)
$13=0 (report inches, bool)

$14=1 (auto start, bool)
$15=0 (invert step enable, bool)
$16=1 (hard limits, bool)
$17=1 (homing cycle, bool)
$18=69 (homing dir invert mask, int:01000101)
$19=200.000 (homing feed, mm/min)
$20=200.000 (homing seek, mm/min)
$21=100 (homing debounce, msec)
$22=2.000 (homing pull-off, mm)
can you please post your calibration ?
Domy (from Italy)
biraj1002 says:
Apr 22, 2014. 12:16 AM REPLY

Sir will U help me to make one of this fir mine. I couldn't under stand the circuit so send me the diagrams.and the wearing of the machine.plz help me I
want to make I have already collect all the parts but could not mount the boards of driver and arduino board
goldrake says:
Apr 22, 2014. 5:03 AM REPLY

@biraj1002 if you look at the bottom of this page you will find schematcs pdf file. plz can you remove unecessary comments from page ?
biraj1002 says:
Apr 23, 2014. 6:36 AM REPLY
I don't fined it,inkscape also did not proper downloads by the top link
biraj1002 says:
Apr 21, 2014. 4:35 AM REPLY
biraj1002 says:
Apr 21, 2014. 9:50 PM REPLY

Mr.Groover plz help me to short out the problem. As soon as possible. My email id "birjbhandari.asn@gmail.com". Reply me soon
biraj1002 says:
Apr 21, 2014. 9:45 AM REPLY

Sir plz help me I have no idea about circuit, plz send me the close photo of which wire go where. The arduino circuit and the driver circuit motor wire and
connecting the both circuit wire, diagrams of circuit and wearing of the boards motors one by one demonstration.I am desperat to make one for my
self.plz help me send me the soft were where I can engrave Andy type of photo. I am a student of class 12 so soft were is in my standard how to run the
software demonstration.PLZ REPLY ME SOON SIR PLZ PLZ.
sonson says:
Apr 21, 2014. 1:07 PM REPLY

Bonsoir mr Groover trs belle instuctables j'ai cre le lien partir du votre la configuration du grbl fonctionne trs bien j'ai graver sur le plastique et sur le
carton s'est ok mais j'ai essayer de graver sur du bois claire a ne marche pas mme avec du scotch isolant noir .Pouvez vous m expliquer pourquoi a ne
marche pas s'il vous plat . Le deuxime ventilateur vous l'avez connecter quel endroit svp en attendant votre rponse merci de nous faire connatre votre
savoir .
biraj1002 says:
Apr 21, 2014. 4:52 AM REPLY
Help me plz,post the circuts close up which wire goes where
biraj1002 says:
Apr 21, 2014. 4:46 AM REPLY
biraj1002 says:
Apr 21, 2014. 4:45 AM REPLY
biraj1002 says:
Apr 21, 2014. 4:41 AM REPLY
haunting says:
Apr 19, 2014. 2:15 PM REPLY
Hi.
Please help. Source code link is broken., Please submit the source code. I need it. Please Please Please
ehsan.haunt@gmail.com
RobertWa says:
Apr 18, 2014. 7:32 AM REPLY
I am having problems with circles being boxy (flat) on the top and sides. Have you run into this problem?
Tesla619 says:
Apr 17, 2014. 7:20 AM REPLY
Ummm, is this a rip off of your DIY project but for sale ?
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNjUzODI5MzUy.html
BTW i found this on eBay
fcojav says:
Apr 3, 2014. 8:05 PM REPLY

Hi, i live in Guatemala central america and i interest in one but in my country not exist the parts for this project.... you help me? my email is
mr_tagys@hotmail.com
thakala says:
Mar 29, 2014. 7:14 AM REPLY
Hello, I'm excited to start work on my laser engraver this weekend.

I'm just curious if anyone has tried to use this on leather? I got an idea for a leather cuff this morning and I was wondering if this would work to add the
design to the leather.
Thanks!
Groover says:
Mar 30, 2014. 2:40 PM REPLY

I did try it on a piece of leather and it did leave a mark. The only problem was that it where a black piece of leather and not that easy to see might work
better on tan leather. (engraving pattern, cutting there is no way to weak laser)
thakala says:
Mar 31, 2014. 7:56 AM REPLY
Good to know! I'll have to experiment with mine when I finish it.
Unfortunately, this weekend flew by without any chance to work on it. I'm hoping to break open the DVD drives tonight.
Thanks.
lex luther says:
Mar 18, 2014. 5:23 AM REPLY

