Inspired by PRV's switch panel

GrahamM376 said:
That one yes but if you click on the images at the bottom of the page, others such as this A4 size, come up

- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Desktop-L...28810860&tpos=unknow&ttype=price&talgo=origal
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That is interesting, particularly since it has a more powerful laser. I wonder how well it works on Rowmark (the material used for my panels, whose name I couldn't remember earlier :) ) - for panels it would need to cut the holes as well as just engrave. I would also have doubts about its accuracy/resolution, but the samples they show look better than I would have expected.

I'm unlikely to need many more panels for Ariam (I have one more waiting to send at the moment, a sign advertising the location of a tucked-away fire extinguisher), but if I was starting out now then I'd be seriously considering machines like this.

Pete
 
Laser cutters are one of those things you have to be careful with when buying low end. I love an internet based bargain but watch out for software compatibility issues and after sales support.

The A&A suggestion is of interest to me.
http://www.aa.net.uk/printing-engraving.html
They recommend Inkscape which is free open source software. Not used it yet. Have sent a price enquiry.
 
stu9000 said:
The A&A suggestion is of interest to me.
http://www.aa.net.uk/printing-engraving.html
They recommend Inkscape which is free open source software. Not used it yet.
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They will also accept other formats - I do my layouts in Omnigraffle and export to PostScript.

They also try very hard to make things work. For some reason the red in my postscript files wasn't the right red for their machine (red means cut, black means engrave; I had used the proper RGB colour values in Omnigraffle but the machine didn't recognise it), and after a bit of back-and-forth trying to fix the files, they instead modified the open-source printer driver so that it accepts "Pete red" as well as the original red. Anyone else would have said "sorry, your files are no good, you'll have to re-draw it in our recommended software."

Pete
 
They give the pricing as "£1 + vat per minute". How does one of your panels 'translate' as minutes, 10, 20, 30...90 minutes?
An example from one of your panels would give an idea of what cost to expect. (If you don't mind telling us, of course)
 
This is one of those pieces of equipment that we would all like but can't justify for only one job. How about a forum cooperative that buys things like this between us and uses it when required. Maybe an expert with one of these would be happy to keep and look after it and churn out the labels for members as required while having full time use themselves. Also producing items for other forum members at cost price plus a bit to cover running costs. Just a thought!
 
PuffTheMagicDragon said:
They give the pricing as "£1 + vat per minute". How does one of your panels 'translate' as minutes, 10, 20, 30...90 minutes?
An example from one of your panels would give an idea of what cost to expect. (If you don't mind telling us, of course)
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No objection, but to answer the question properly is not trivial because the emailed bills don't have any way of identifying which particular panel they relate to, plus most of them were done in batches so I'd need to work out which panels went together to make up a particular bill. But for a rough idea, the galley light switch (which was done on its own fairly recently) was £8.13 all-in, and from memory I think Kindred Spirit's large panel (full width of the companionway, containing all the electrics, a replacement engine panel, bilge pump control, drawer for fuses, and a little picture of the boat) was £47 for the laser plus the materials, vat, and delivery, four or five years ago.

Their software can calculate the predicted time from your file, and they'll give a free quote before actually doing the cut, if you ask.

Pete
 
PCUK said:
This is one of those pieces of equipment that we would all like but can't justify for only one job. How about a forum cooperative that buys things like this between us and uses it when required. Maybe an expert with one of these would be happy to keep and look after it and churn out the labels for members as required while having full time use themselves. Also producing items for other forum members at cost price plus a bit to cover running costs. Just a thought!
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The trouble is, as soon as it's not in your own workshop and you're dealing with post and turnaround time and not being able to fiddle about in person, you've lost all the benefits of "owning" the machine and might as well go to a commercial operator. The reason that ownership is tempting is nothing to do with saving money, and it's not addressed by that kind of scheme. Unless you are the custodian, in which case you've also just picked up an unpaid part-time job and an unknown amount of potential hassle.

Pete
 
prv said:
The trouble is, as soon as it's not in your own workshop and you're dealing with post and turnaround time and not being able to fiddle about in person, you've lost all the benefits of "owning" the machine and might as well go to a commercial operator. The reason that ownership is tempting is nothing to do with saving money, and it's not addressed by that kind of scheme. Unless you are the custodian, in which case you've also just picked up an unpaid part-time job and an unknown amount of potential hassle.

Pete
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Yes, a bit like having a Sailrite sewing machine on board, people want "just a small job" doing but aren't willing to pay for one's time. Friends of course are different as it's F.O.C.
 
GrahamM376 said:
Yes, a bit like having a Sailrite sewing machine on board
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Only a bit like, as in that case you have a perfect right to tell them to push off, or name a price. But in PCUK's scheme, the quid pro quo for holding the machine is an obligation that you do the other members' jobs on request. And in a reasonable timeframe. And wrap them up. And take them to the post office. And do it again when it turns out not as they expected. And keep the consumables in stock, and account for the cost of them and the postage, and accept the payments for same. And fix the machine if it breaks. And provide the space and power for the machine. And in general be responsible for the scheme as a whole.

No way I'd volunteer to be that person. And I've already explained why I wouldn't want to be an ordinary member.

I shall be maintaining my excellent relationship with A&A as long as they continue to offer the service :)

Pete
 
Only a bit like, as in that case you have a perfect right to tell them to push off, or name a price. But in PCUK's scheme, the quid pro quo for holding the machine is an obligation that you do the other members' jobs on request. And in a reasonable timeframe. And wrap them up. And take them to the post office. And do it again when it turns out not as they expected. And keep the consumables in stock, and account for the cost of them and the postage, and accept the payments for same. And fix the machine if it breaks. And provide the space and power for the machine. And in general be responsible for the scheme as a whole.


That's about what I had in mind!
 
prv said:
No objection, but to answer the question properly is not trivial because the emailed bills don't have any way of identifying which particular panel they relate to, plus most of them were done in batches so I'd need to work out which panels went together to make up a particular bill. But for a rough idea, the galley light switch (which was done on its own fairly recently) was £8.13 all-in, and from memory I think Kindred Spirit's large panel (full width of the companionway, containing all the electrics, a replacement engine panel, bilge pump control, drawer for fuses, and a little picture of the boat) was £47 for the laser plus the materials, vat, and delivery, four or five years ago.

Their software can calculate the predicted time from your file, and they'll give a free quote before actually doing the cut, if you ask.

Pete
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Thank you, PRV, that is useful to know. Having proper panels is something that I wish for when I get round to do the rewiring. What I have now is what came out of the Wauquiez factory in 1973 plus undocumented additions by the previous owner. :(
 
PCUK said:
Maybe an expert with one of these would be happy to keep and look after it and churn out the labels for members as required while having full time use themselves. Also producing items for other forum members at cost price plus a bit to cover running costs. Just a thought!
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I've been thinking of getting a small CNC machine for a while, they can also cut similar panels; Rowmark make a substrate for this type. I'd be happy to make stuff for other members at "cost price plus a bit".
 
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