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Do-it-yourself electric engravers. Homemade laser engraver. A different approach to design. Making a working attachment

Sometimes you need to sign a gift beautifully, but it’s not clear how to do it. The paint spreads and wears off quickly, a marker is not an option. Engraving is best suited for this. You don’t even have to spend money on it, since anyone who knows how to solder can make a laser engraver from a printer with their own hands.

Design and principle of operation

The main element of the engraver is a semiconductor laser. It emits a focused and very bright beam of light that burns through the material being processed. By adjusting the radiation power, you can change the depth and speed of burning.

The laser diode is based on a semiconductor crystal, on top and bottom of which there are P and N regions. Electrodes are connected to them, through which current is supplied. Between these regions there is a P - N junction.

Compared to a regular laser diode, it looks like a giant: its crystal can be examined in detail with the naked eye.

The values ​​can be deciphered as follows:

1. P (positive) area.
2. P - N transition.
3. N (negative) area.

The ends of the crystal are polished to perfection, so it works as an optical resonator. Electrons, flowing from a positively charged region to a negative one, excite photons in the P-N junction. Reflecting from the walls of the crystal, each photon generates two similar ones, which, in turn, also divide, and so on ad infinitum. The chain reaction occurring in a semiconductor laser crystal is called the pumping process. The more energy supplied to the crystal, the more it is pumped into the laser beam. In theory, you can saturate it indefinitely, but in practice everything is different.

During operation, the diode heats up and must be cooled. If you constantly increase the power supplied to the crystal, sooner or later there will come a time when the cooling system can no longer cope with heat removal and the diode will burn out.

The power of laser diodes usually does not exceed 50 Watts. If this value is exceeded, it becomes difficult to do effective system cooling, so high-power diodes are extremely expensive to produce.

There are semiconductor lasers of 10 kilowatts or more, but they are all composite. Their optical resonator is pumped by low-power diodes, the number of which can reach several hundred.

Compound lasers are not used in engravers because their power is too high.

Creating a laser engraver

For simple work, like burning patterns on wood, there is no need for complex and expensive devices. A homemade laser engraver powered by a battery will be sufficient.

Before making an engraver, you need to prepare the following parts for its assembly:

Remove the write head from the DVD drive.

Carefully remove the focusing lens and disassemble the head housing until you see 2 lasers hidden in heat-distributing casings.

One of them is infrared, for reading information from the disk. The second one, red, is the writing one. In order to distinguish them, apply a voltage of 3 volts to their terminals.

Pinout:

Be sure to wear dark glasses before testing. Never test the laser by looking at the diode window. You only need to look at the reflection of the beam.

You need to select the laser that lights up. You can throw away the rest if you don’t know where to use it. To protect against static, solder all leads of the diode together and set it aside. Saw off a 15 cm section from the profile. Drill a hole in it for the clock button. Make cutouts in the box for the profile, charging socket and switch.

The schematic diagram of a DIY DVD laser engraver looks like this:

Tin the contact pads on the charge control board and holder:

Using wires to pins B+ and B- of the charge controller, solder the battery compartment. Contacts + and - go to the socket, the remaining 2 go to the laser diode. At first wall-mounted Solder the laser power circuit and insulate it well with tape.

Make sure that the terminals of the radio components do not short circuit with each other. Solder a laser diode and a button to the power circuit. Place the assembled device in the profile and glue the laser with heat-conducting glue. Secure the remaining parts with double-sided tape. Reinstall the tact button.

Insert the profile into the box, bring out the wires and secure it with hot glue. Solder the switch and install it. Do the same procedure with the charging socket. Using a hot glue gun, glue the battery compartment and charge controller into place. Insert the battery into the holder and close the box with the lid.

Before using it, you need to set up the laser. To do this, place a sheet of paper 10 centimeters from it, which will be a target for the laser beam. Place the focusing lens in front of the diode. By moving it further and closer, achieve a burn through the target. Glue the lens to the profile in the place where the greatest effect was achieved.

The assembled engraver is perfect for minor works and entertainment purposes such as lighting matches and burning balloons.

Remember that the engraver is not a toy and should not be given to children. The laser beam causes irreversible consequences if it comes into contact with the eyes, so keep the device out of the reach of children.

CNC device manufacturing

For large volumes of work, a conventional engraver will not cope with the load. If you are going to use it frequently and a lot, you will need a CNC device.

Assembling the interior

You can even make a laser engraver at home. To do this, you need to remove the stepper motors and guides from the printer. They will drive the laser.

Full list necessary details looks like this:

Connection diagram for all components:

Top view:

Explanation of symbols:

1. Semiconductor laser with heatsink.
2. Carriage.
3. X-axis guides.
4. Pressure rollers.
5. Stepper motor.
6. Drive gear.
7. Toothed belt.
8. Guide fastenings.
9. Gears.
10. Stepper motors.
11. Sheet metal base.
12. Y axis guides.
13. X-axis carriages.
14. Timing belts.
15. Mounting supports.
16. Limit switches.