Hi! I'm having relay latching problem. I replaced a relay, the transistor, cable. After i put 3 ferite filters on the cable it looked ok, but the latching hapened
again. The laser doesent turn on. After i tap on the relay it works aggain for a few times. PLEASE HELP!
Alex
IBH says:
Mar 13, 2014. 6:02 AM REPLY
Please can somebody provide the circuit for laser shield in pdf format?
Groover says:
Mar 13, 2014. 2:23 PM REPLY
Here is the board, silkscreena and schematic.
Lasershield_trace.pdf21 KB
Lasershield_silk.pdf15 KB
Lasershield_scematics.pdf14 KB
IBH says:
Mar 15, 2014. 4:08 AM REPLY
Thanks! But to make the circuit I used ratsnest and it said 2 Airwires and I did not understand this?
Groover says:
Mar 15, 2014. 9:35 AM REPLY

Unfortunately I don't know either. There is one place where I used a jumper wire, that might be what is meant? Hopefully someone else knows
and can give a proper answer.
IBH says:
Mar 18, 2014. 1:14 AM REPLY

Please can you tell me how you made the circuit?And that is the attached circuit correct if made using toner transfer method?
Lasershield.pdf154 KB
Groover says:
Mar 18, 2014. 2:44 AM REPLY

It looks about right and should work but I have not gone over it in detail. I used a board with photoresist and printed out the trace on
overhead paper, exposed in uv light and etched. I have never used the toner transfer method myself.
atymkow says:
Mar 13, 2014. 3:10 PM REPLY

I have set $0 and $1 to the value you listed, just double checked. So I guess it must be the easy driver. I'll recheck my soldering tomorrow. Thanks for the
suggestion.
Once again, great instructable. Really inspired me to make it.
Groover says:
Mar 13, 2014. 4:23 PM REPLY

Thank you. If you can not find anything in the hardware to explain it you can compensate in software but I would recommend to have a look at the drivers
first. If you want to compensate in software you will have to change the steps per mm to a value more suitable. I don't recall the exact value but if it
moves 15 mm when you enter ten you would want to reduce it by about a third of what it is now.
view all 625 comments

Pocket Laser Engraver

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Pocket Laser Engraver

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Pocket laser engraver.

Intro: Pocket laser engraver. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 1: Acquire the parts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 2: Rip apart the DVD-Roms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 3: Putting a laser together. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 4: Construct the mechanics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Intro: Pocket laser engraver.

Step 1: Acquire the parts.

Step 2: Rip apart the DVD-Roms.

Step 3: Putting a laser together.

Step 4: Construct the mechanics.

Lasershield.zip (73 KB)

Step 6: Prepare the Arduino.

Step 7: Getting the software ready.

Step 8: Final assembly and extras.

Step 9: Final results.

view all 629 comments

Make it BIG says:

Oct 5, 2014. 5:20 AM REPLY

Sep 30, 2014. 11:32 PM REPLY

Sep 26, 2014. 2:31 PM REPLY

Mohamed ALIT says:

Sep 24, 2014. 10:40 AM REPLY

Which pin in Arduino is used to control the laser?

Sep 22, 2014. 6:07 AM REPLY

Nov 18, 2012. 11:35 AM REPLY

Jun 1, 2014. 12:57 PM REPLY

Jun 1, 2014. 1:21 PM REPLY

Sep 13, 2014. 6:41 AM REPLY

Sep 13, 2014. 9:33 PM REPLY

Jun 1, 2014. 2:29 PM REPLY

Sorry to hear that.. The new project sounds awesome, though!

Jun 7, 2014. 5:20 AM REPLY

Sep 11, 2014. 5:12 AM REPLY

look on banggood, there is cheap clones of easydriver

Aug 21, 2014. 5:23 PM REPLY

Could you tell me the cutting area in milimeters

Jul 20, 2014. 8:40 AM REPLY

Can i use http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__46905__...

Jul 20, 2014. 8:40 AM REPLY

Can i use http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__46905__...

The Lightning Stalker says:

Jul 6, 2014. 8:29 PM REPLY

Jun 30, 2014. 12:36 PM REPLY

May 8, 2014. 4:29 AM REPLY

May 6, 2014. 11:21 AM REPLY

May 5, 2014. 3:36 AM REPLY

under construction still, but soon its readyy

Apr 28, 2014. 3:36 PM REPLY

Apr 19, 2014. 7:58 AM REPLY

$13=0 (report inches, bool)

Apr 22, 2014. 12:16 AM REPLY

Apr 22, 2014. 5:03 AM REPLY

Apr 23, 2014. 6:36 AM REPLY

Apr 21, 2014. 4:35 AM REPLY

Apr 21, 2014. 9:50 PM REPLY

Apr 21, 2014. 9:45 AM REPLY

Apr 21, 2014. 1:07 PM REPLY

Apr 21, 2014. 4:52 AM REPLY

Help me plz,post the circuts close up which wire goes where

Apr 21, 2014. 4:46 AM REPLY

Apr 21, 2014. 4:45 AM REPLY

Apr 21, 2014. 4:41 AM REPLY

Can i use http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/46905...

Can i use http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/46905...