Guys with the lp1 laser?

[Sam Fleisher]

Mines supposed to be on it's way and I was wondering if anyone had any pictures of their setup mounted on the lathe?

I found one where it is a 1 inch dowel mounted in the banjo with a piece of wood mounted horizontally across the top with a series of holes I guess in case you want to move it out for larger bowls for burning on the outside.

I'll probably do initial playing ummm testing on the workbench but I thought I might try some patterns eventually on the sides of a bowl or hollow form. (if I ever get those figured out)

Thanks

 

[Brian Gustin]

I found one where it is a 1 inch dowel mounted in the banjo with a piece of wood mounted horizontally across the top with a series of holes I guess in case you want to move it out for larger bowls for burning on the outside.

You probably found my post on my setup - the series of holes was sort of a brain fart on my part - I'd considered making it so I could reposition the LP1 but then I said to myself (and I knew it was me because I was still wearing my beard..) "Why? - if I need to move it anywhere at all, I can just reposition the whole banjo, silly!" But yeah it was pretty much just easily made out of scraps of spindle blanks or what have you , so simple and awesomely useful. As for doing engraving on flatwork, it can be a bit finicky to set the 200mm distance with the provided tripod , but also doable. (I also have a cheapo 80x80mm engraver that only does flatwork engraving... ) beauty of the LP1 is it can be used just about anywhere that you can hook up a USB-C charger and cable and works off your phone app.. But that can also be its downside as it does limit ability to customize ... and the LP's user manuals leave a lot to be desired, but *for me* I found it simple enough to do what I want it to do.

 

[Sam Fleisher]

From what I find the thread is 1/4 - 20? Is the tripod adjustment ball able to be used separately or do I need to find a ball head mount somewhere?

 

[Rick Moreton]

The thread is 1/4-20. I can't stand trying to use the tripod anymore. For using mine, I made a quick and dirty "L" shaped stand from scrap wood and ply and drilled holes every inch so I can roughly adjust up and down and secure it with a thumb screw. I have plenty of scrap wood to fine adjust the height of either the stand or the piece I'm engraving.

 

[Brian Gustin]

From what I find the thread is 1/4 - 20? Is the tripod adjustment ball able to be used separately or do I need to find a ball head mount somewhere?

Yep 1/4-20 thread, surprisingly enough... You'd think typical of these imports they'd be using metric thread like everything else seems to.... You don't need a ball head mount if you can fashion your "tool post" so that the LP1 sits steady , and then the post that fits in banjo slides up and down (and swings around) so you can pretty much adjust the LP1 to point just about anywhere needed on lathe .....

 

[Phil Hamel]

Same here. Flat board screwed to a tool post gives me lots of adjustment.

 

[Dave Hulett]

I have two setups one for use on the lathe, one off. I use the off lathe setup most often, on the lathe only for signature when the work is too small for my pyrography pen.

two items found on amazon for this banjo mounted holder
Buspoll Standard Adapter 1/4” and 3/8” Swivel Mini Ball Head
1/4 Inch and 3/8 Inch Converter Threaded Screws Adapter Mount Set for Camera/Tripod/Monopod/Ballhead, 21 Pieces


off lathe... found this stand on amazon several years ago. but couldn't locate the link to it. but you get the idea. desktop fan that I already had with a 12x12" filter to collect the smoke

 

[Pat Cogdal]

This is how I sign my bowls and turnings on the lathe currently. But that banjo set up might make me reconsider my current approach

 

[Joel Daniels]

I've been using the supplied tripod that came with the LP1. I never have had any issues with it. They also supply a 200mm wooden ruler that makes it easy to set the distance properly. For larger items - use lots of wood blocks to increase the height to get to the 200mm.

But, I've always liked @Brian Gustin banjo setup. At first, I thought of making an MT2 mount for the tailstock, but the banjo is so much better. I might have to give it a go.

 

[Sam Fleisher]

@davehulett

I like the look of both your set ups. I might even go a step further and just mount on top of a tool post.

I picked up some threaded inserts and some all thread studs at the store earlier.

Problem I ran into earlier was centering on the bowl. Wish I had a 3d printer to make an apparatus that could use to set the distance and set the center point of where the laser burns.

 

[Wally Crawford]

Dave- Your third picture, the one with the fan in it. I love that holder and think it might work well for my use. Any idea where I might find one.

 

[Rick Moreton]

@davehulett

I like the look of both your set ups. I might even go a step further and just mount on top of a tool post.

I picked up some threaded inserts and some all thread studs at the store earlier.

