Hi!

I’ve daydreamed about getting a cutter plotter without actually planning on really getting one. Too expensive and shelfspace-consuming for something that I’m not going to actually use that often.

Then I remembered that I could “just” mount a dragknife on my Ender-3 pro to do the job (maybe get one of these fancy quick-toolhead-changing systems as an excuse to tinker with CANbus, or something ;).

After a bit of online search, I found that I’m hardly not the first one with that idea. I’ve found a few videos, posts on reddit and files on thingiverse/printables, but nothing too in-depth. So I wanted to ask y’all if you know any resources to check out on this. Some github-pages style homepage of someone would be ideal, but I’m not too hopeful that there’s something out there if I haven’t found it yet.

Things I think I’ve found out:

  • Roland Cutting Plotter Vinyl Cutters are apparently the way to go. With 45° for vinyl.
  • I can use gcodetools to create gcode from svgs. The exact details aren’t clear to me, though. Probably gonna have to create a klipper macro for this.
  • I can simply attach a cutter to my toolhead, or use something like the BTT hermit crab for a more fancy approach

Things I’m still not sure how to do:

  • If I’m using a BL-Touch - how should I handle z-homing? Can Klipper use BL-Touch for z-homing with an endstop-failsafe? Should I just monitor the print by hand?
  • Is there a comprehensive guide on the materials?

Do you have any experience on that topic?

  • dmention7@lemm.eeEnglish
    3·
    1 day ago

    Since you mention the Ender 3, mine came bundled with a laser cutter attachment. I have never actually gotten around to using it, so I can’t offer much other than to say that such an official accessory does exist and might be less of a hassle than some of the DIY options you are considering.

    • Prunebutt@slrpnk.netOPEnglish
      2·
      22 hours ago

      Idk, a dragknife seems like less of a hazzle than a laser, but what do I know? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

      Might not be worth sacrificing my only working 3D printer for a project I don’t know I will (be able to) follow, amiright?

      • dmention7@lemm.eeEnglish
        2·
        21 hours ago

        True… but i mean lasers are cooler by virtue of being lasers. 😁

        Personally, I’d be worried about subjecting the printer to the lateral forces and torques a knife would put on a printer that was never designed to contact the workpiece, if you ever wanted to use it for FDM printing again. But maybe that would be a good project for a printer that was already beat up a bit.

        • Prunebutt@slrpnk.netOPEnglish
          2·
          21 hours ago

          Alright. After I’ve built my Voron, then. ;)

          Tap for spoiler

          I’ll get back to you in 2036. /j