New Old Guy

[Steveo123]

I joined the forum back in March but have lurked mostly so want to say thank you for a great forum. The amount of information is overwhelming to say the least! So a little about me....I'll soon be 73 and I began working with Corel back in Feb knowing that was my first hurdle. A couple years before I had my butt solidly kicked by SolidWorks so I was intimidated to say the least. By July I screwed up my courage and purchased a laser engraving machine which arrived in August. Everything I read in the SMC forum said it would take 6 months to begin feeling somewhat competent and that's certainly been true in my case. I AM slowly making progress but find 6 hours/day is about my limit and then I have to step away and let it soak in. Time will tell whether or not I made a good decision but I've chosen to see it as "therapy" because if I didn't have something to focus on I'd probably being paying for therapy of a different sort, lol. Thanks for listening and everyone have a great day!

[he1957]

Welcome and hope you enjoy your new hobby. Just because software has a gazillion features doesn't mean you'll need or even want to use them so don't be intimidated by the complexity.

Start easy on simple stuff, make it more complex but exercise the brain to find new and other ways to do the same things more efficently. Waste (materials) happens but above all be carefull and don't get injured.

Enjoy!

[InMesh]

Ha yes there is a lot to find on here most problems large or small can or have been solved .They say if your not learning something new all the time then what's the point I'm about to put a small laser on my CNC .I also do instrument building hand engraving and machining of all types so I hope to live long enough to fit all this in.

[awerby]

Be really careful about enclosing that machine, if you're putting a laser on it. Even the low-power lasers used as pointers can blind you; I hate to think what a laser with the power to cut through plywood would do to your eye (or other body parts) if it found something to reflect off of. There's a reason purpose-built laser cutters are fully enclosed with laser-proof glass windows and interlocks to turn the things off when you open them.

[InMesh]

Definitely careful with a laser will work off the enclosed front of the machine so I can duct the fumes as well . I have seen some crazy video I can't believe the risks some people take with their eyes .

[bostosh]

I Time will tell whether or not I made a good decision but I've chosen to see it as "therapy" because if I didn't have something to focus on I'd probably being paying for therapy of a different sort, lol.

You made a good "therapy" decision, learning this will be fun for you,
is there an object to create in mind?
I have found if there is a physical goal (part) you will get it thru to completion.

All the answers and concepts and history are here on this forum.
I have been fascinated with CNC since beginning in 1968, even now after the career doing it.
Now i make parts for my projects instead of for those scary aircraft i will never get near.

Laser are no problem, engrave or cut? need a project?
Need a Cad system ?