Measure the length of the guides and divide them into two groups. The first will contain 4 short ones, the second - 2 long ones. Guides from the same group must be the same length.

Add 10 centimeters to the length of each group of guides and cut the base to the resulting dimensions. Bend U-shaped supports for fastenings from scraps and weld them to the base. Mark and drill holes for the bolts.

Drill a hole in the radiator and glue the laser in there using heat-conducting glue. Solder the wires and transistor to it. Bolt the radiator to the carriage.

Install the guide rail mounts onto the two supports and secure them with bolts. Insert the Y-axis guides into the mounts, put the X-axis carriages on their free ends. Insert the remaining guides with the laser head installed on them. Place fasteners on the Y-axis guides and screw them to the supports.

Drill holes in the places where the electric motors and gear axles are mounted. Reinstall the stepper motors and place the drive gears on their shafts. Insert into the holes pre-cut from metal rod axles and secure them with epoxy glue. After it hardens, place the gears and pressure rollers with bearings inserted into them onto the axles.

Install the timing belts as shown in the diagram. Pull them tight before fastening. Check the mobility of the X-axis and laser head. They should move with little effort, rotating all the rollers and gears through the belts.

Connect wires to the laser, motors and end switches and tie them together with zip ties. Place the resulting bundles in movable cable channels and secure them to the carriages.

Lead the ends of the wires out.

Case manufacturing

Drill holes in the base for the corners. Step back 2 centimeters from its edges and draw a rectangle.

Its width and length repeat the dimensions of the future body. The height of the case must be such that all internal mechanisms fit into it.

Explanation of symbols:

1. Loops.
2. Tact button (start/stop).
3. Arduino power switch.
4. Laser switch.
5. 2.1 x 5.5 mm socket for supplying 5 V power.
6. Protective box for DC-DC inverter.
7. Wires.
8. Arduino protective box.
9. Housing fastenings.
10. Corners.
11. Base.
12. Legs made of non-slip material.
13. Lid.

Cut out all the body parts from plywood and fasten them with corners. Using the hinges, install the cover on the body and screw it to the base. Cut a hole in the front wall and insert the wires through it.

Assemble from plywood protective covers and cut holes in them for buttons, switches and sockets. Place the Arduino in the housing so that the USB connector matches the hole provided for it. Set the DC-DC converter to a voltage of 3 V at a current of 2 A. Secure it in the housing.

Reinstall the button, power socket, switches and solder electrical diagram engraver together. After soldering all the wires, install the casings on the case and screw them with self-tapping screws. For the engraver to work, you need to upload the firmware to the Arduino.

After flashing the firmware, turn on the engraver and press the “Start” button. Leave the laser turned off. Pressing the button will start the calibration process, during which the microcontroller will measure and remember the length of all axes and determine the position of the laser head. After its completion, the engraver will be completely ready for work.

Before you start working with the engraver, you need to convert the images into a format understandable for Arduino. This can be done using the Inkscape Laserengraver program. Move the selected image into it and click on Convert. Send the resulting file via cable to the Arduino and start the printing process, turning on the laser first.

Such an engraver can only process objects consisting of organic substances: wood, plastic, fabrics, paint coatings and others. Metals, glass and ceramics cannot be engraved on it.

Never turn on the engraver with the lid open. The laser beam, entering the eyes, concentrates on the retina, damaging it. Reflexively closing your eyelids will not save you - the laser will have time to burn out an area of ​​the retina even before they close. You may not feel anything, but over time the retina will begin to peel off, which can lead to complete or partial loss of vision.

If you catch a laser “bunny”, contact an ophthalmologist as soon as possible - this will help avoid serious problems in the future.

Application to various items drawing by the method of removing a substance from its surface has been known to mankind for many millennia.

With the advent of new materials, the need arose to develop working methods that allow engraving on objects that are much harder than wood and stone. New technologies make it possible to fully automate the engraving process when applying a design to a metal surface, but for home handyman most suitable option is to master the manual method of drawing.

Do-it-yourself metal engraving is possible at home, if you have the tools and a suitable room to perform this type of work.

For manual engraving at home, you will need the following tools and materials:

• Stichel.
• Metal blank.
• A vice or similar device for holding a workpiece stationary.

The blank for applying the pattern can be used from any metal, but for beginning craftsmen it is better to use aluminum or copper.

The graver is a rod up to 120 mm long. One end of this tool is cut at an angle and sharpened, the other is installed in a handle made of wood or plastic.

The graver can be of different shapes and also vary in width work surface. If this tool is not available, you can make it yourself if you have materials suitable for this purpose.

