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Aero-Werkes AW 11601 - Hannover CL IIIa by edtherenderman. Viewed 415 times.
Build Thread
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| Image Comments |
| edtherenderman | 10-Feb-20 08:38 | | Here is the laser cutting the second part. This is 1/16 sheet, 6” wide. I realize this picture may be a bit misleading. The little hose with the fitting on the end looks like the source of the laser. It’s actually an airbrush hose used to blow low pressure air on the work surface. The air keeps the smoke from diffusing the laser, fogging up the laser lens, and puts out any small sparks that may end in a burned up piece of balsa and small garage fire! |
| BriandKilby | 11-Feb-20 10:01 | | that is so cool! |
| kenm94591 | 11-Feb-20 21:29 | | That really looks interesting but I am wondering how difficult it is to use the software for someone who just barely uses the computer. |
| edtherenderman | 12-Feb-20 08:19 | | It’s a good question! The way I’ve gone with this rig, it would be difficult. It is doable, and I think I have a good pipeline now, but for someone who doesn’t enjoy the continuous challenges that computer provide, it may not be the way to go.
However, there are more expensive, all-in-one laser etchers out there. A work mate of mine has a Glowforge printer (https://glowforge.com/). This printer has a much higher powered laser, so less passes to cut each piece, and software that is able to scan a line drawing or photograph and create the files needed to do the etching. He hasn’t tried that technique with his so I have no firsthand experience on how well it works. Knowing what I know, I’d wonder how precise the part would be. It would require a very clean drawing to begin with. I thought about this option, but the $2500 price tag put me off. That’s why I went with the $250 option, then spent about a week of evenings, and one full 1/16 x 6 x 36 balsa test sheet to figure out how to make things work!
The good news is that this market, like 3D printing, is growing and more demand means more features at lower cost. Technology that is $2500 today will be $500 in just a couple of years.
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| bsadonkill | 12-Feb-20 12:06 | | Wow, a $250 laser cutter. Looks like it did just fine. I sold my 650 B.S.A. two years ago. Will this one fly? |
| edtherenderman | 12-Feb-20 12:17 | | Not planning on flying. Going heavy scale again. I do need to look at flying options though. Pacific North West weather will start getting nice again in about six months. We had 34 days of rain in the first 38 days of the year! Been really wet! |
| kenm94591 | 12-Feb-20 18:41 | | Thanks for the answer. My next project is a scratch build, kind of. I have the plans w/o parts. |
| edtherenderman | 13-Feb-20 08:08 | | That's my definition of "scratch built"! Not quite up to drawing my own plans yet. I may do that for some of the imaginary aircraft I've drawn up though. Could be a fun new challenge. |
| edtherenderman | 17-Feb-20 08:39 | | Started building the wings this weekend and came to a horrible realization. The ziplock bag that I had put all of the wing parts into (ribs, false ribs, wingtips, spars, etc) into, had fallen off my desk into the garbage can next to my desk, which got dumped last week! This would be a horror story if this was a kit! But, since I had the laser cutter files, I was able to reproduce all the parts in about 1.5 hours! Of course, it’s a lot of wasted balsa, but at least I didn’t have to go back and cut 54 ribs out again by hand! |
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