Large Laser Cutter Vote
Sponsors
- Andrew Camardella
History
- Mailing List Announcement:
- Officially Proposed:
- To be Voted on:
Background
The Epilog laser is one of the most used machines at PS1. Occasional wait times and high usage rates suggest that a second laser would be a welcome addition to the CNC capabilites as PS1. The Epilog laser while accurate, suffers from:
- Low wattage - It's only 35 watts
- Small cutting area - 12"x24"
- High replacement cost - spare parts are expensive
This proposal seeks funding for a new laser cutting/engraving system to accomplish the following:
- bridge the gap between current cnc and laser capabilites at PS1
- improve throughput of laser jobs - less wait time from 2 machines and overall faster cutting
- more wattage - means being able to cut/engrave faster and through thicker materials
- larger cut area
Evanston Art Center has approached Pumping Station: One as a possible buyer for their Boss Ls-3655 100W (the machine at EAC is an older version of what it pictured on the website) pending approval from their board. This solution currently offers a good balance of economy and quality. Boss is based in Florida and has been very responsive to questions and assistance. I personally inspected the laser at EAC, it's less than a year old, has seen mild use over that time, and is in good condition.
An offer to purchase the laser for $6500 has been provided to EAC. The additional funds will be used to cover any costs associated with moving and setting up the machine at PS1. We would be responsible for picking the laser up and moving it.
Should the purchase from EAC not be succesful, other options for the laser include:
- FSLaser
- Boss
- Gwieke
- Universal
We will use fundraising to solicit donations towards the machine expenditures, and to cover any additional machine purchase costs. Example crowdfunding items considered for rewards can be found at: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Q36xlIE4CP1IkoupsClIS6KpbWwV2rTeweRk11R2isw/edit
Language
Authorize the Board of Directors to spend up to $7,500 on a laser cutter/engraver and accessories. Also authorize the CNC Area Host to start a fundraising campaign to purchase a service plans, upgrades and replacement parts, as part of the CNC budget. Authorization expires 6 months after the vote is accepted.