Had to choose between a laser cutter and a CNC router for my pedal enclosures

I was about $800 into my budget for DIY gear and had to pick one. Went with the laser cutter because I figured etching aluminum enclosures would be cleaner. First test run yesterday and it smoked up my whole garage so bad my neighbor thought I was burning trash. Looks cool though, just need a better exhaust setup. Has anyone rigged up a cheap ventilation system that actually works?

2 comments

2 Comments

rayc8924d ago

Oh man, you really went the opposite direction of what I would have done. I get why you picked the laser, but for pedal enclosures I feel like CNC is the better move long term. Yes, it's slower and you have to deal with tool changes, but you don't end up coating your entire workspace in burnt metal smell. I've used both and the CNC dust is way easier to manage than whatever toxic cloud a laser puts off, even with a cheap shop vac hooked up. You can throw together a box fan and a dryer vent hose for like 30 bucks, but honestly I'd still rather deal with aluminum shavings than that smoky residue. Hope your exhaust setup works out before the HOA starts sending you letters.

laura_white9924d agoMost Upvoted

My buddy Mark tried the laser route for pedal enclosures last year. He set it up in his garage, thought a box fan in the window would do the trick. Three weeks in, his neighbor's kid asked if he was burning tires back there. The smoke got into everything, his wife said the laundry smelled like a welding shop. He ended up spending more on a proper exhaust system than he would've on a basic CNC setup. Last I heard, he's looking at used milling machines on Craigslist.