Making your own gravel

To make a gravel, it is necessary to use tool steel. The metal used in springs and ball bearings is excellent for this purpose. To make a cutting surface, you can use old files and needle files, as well as various cutters that need to be cut into thin strips.

The ideal material for making an engraving pen is P18 steel. From old circles for circular saws You can make a large number of blanks for the production of gravers at home. Next, the working part of the workpiece is sharpened at an angle that will make it possible to make a notch of a certain width on the metal surface.

The handle of the gravel is made of hardwood, and should be of such a width that the master can comfortably hold the tool in his hand. The recommended length of this part of the gravel is usually 50 mm.

A mushroom-shaped handle is the most suitable for making this tool, but you can experiment and make several various options, and already in the process of work choose the most suitable option.

Preparation of the workpiece

First of all, you should select a blank on which the drawing will be displayed. The selected product must be free of rust and chips. To prepare the surface you will need:

• Sandpaper P400.
• GOI paste No. 1 or No. 2

First, the workpiece is polished using sandpaper. Then final polishing is carried out using GOI paste.

To avoid damage to the surface, when carrying out polishing works GOI paste, it is recommended to use this product only No. 1 or No. 2.

You should also do the following before finishing polishing with this product:

1. Prepare a flannel cloth and moisten it with white spirit
2. Pour GOI paste onto a dampened cloth.
3. Wipe the unwanted area of ​​metal with a cloth to remove large pieces that could scratch the surface.

After such preparation, the workpiece is polished using uniform circular movements. After finishing polishing activities, the metal object must be rinsed in kerosene and dried at room temperature.

The process of engraving on metal

If you are engraving a metal surface for the first time, then before you start applying the main design, it is recommended to practice on an unnecessary piece of metal.

The ideal option for such training is to use a copper plate. The piece of copper should be securely fastened to wooden board using screws with wide heads. When the workpiece is secured, the board is placed on the table, additional lighting is turned on, if necessary, and clamped cutting tool in the right hand, and make an even notch on the metal surface.

To prevent your hand from slipping when making a straight line, on the surface of the metal plate thumbs left and right hand must be connected and touch the plate where the design is made. The index finger of the right hand, at this time, rests on the tool’s cutter and completely controls the process of drawing lines. It is recommended to first make several straight parallel stripes on the workpiece. When the smooth areas look good, you can move on to making semicircular lines.

When your hand is already a little full, you can begin to engrave the design on the workpiece. To carry out this work, the metal object must also be securely fixed. For this purpose, a device similar to the self-tapping screw locking mechanism described above should be made.

For engraving simple figures, initials and other simple images, you can start immediately after securing the metal object. If you need to make a complex drawing, it is recommended to first transfer the image to the workpiece.

Transferring a complex image to metal

The original method of transferring an image to a metal base is carried out in the following sequence:

1. Varnish is applied to the surface of the metal being processed.
2. Using a soft graphite pencil, an image is drawn on a polyester film that will be engraved on the workpiece.
3. The drawing is covered with tape, pressed over the entire area to the film and carefully removed from it. In this case, the image drawn earlier will remain on the sticky surface of the tape.
4. When the varnish dries, the tape is attached to the metal surface, smoothed with a roller or other soft object, and then removed.

After correct execution Following the described actions, a drawing will remain on the product, which can be used for engraving.

Other engraving methods

In addition to the manual engraving method at home, the following methods can be used to change the relief of a metal surface:

1. Chemical engraving is a method that can be easily done at home, even if you have a regular table salt and a phone charger.
2. Using a drill is a great method for home use. The principle of metal removal by this method is similar to manual engraving, but instead of a burr, a drill or similar device with a rotating thin blade is used.
3. - is the most advanced way of applying a pattern to a metal surface, but equipment for this type of work will be too expensive. The use of this engraving method is justified only when the hobby of drawing designs on metal becomes a profession and brings in a constant income.

Conclusion

How to make engraving on metal and which method to master to perform this type of work, everyone must decide for themselves. To begin with, it is recommended to purchase professional tool for manual work. After working for some time with hand tools You can move on to mastering equipment that will significantly speed up the engraving process.

Engraving, grinding, cutting on metal, glass, plastic, bone - all this is included in the capabilities of the electric engraver. For those who are still deciding which instrument to choose, an overview of its varieties will be useful. Tips and video instructions for working with an electric engraver, as well as a description of some breakdowns and how to fix them, will be useful to tool owners. And those who like an individual approach will learn how to make it at home.

Electric engraver - features, main tasks, types

An electric engraver is very similar in shape and general operating principle to a drill. The main difference between the engraver is its miniature size (you can work with one hand) and high speed, that is, the number of revolutions per minute. This tool also allows you to perform work with high precision. An electric engraver, as the name suggests, is primarily designed for engraving - applying letters, lines, backgrounds to a surface. But it's not that simple.