Problem I ran into earlier was centering on the bowl. Wish I had a 3d printer to make an apparatus that could use to set the distance and set the center point of where the laser burns.

For alignment, what about one of those acrylic center finder jigs with the bullseye mark? I tend to set the engraving area to the rough width of the foot and check the preview square looks right, then after locking it down go back and modify the size to what I want.

 

[Sam Fleisher]

For alignment, what about one of those acrylic center finder jigs with the bullseye mark? I tend to set the engraving area to the rough width of the foot and check the preview square looks right, then after locking it down go back and modify the size to what I want.

Wouldn't there have to. Be Some way to hold the alignment circle in place relative to the laser? To get the 200mm distance and to have both surfaces in the same plane?

 

[Darryl Fective]

I'm using a magnetic machinist's base for mine. It's usually stuck on my tablesaw for signing pieces, but I've attached it to my lathe a few times for some indexed burns. You can set it up to burn, then set number of passes to 100, then pause it when it starts to repeat where it started.

 

[Sam Fleisher]

Here's a question--

Before I start building something tomorrow, when you do burn something does it come from the center of the mirror? or is it angled? I was wondering if I set the center of the mirrored surface to the center of a bowl bottom would that be the center of the logo or the top edge of the burn area?

Just trying to save myself some time running tests. I'd like my logos in the center of the bottom.

 

[Darryl Fective]

Here's a question--

Before I start building something tomorrow, when you do burn something does it come from the center of the mirror? or is it angled? I was wondering if I set the center of the mirrored surface to the center of a bowl bottom would that be the center of the logo or the top edge of the burn area?

Just trying to save myself some time running tests. I'd like my logos in the center of the bottom.

Pretty sure it's center.

 

[Brian Gustin]

Here's a question--

Before I start building something tomorrow, when you do burn something does it come from the center of the mirror? or is it angled? I was wondering if I set the center of the mirrored surface to the center of a bowl bottom would that be the center of the logo or the top edge of the burn area?

Just trying to save myself some time running tests. I'd like my logos in the center of the bottom.

comes from center of mirrored area. beam head I believe is on a rotating axis so it can swivel kind of like a security camera so they don't need a x-y (or z) mechanism When you turn on preview (sometimes have to switch between it and "show center point" for the light to show up) it draws a square over the area where burning will happen so you'd center that preview square over where you want your logo centered - the square also represents the size "boundary" for the scaled size of your image so if it overlaps where you don't want it you can "tweak" the size down before burning..

 

[Pat Wisniewski]

Two setups: one for on the lathe, with a drilled hole in a flat tool rest to mount it. Second, an articulated arm for use off of the lathe.

 

[Sam Fleisher]

I saw the previews in some of the you tube videos. Haven't found it yet in my limited use so far.

Update, I can't find a preview or centering in the software. Do you guys have the next model up or something?

When I initially downloaded the app I got a message that the version wouldn't run with my version of Android which I guess is the latest. I switched to an older phone and it did download but I didn't have the laser yet.

When the laser came I went ahead and installed the app on my current phone but there isn't anywhere I finde to project a centering dot or have it display a box outline of the cutting area. I'm going to try using my older phone now to see if that will open up those options.

 

[Sam Fleisher]

another update

Switched to an older phone and I get the outline of cutting area and a centering dot....that's a game changer. made me a whole lot happier with it.

It must have knocked something loose so to speak software wise because I switched back to my newer phone and was able to get center dot with it now. So all I have to worry about is the 200mm distance. much easier.

 

[Darryl Fective]

It's a cool little setup for signing stuff and a reasonable price. That said, the software is a clunky, poorly done interface. One of the updates changed my buttons to the point that there is minimal contrast. I can't really read them, but I've used it enough to know what they are. Also, when I'm in the preview mode and click the show center point, it shifts the whole square so that one of the corners is at the center.

 

[Mike Novak]

Minimal contrast seems to be a trend lately with software developers. I find it really annoying. Freecad just went to a low contrast UI, and the GPS on my wife’s new Hyundai is low contrast.

 

[Rick Moreton]

another update

Switched to an older phone and I get the outline of cutting area and a centering dot....that's a game changer. made me a whole lot happier with it.

It must have knocked something loose so to speak software wise because I switched back to my newer phone and was able to get center dot with it now. So all I have to worry about is the 200mm distance. much easier.

Glad it is working better. I probably need a firmware update cause when I select show center point I get the box shifted with a corner at center instead of a dot. Have fun playing with it! Don't shoot your eye out.