What material are you using to make custom laser cut kit boxes?

[rcx132]

Hello.

I've made a prototype box from plywood to hold the main battery mega-fuse and current sensor (shunt) for the driver's ammeter gauge. I've made some other boxes from acrylic but the stuff is brittle and probably not safe enough for high currents.

What materials are you using ?

I've got another box to make and I was thinking Acetal / Delrin. It needs special glue though.

 

[Kram]

ABS is likely the easiest to work with although wont have the highest temperature resistance. Sheet can be glued easily with ABS slurry (disolve scraps in acetone). Reinforce if needed with glass fibre mat and slurry.

I'd suggest nylon being the best choice. Its tough and most tools are made from it. Ideally injection moulded for something like this l, but thats beyond most DIY. Any hot process needs pricise temperature control - too hot and it becomes very brittle.

That leaves 3d printing.. nylon or abs..

Delrin I wouldnt try to glue, either use mechanical fixings or mill it from a solid peice.

 

[Newlands]

ABS produces hydrogen cyanide when laser cut, And it melts easily. Delrin is a bit better but the fumes are very stinky. It also catches fire fairly easily, so your settings have to be conservative, ie less power and more passes. Personally, I avoid cutting anything plastic other than acrylic.
Maybe 3d printing with a reinforced filament would be a better way to go??

 

[rcx132]

ABS produces hydrogen cyanide when laser cut, And it melts easily. Delrin is a bit better but the fumes are very stinky. It also catches fire fairly easily, so your settings have to be conservative, ie less power and more passes. Personally, I avoid cutting anything plastic other than acrylic.
Maybe 3d printing with a reinforced filament would be a better way to go??

I've cut Delrin many times to make 2D items, not tried any boxes yet due to cost of special glue. The K40 cutter is boxed and the extractor takes the gas straight outside. Are you using an open laser cutter ?

Cutting Delrin does leave a burn mark, I'll take your tip and try lower power and more passes.

 

[Newlands]

It sounds like you have way more experience using Delrin than me - I've used it a couple of times to make simple things like penny washers, but no more than that. I do have a proper extraction system, but still notice the smell, also the white delrin I used turned yellow along the cuts (not that it mattered much for what I was doing).