Species

Trying to find myself suitable model, not for long and get confused. In catalogs and in the names of manufacturers there are many names: “engraver”, “mini-” or “microdrill”, “dremel”, “drill”, “straight grinder”. What should you consider? What to miss? I want certainty. A review of models depending on their capabilities, as well as reviews from those who already use the tool, will help solve this problem.

Shock

In a very strict sense, an engraver is percussion instrument, the operating principle is similar to a hammer drill. It is designed simply. It is accurate in operation, but noisy and produces an unpleasant sound. An impact engraver is designed for a small range of work - namely, dot engraving or, if you get creative with the attachment, carving; it is perfect for working on metal and inscriptions. Dot engraving produces a silky finish. You can also make contour drawings on stone or work on glass, but you must be careful with this material - there is a high risk of breaking the surface. Among impact engravers, Dremel models are the most represented on the market; there are Chinese analogues, they are inexpensive, but the quality of their work is a big question.

Video: review and test of the Dremel Engraver

Network devices with motor and tip in one housing

Many manufacturers and craftsmen also call engravers mini-drills, drills, straight grinding machines. These are tools that work on the principle of rotation: the motor turns the spindle, a chuck is attached to the spindle, into which the equipment (attachments) is installed. The peculiarity of such a device is the abundance of attachments for it; you can either purchase them or make them yourself. They can perform a huge number of operations - grinding, polishing, drilling, milling, sharpening. The devices within this huge group differ depending on the structure of the case and the method of power supply. But they are all united by miniature size and precision processing.

Corded tools operate from an electrical network and are more similar to a small drill than others. As a rule, they are made in a plastic case. The group is very large, the scope is very wide. Most cheap Chinese models with rather modest characteristics belong to this type of instrument. A special cable with a tip - a flexible shaft - and a special stand make it possible to expand the functions of such devices, turning them into an analogue of suspended machines.

Suspended machines

The tip of these devices is connected to the body flexible cable. The speed is controlled not by a switch, but by a pedal.

Mobile electric engravers

The peculiarity of such devices is that they receive power not from the mains, but from batteries. You can work with them anywhere. Such a device will be especially useful for a craftsman working with wet material - battery-powered power tools are the safest in such cases.

Which electric engraver to choose

Weight, noise, power, number of revolutions - these are the main characteristics that directly affect the quality and ease of operation. As with other tools, there is no such thing as an ideal engraver. Powerful models lose speed, while fast models lose power. It is not so convenient to perform long operations with a heavy tool; a light one is often distinguished by the low quality of the materials from which the parts and body are made.

Key Features Affecting Performance

To make it easier to decide which parameters can be sacrificed when choosing a machine and which ones cannot, the list contains not only the technical parameters of the tool, but also the relationship between them:

• power. The difference in power between the machines on the market is very large - from approximately 12 to 350 W. Very often, weight directly depends on power. The higher the power, the heavier the device. Power is also directly related to torque. This parameter is measured in Newtons per centimeter. This is a kind of machine power. Manufacturers often do not indicate it at all, limiting themselves to power. Among other things, torque also affects how the device and equipment will operate. large diameter. The larger the diameter, the greater this indicator should be. Torque depends on engine size. The larger the diameter, the higher the indicator will be. The higher the engine speed, the lower the torque;.
• number of revolutions. This is the speed at which the attachment rotates. The spread is also very large, on average reaching 35,000 rpm at maximum, at minimum - from zero. The speed control function is very useful; the vast majority of models are equipped with it;
• collet. Nozzle holder. The ability to mount chucks and collets of different sizes will be an advantage - you will be able to attach accessories to the tool different manufacturers. It is worth paying attention to how standard the thread on the cartridge is.

The collet chuck and collets influence the versatility of the electric engraver. It depends on the type of chuck whether it is possible to install attachments with different shank sizes

Table: types of materials and optimal tool parameters for working with them

Plastic	Melts easily. You cannot work with it at high speeds - when heated, the material will soften, deform, and begin to stick to the tool. Very viscous. The processing torque must be high
Bone	At high speeds, the bone also deteriorates, burns, and clogs the surface of the instrument. It is extremely important to choose the right equipment - a small notch gets clogged very quickly, while a too large one spoils the material, tearing out pieces. At low speeds it is processed poorly, chips, and a torn surface is obtained. The tool may even jump off and “move” - and this can lead to injury. RPM for working with bone - 10,000–35,000. High torque is not needed
Stone	RPM indicator of great importance does not have. But processing requires a lot of effort. Need a powerful tool with high torque
Glass	It is a very fragile material and you cannot apply much force to it. You don't need high torque, but you do need high rpm. At low speeds there is a danger that the glass will break
Tree	Depends on the type of wood. It is better to study this topic separately - each type of tree requires its own parameters and equipment. For example, for loose rocks you will need more revolutions and not very much torque

What exactly needs to be done with the tool is also important. Engraving, cutting or grinding? Or maybe polishing? When cutting you need high speeds, and when polishing you need more power. The more difficult a task a master sets for himself, the less likely it is that he can handle it perfectly alone. universal tool. If you plan to process wet material, you must only use a device with a battery or flexible shaft - this is a matter of your safety.

