3D print + laser + CNC = way too much machine swapping

3D Printing
1

ngl, this is the part that keeps annoying me.

I’ll print a part, then realize it needs a little laser work and some CNC. Sounds easy, but then it’s move the piece, change the setup, re-zero, check alignment, clean dust, etc. Then do it all again when I go back to the printer

I don’t have room for 3 separate machines either. My “workshop” is basically one corner of a room lol

At this point idk if a multi-tool setup is actually less annoying, or if I’m just trading 3 machines for 3 different setup headaches…

2

Yeah, that’s the real pain point with “all-in-one” setups: they save floor space, but they don’t magically remove fixturing, dust control, laser safety, or re-zeroing. Sometimes the tool swap is quick, but the workflow around it is still the time sink.

For a small corner shop, I’d usually think less in terms of “one machine does everything” and more in terms of repeatable registration. A spoilboard/grid, dowel pins, corner stops, or a simple fixture plate can make moving between tools way less annoying. If you do go multi-tool, I’d want it only if the machine has solid, repeatable tool mounting and good separation for CNC dust vs printer/laser optics. Otherwise it can become one very expensive compromise.

4

Yeah, you are so right. I have all three. But my 3D printers are in the office/hobby room and my CNC is in the garage along with the diode laser attachment that fits with it.

Having the dowel pins for coordinate 0s and having fixture setups make things a whole lot smarter. You have to remember that it’s a hobby not a job, and unless you are making things to sell and you are depending on the time factor in your profit margin, the time you spend making something that no one else makes or can make or knows how to make is what the enjoyment of it all is. The process is half the fun, or I need therapy…

6

It turns out that @KaiVoigt was a spammer who inserted spam into the quote when he quoted you, so he’s been permanently banned from Maker Forums. Not just a spammer, but a particularly abusive kind.

His abuse has been deleted from this site.

7

Thank you for your acute management. Another sad truth about modern day society. With every good piece of technology, Somebody has to use it for ill-purpose.