3D printers are built for additive manufacturing. However, at heart, they are really just simple CNC motion platforms, and can be readily repurposed to other tasks. As [Arseniy] demonstrates, it’s not that hard to take a cheap 3D printer and turn it into a viable wood engraver.
The first attempt involved a simple experiment—heating the 3D printer nozzle, and moving it into contact with a piece of wood to see if it could successfully leave a mark. This worked well, producing results very similar to a cheap laser engraving machine. From there, [Arseniy] set about fixing the wood with some simple 3D-printed clamps so it wouldn’t move during more complex burning/engraving tasks. He also figured out a neat trick to simply calibrate the right Z height for wood burning by using the built in calibration routines. Further experiments involved developing a tool for creating quality G-Code for these engraving tasks, and even using the same techniques on leather with great success.
If you need to mark some patterns on wood and you already have a 3D printer, this could be a great way to go. [Arseniy] used it to great effect in the production of a plywood dance pad. We’ve featured some other great engraver builds over the years, too, including this innovative laser-based project. Video after the break.
Right.. I am trying but failing to contain the perhaps detrimental criticism regarding this whole project. Going to keep from getting into the specifics; I find it full of irrational practices, inaccuracies and plain uninformed bumbling that it should rather be a exemplary lesson in how not to go about using the tools and developing a process to adress the task, than a inspirational display of maker craft. My usual aim is to positively encourage in case of something is done well, or aid in cooperative progress towards better practices.. but this finds me doing neither; leaning more to that content of this sort should be met with announced disclaim and discouragement.
It’s an interesting idea, burning wood with the nozzle of a 3D printer. And I agree with your analysis. Where it breaks for me is when the creator asks the LLM instead of trying something himself, and (fake?) outrage over the LLM lying. Where it gets quite concerning for me is that he chose to leave his experimental wood burning setup running overnight, instead of watching it from a safe distance with a fire extinguisher ready. (I still don’t like my 3D printing running when I’m away from home. Even less so with a laser cutter or CNC.)
I believe it may be the new way of doing things, and it may not all be bad. Why learn photoshop and image manipulation of a free LLM can do it for you. I don’t mind too much that people use LLM to build stuff, at least for a quick prototype. I believe I could have build something similar with Inkscape, photoshop, slicer, and a bit of g-code manipulation, but learning these skills takes a lot of practice.
For the fundamental point of the whole exercise, he could have just done a traditional toner transfer on wood, finishing off with spray varnish.
https://www.wikihow.com/Transfer-Pictures-Onto-Wood
The rookie mistake is to skip too far ahead in your thinking, trying to run before you can walk, and ask very specific questions about wrong solutions you don’t quite understand. When human experts see such questions, they usually tell you to back up and explain what you’re trying to accomplish in the first place. They’ll see that you’re trying to do something stupid and direct you down a better path. Here the LLM will not question whether you’re doing the right thing at all, and will happily assist you in any wild goose chase and dead end.
You re correct but the some components is not design for this purpose. However Gcode modification is great, it could apply for any CNC-Like project
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Some days i wish to leave my hardware design job and buy a cheap laser cutter, and spend the rest of my days designing and selling diorama and wood miniature kits. They just seem so cool and satisfying.
It’s funny I’m actually really fond of my job and what i do…
That sounds like an awesome idea if its something that you would like to do.
Why not do both? Start small with one design and an Etsy shop as a side hustle.
Maybe as project for the next vacation.
And then tell us about it to encourage the next person.
While it would have been more $$s and more complicated, turning that old printer into a laser engraver/cutter would have been a more useful hack. I think I still have an old DaVinci stored away someplace. Maybe I’ll get off my lazy butt and do just that … sometime.
Ya sure, you betchya. Then with your remaining eye you either buy a real, enclosed laser engraver or resort back to this hack for the next project.