It is best to choose one - expensive and high-quality - tool for basic work and a second - cheaper and simpler - for what you plan to do less often.

Equipment

Engravers, as a rule, are equipped with a storage case, as well as a variety of sets of attachments. When buying your first engraving machine, you shouldn’t chase an abundance of consumables and overpay for something that will never be useful. Take the standard set. From additional equipment In the configuration, you can pay attention to the flexible shaft - it will give more opportunities for precise work- and a stand for hanging the engraver itself when working with a flexible shaft.

For complex tasks, for various types of work with materials of different properties, you will need a tool with an expanded set.

The extended configuration of the electric engraver includes not only attachments, but also an additional battery pack, a handle for fine work, a compass and other accessories.

Engravers are produced under many brands. These are “Zubr”, “Caliber”, “Whirlwind”, Intertool, Hammer, Bosh, Watt, Wortex, Ryobi, Sturm, Einhell, Proxxon and others. The most famous brand, Dremel, is named after the inventor of the tool with a small electric motor and high speed, Albert Dremel. Now this word has become a household word - any electric engravers are often called Dremels.

In 1906, a young mechanic, Albert Dremel, came from Austria to the United States. At first he had to work in a workshop, where he did all sorts of rough work - he adjusted parts with a file, sharpened workpieces on a lathe. And for fun, I played the violin a little in local pubs on weekends. In 1931 he founded his own company - Dremel Manufacturing Company. Its first successful product was an electric razor sharpening machine. And Dremel’s next invention forever won the hearts of all kinds of DIYers.

Tatiana Pham

Magazine "Popular Mechanics" No. 12 of 2015

Reviews, opinions about electric engravers

There is no ideal tool - tested in practice. But reviews, both positive and negative, can still help with the choice: it is always useful to know what you might encounter when using the machine. Here are some reviews of various models.

Dremel is good with a huge number of attachments, it is almost a universal tool. Adjusting the speed also helps. I bought myself a kit 300 series - I couldn’t be more pleased. But the thing is not a budget thing, yes, the set came out to 3500, and there are almost the same number of attachments, and that’s not all. About the rest they say that the accuracy is not the same, but the build quality is not the same. This is understandable; it’s more profitable for them to sell at a higher price. You can try to look for a used one, there are some good options.

Romick

http://www.tehnari.ru/f34/t57749/#post593402

I am the owner (about 4 years) of a Dremel 4000. The machine is very good and reliable. But if I decide to buy another one, I won’t choose Dremel. The reason is simple - the use of exclusively branded consumables that are far from cheap and not of very high quality. Tools from other manufacturers are very rarely suitable. The kit included only a collet for 3.2 mm shanks, and most of the work has to be done with dental burs. I tried to order cartridges from China, but contrary to the assurances of the sellers (I ordered two times from different ones), the thread does not fit. I received neither an answer nor a greeting when ordering from a Russian online store, and, most likely, there are the same ones from China. So the Dremel stands in a homemade rack for drilling boards, and only Japanese drills for drilling boards with a 3.17 mm shank are used with it. The rest of the load is carried by the inexpensive, but as practice has shown, no less reliable Chinese Wolf MD32, the cartridges of which fit without any questions.

uzren

http://www.tehnari.ru/f222/t247517/#post2397508

Proxxon FBS 240/E is available on the farm. I've been using it for several years. When I compared it with others, I settled on it. The 50th seemed rather weak. I took it when I had to repair an expensive interchangeable lens from a Canon SLR camera. They slammed it down and broke the zoom lens. It was necessary to drill four holes with a diameter of 0.4 mm in a wall with a thickness of 0.82 mm. The machine did a great job, the cartridge does not hit at all, it works smoothly. Later I acquired the necessary equipment, in particular, a flexible hose with a regular chuck and a chuck for collets. It should be noted that the collets for it are three-jaw, and this already says something. I use it as a “thin” tool. For more rough work there are other adaptations. I’m thinking of getting another BFW 40/E drilling and milling head from the same company. I had to work with hand tools from other manufacturers, but, in my opinion, this one is the best.

VlaDZeniN

http://www.cqham.ru/forum/archive/index.php/t-23998.html

I have Ferm (Austrian type). He has already recouped his money a long time ago (his price was something like 30–40 bucks). I can’t say that it’s terribly poor quality. The most useful thing is the flexible shaft. Everything that is missing from the attachments in the basic kit must be purchased separately. Cutting wheels are a weak thing and independent of the manufacturer (the exception is reinforced ones, but they are difficult to find here), in the end I make them myself from 1 mm cutting wheel Bulgarians. Everything else doesn't require hands on.

SknUA

http://forum.amadeus-project.com/index.php?showtopic=719&view=findpost&p=10410

Nozzles for electric engraver - types, methods of application and do-it-yourself modifications

Most often, a set of attachments is supplied with the tool. You can purchase what you need later. Ideally, the attachment should be from the same company as the engraver - only then the manufacturer guarantees quality. But if the “native” attachment is not on sale or is too expensive, you can use analogues or even homemade ones. The main thing you need to pay attention to is that the tail diameter (shank) of the nozzle matches the cartridge in the engraver. Inexpensive attachments, especially made in China, most often have a shank with a diameter of 3.2 mm.

Nozzles are usually easy to change. You need to press the stop button, thereby blocking the spindle. Use the key that comes with the tool to loosen the collet chuck, then unscrew it and remove the attachment. Insert new one. For a thicker or thinner nozzle, you will have to change the collet. A jaw chuck makes this task easier - depending on the size range, nozzles with different shank diameters are installed there.

Engraving bits, burs

Available in various alloys, with different types coatings, various forms. Designed mainly for applying patterns to surfaces. The type of bur depends on the material to be worked with. So, the most commonly used are the following:

• carbide - very durable, high-quality and expensive attachments, a special type of carbide bur - in the shape of a peak, they work well on plastic, bone, with these burs they make tracing - they draw the main lines of the drawing;
• steel - the main cutting tool, they come in various shapes and configurations;
• combined - steel base and carbide head;
• Diamond-coated nozzles are very productive; You can buy them at a medical equipment store, they are also available on Chinese websites - they are of quite acceptable quality.

Sometimes manufacturers mark burs with color. The color also indicates the degree of sharpening. Burs with black markings are very productive, but the sharpening of blue and green ones is weaker. Yellow marked burs are good for finishing.

Making a bur - a triangular peak - by hand

If there is no suitable attachment on sale, you can make one. For example, a bur in the shape of a triangular peak. Factory (Kazan) versions are thin, elongated, with a high pyramid, but their tip has some rounding. It is quite possible to eliminate this drawback at home. You can resharpen factory ones, or you can make your own using an old bur - a truncated cone. Sharpen on a diamond disc. Before sharpening, you need to find the middle of the working part of the workpiece bur and sharpen it at an obtuse angle. After you have some semblance of a bullet, you can draw the edges. After sharpening, the attachment must be checked on the material, and then fine-tuned manually using sandpaper.

Video: making a nozzle - a triangular peak with your own hands

Other types of attachments

In addition to engraving, a machine can perform a huge number of operations. It is for them - cutting, drilling, grinding, polishing - that other types of attachments are intended.

The entire array of equipment can be divided into groups. Here are some of them:

• drills - like burs, there are carbide and steel;
• brushes - steel, muslin fabric, thread;
• rubber cylinders - craftsmen often “bring them to perfection” by placing them on used burs, grinding off the tip with an abrasive, giving it the shape of a bullet, resulting in a good grinding attachment;
• grinding stones - differ both in shape and material;
• grinding discs - sanding wheels (they can be cut from regular sandpaper and glued to the base, attached to the disc holder), diamond rings;
• special holders onto which felt is screwed; they very often come in sets of accessories along with the tool; instead of such a holder, you can also use an old bur, and attach the felt pad with superglue;
• “Hedgehog” attachments made of tsungsten carbide, these are burs coated with needles and crumbs; they can be used to work with plastic, artificial stone, tree; require special care when using - you can get hurt.

How to work as an electric engraver

Before you start, it doesn’t hurt to think about the organization of your workplace. You will have to deal with small details, elements, and precision will be required. Therefore, take care of lighting in advance. During work, dust and small particles will likely fly away - cover the surface of the table or furniture with something.

Step by step instructions

1. First, create a blank - what you will eventually engrave on. Many operations, especially on wood - cutting, grinding - can be performed with an electric engraver.
2. Then secure the stencil. You can draw lines on paper by applying a drawing to the surface. Or you can transfer it directly onto the material using, for example, carbon paper. The surface must be degreased before applying the pattern. If you have a ready-made stencil design, secure it to the surface with tape. If you work with gloves, there will be no traces left on the degreased surface. To engrave on glass, the design must be placed underneath it.
3. Start with the outline and only then move on to the small details of the drawing. Mark complex lines with dots and then connect them. Chiaroscuro in the drawing, tone, if any, is best done last.

Video: making a wooden shelf with engraving

Safety precautions

• be sure to wear glasses;
• start with low speeds - this way there is less chance that the tool will come off due to unaccustomed use;
• when drawing a line, move the engraver away from you if possible;
• take breaks, ideally every 10–15 minutes, this will help prevent the instrument from overheating; if the device has good system cooling, you can interrupt less often, but remember about your own fatigue - it would be a shame to ruin your work just before the finish line;
• Before starting work, be sure to inspect the tool and attachments: the power cord must be in good condition, the attachments must be free of damage or chips; damaged ones must be replaced.
• consumables, discs, attachments must match the parameters of the tool, first of all, this concerns the dimensions of the shank.

Care

Less repair costs and more pleasant work experience - this can be achieved by properly caring for the tool. Moreover, there is no need for particularly labor-intensive care and cleaning.

The engraver can be used, as they say, out of the box - the tool does not require any special tricks before the first use. But after use, you need to clean it - just sweep away the dust from the tip and body. Particular attention should be paid to ventilation slots. You can use a brush or brush.

Repair - what you can do yourself

In case of serious damage, of course, it is better to contact a workshop. But in many cases you can handle it yourself. If we are talking about a Dremel tool, then disassembling it is not difficult - just unscrew the screws and pry off the body parts with a screwdriver. They come apart easily.

Electric engraver device

The machine consists of a motor (stator, armature), a spindle (shaft), brushes, a cooling system, and a tip to which the equipment is attached. Some models are equipped with a speed switch, impact force switch, and electronics (screen showing the number of revolutions). But general principle remains the same.

The electric engraver can be easily disassembled - just unscrew the screws and, using a screwdriver, pry the body apart

Internal structure of the electric engraver: 1 - speed switch, 2 - brushes on the sides, 3 - motor, 4 - “fan” on the armature, 5 - stop button; 6 - tip.

Photo gallery: components of an electric engraver

Stator - external, stationary part of the engine The armature, or rotor, is the internal, moving part of the engine. Bearings are installed at the edges of the armature

The device makes an uncharacteristic sound, the air flow from the fan increases

Perhaps the armature is catching on the stator. One of the reasons is the failure of the rubber ring - the coupling; over time it can wear out or even break. In order to replace the clutch, you need to disassemble not only the housing itself, but also the engine.

Video: disassembling the electric engraver motor, replacing the coupling

Overheat

If the machine heats up too much and too quickly, the bearings may be clogged with dirt and need to be cleaned and lubricated. It is necessary to remove the armature; there is no need to remove the bearings from it. First, use an awl to carefully remove the anthers, then wash the bearings with kerosene. Rinse very thoroughly. For this, as for lubricant, you can use a syringe. If the anthers become deformed during disassembly, they need to be straightened - a small flat-head screwdriver is convenient for this.

Video: cleaning and lubricating bearings

Poor speed shifting

The switch may be faulty due to clogged dust - fine particles flying while working. To do this, you need to disassemble the device and clean it. It is very effective to blow through the insides of the instrument compressed air from a small bottle. Remove remaining dust with a brush.

Video: cleaning the speed switch

How to make an electric engraver yourself

A tool designed for simple tasks, you can make it yourself using various basics. Appliances with a motor, such as a blender, work well. A hand blender is also good because its handle is anatomically shaped, it is comfortable to hold, and the motor in this device is quite powerful. To do this, you will need to purchase a collet chuck and a switch so that you do not have to press the button manually all the time.

Step by step instructions

1. Disassemble the blender body.
2. Remove the printed circuit board and motor.
3. Measure the spindle - a collet chuck will be needed exactly for this diameter.
4. Clean the parts, especially the old engine, thoroughly.
5. Place the chuck on the spindle.
6. Instead of the blender button, install a switch lever. To do this you will need to remove printed circuit board button contacts, and instead of them solder wires for the switch.
7. Drill a hole in the body for the lever.
8. Install the board and switch, put the motor in place.
9. Assemble the body.

Video: DIY blender engraver

An electric engraver is a universal tool that can be used to perform a huge number of operations, not limited to drawings and inscriptions. The choice of models is very wide, and the most famous brand, Dremel, has worthy competitors. The machine should be selected according to the type of work and the main material with which you are going to experiment. There are a huge number of attachments for an electric engraver, but if you were unable to purchase the one you need, you can make some yourself. At home, you can also repair the device and even make it from another household appliance, for example a blender.

Lasers came into use a long time ago. Guides use light pointers, builders set levels with beam support. The purpose of the laser is to heat substances (up to thermal destruction) - it is used for cutting and decorating. One of the uses– laser engraving. On different materials You can get fine patterns with virtually no restrictions on complexity.

We offer a wide selection of engraving machines, mostly made in China. The equipment is not very expensive, however, purchasing it simply for the purpose of entertainment is not advisable. It's much more fun to do homemade laser engraver with my own hands.

How to make an engraver from a printer?

How to make an engraver with your own hands? Making a CNC engraver from an old printer is not at all difficult. It's like an Arduino constructor. Detailed instructions, will undoubtedly help you navigate everything.

However, first it is necessary Prepare all the required components for the CNC:

• 3 studs from the hardware store;
• duralumin U-profile;
• 2 metal bearings;
• a piece of plexiglass;
• metal nuts regular size and large;
• 3 stepper motors, they can be taken from an old printer.

It is also necessary to have the following devices at hand:

• saw;
• screws;
• screwdrivers and other devices.

The only thing that will need to be done outside the house is to weld the base for the CNC machine, although it can also be done in a bolted manner.

Stages of machine production

The manufacture of the engraver begins with the fastening of the lead screw and profile. The final stage is to use a sled.

Work progress:

The engraving machine in this modification, developed with your own hands, can be an ordinary home Dremel. Attach your own engraver allowed using plexiglass.

Now you have your DIY desktop laser engraver ready. Now all that remains is to connect it using limit switches. Given homemade device makes it possible to carry out stone carving at home, but does not make it possible to divide it.

How to assemble a laser engraving device using a diode from an old DVD drive?

You can make your own laser from a DVD drive. An optical beam made by yourself is unlikely to be controlled with iron or wood.

However, it will be completely possible for them to share:

1. paper;
2. small sheet of plastic;
3. plastic film;
4. other simple and delicate items.

In addition to the above alternatives, a laser made with your own hands from a DVD drive can be used for many different tasks. In particular, his potential is perfectly revealed in the creative field.

If thread is not needed, with a laser from a DVD drive you can:

1. burn patterns or pictures on wood surfaces;
2. illuminate various objects at a great distance;
3. use as decoration at home;
4. make direct lines (since the beam is clearly visible), which will be especially useful during construction and repair.

What will be needed to complete the job?

To make a beam, you will need certain elements. They are always sold in ordinary electronics shopping centers, therefore, you won’t have to put in any extra effort.

Thus, for the purpose of production you will need:

Disassembly of the drive must be carried out with special care. If handled carelessly, you can not only damage the mechanism, but also cause damage to your own eyes. The problem is that the beam has the ability to blind at some time and negatively affect visual acuity.

Now a homemade device should be ensured electric shock. The power supply of a conventional diode must be 3V, and the consumption must be up to 400 mA. These values ​​may vary depending on the write speed of the drive. The laser does not require huge performance. So, for the components of a drive whose write speed is 16X, 200 mA is sufficient. Increase given value the maximum allowed is up to 300 milliamps, otherwise there is a possibility of damaging the crystal and forgetting about the homemade laser.

The easiest way to make a homemade collimator is with an ordinary laser pointer. The cheapest Chinese option will also work. All that is necessary is to remove the optical lens from the “laser” (it is visible). The width of the half-line will be more than 5 millimeters. Of course, this kind of coefficient is huge and cannot in any way claim the title of laser. The stock collimator lens will help reduce the diameter down to 1 mm. Although in order to achieve such an effect, you will have to work thoroughly.

Creating a laser with your own hands is a very interesting process. It does not require any specialized parts or large economic costs. Completely neat and shallow knowledge of electrics is enough. If production is successful, you can start using the device. Cutting beam without difficulty eats balloons, burns through paper and leaves imprints on wood. However, when using, one should not forget about technical safety.

Good day everyone. I’ve been meaning to talk about this instrument for a long time, but I only got around to it now.

And so I present to your attention a HAND ENGRAVER or a hand router. I found many uses for such a thing, from drawings on glass to sharpening in hard-to-reach places.

In front of you appearance devices. It consists of a box for the electric drive, a cable (I took a speedometer cable from a car), a holder and a cutting part.

And so on in order.

Inside the box there is a motor from a reel-to-reel tape recorder. More engine power is not needed. Using a transition coupling, the motor shaft is connected to the drive cable.

The cable sheath is rigidly connected to the body.

Also, the outer shell of the cable is rigidly connected to the handle holder. The handle was machined from fiberglass. A stepped hole is drilled inside in such a way that the cable sheath is firmly held, the rotating cable passes freely to the working element, and at the end of the holder a tube is inserted inside which the chuck drive rotates.

The chuck consists of two halves fastened with a screw. A cutting tool with a diameter of 2 to 5 mm can be clamped into such a chuck. The main thing is not to forget about balancing the cartridge and full compatibility the square of the cartridge drive and the windows of the cartridge itself.

Since my hands are busy when working with such a tool, and it shouldn’t rotate constantly, I made a pedal for it. Simple design.

I used a regular push button as a switching device.