Certainly by the time the next project starts.
I am amazed of how many tools I end up getting out just because my grandson’s bike had a flat tire. I had an entire wrench set… Of course none were the correct size so I switched to adjustable wrenches, bike repair rack, air hose and chuck, various pry bars to remove tire (only to realize the tire tube came with two little plastic pry bars in the box), 2 chairs for both grands to sit and watch, cleaner and some rags.
2 years still have 4 gallons out of 5 left. I clean slats up every 4 to 6 moths. Its not that expensive for what it saves you.
I just got a Monport Gi60 in September, lasers are pretty fun to work with. I’d like to add a C02 laser this summer for glass/plastic/acrylic, the Monport is a fiber laser so it’s not really any good for those materials. Mostly I use mine for metal and slate coasters. The x/y gantry is cool because it gives you a larger work area, the Monport is a galvo with a 200mm lens so my work area is limited to basically 8"x8".
Huge tool nut myself, I’ve got tools I bought and never used yet and known to buy tools on a whim or to use for one particular job.
I mainly use the laser to label/mark stuff that I make here at the shop. Here’s an example “Technidyne 17T Aluminum Gear”
I developed my own process to be able to use a diode laser to engrave on any metal. It involves a paint-mask medium, laser, ultrasonic PCM current, electrolyte medium and brake cleaner.
This is the tiniest engraving i’ve done to date
Prototype of my Ultrasonic Electrolysis Generator (trying to bring this process to market). Also, this 29mm hard-chromed wrench was engraved with my process.
It looks good, very impressive to get an engraving into metal with a diode laser! Here is a video of some business cards I did for a buddy of mine for Christmas.
A little later in the video I put it under the microscope so you can see the lines it lays down, to the naked eye it seems like it’s burning solid lines but under the microscope you can see it’s actually pulsing a series of dots. Skip ahead to 9:30, it’s really interesting and surprised me. I did some challenge coins for the Marine Corps Birthday back in November but I haven’t put that video together yet. That was time consuming.
do you have a reference for this technique?
Been developing and streamlining this process for a couple years now. My business partner and myself are in the midst of negotiating to patent and/or sell the process, so I’m not in a position to go into specifics at this time, sorry. But as you can see, the results are pretty impressive. 
Good luck on this, getting a patent is time consuming and expensive. At least get the application in for your protection before you have public showing (this is critical). I have 3 patents, each one was a pain.
Oh yeah I learned that lesson the hard way. At the IRCHA Jamboree 2009 in Muncie, Indiana I gave out 3 beta test prototypes for a tool I developed for the RC Helicopter Hobby “The Cletus Wrench”, within 3 months while oue Florida based lawyers were still refining the wording for the claims, it was being offered on the hobby market by one of the recipients, who with some cosmetic changes stole the concept and was churning them out from China. We lost about US$6K in legal fees. Sometimes I wonder if a patent is worth it. Maybe better to just manufacture a shitload of the product in China, drop it on the market, laugh all the way to the bank, and move on to the next idea, rinse and repeat.
That really sucks!
I looked into a patent and at this point, with the “Free Trade Agreement” it means that you have to register/apply for a patent separately in all three countries (U.S., Canada and Mexico). As I understand it, the product can be freely imported to/from any of those countries without regard to patent infringements unless you have a patent in each of them. That certainly adds to the cost and effort.
I am illiterate/ignorant when it comes to legalese so I could have this all wrong.
The product that I was looking to market was a automatic door stop. The guy helping me with the project suggested bypassing the patent just like you said and go straight to China and flood the market. He wanted me to authorize him to contact his “people” in China and plan to order a minimum of 3,000 of them and plan to sell at fairs and online.
That’s okay except it’s just as likely that while your Chinese factory is making the thing to your specs, another factory will be making cheap knockoffs faster and sending them to market while you’re still going through the QC process 
You simply can’t win! 
“I have a similar story as yours, Cleatus. I purchased a zero-turn lawnmower, but I couldn’t mow my backyard hill as it continuously slid down the slope like a shopping cart. To fix this issue, I fabricated a motorcycle brake rotor onto one of the wheels and installed a master cylinder from a VW Dune buggy along with a small Willwood brake caliper. The modification worked flawlessly, but when the mower was recalled due to a hydraulic deck cylinder, I had to take it to the dealer to be fixed. A year later, I saw that the same mower company had added my brake caliper design to their mowers. The story’s moral is that some people are not as ethical as they should be.” They suck.https://photos.app.goo.gl/3KoA2Gb1XjXRFaq88
has anyone around here ever played with rhino? its starting to look like for design stuff and R/E it might be worth it as far as a buy one - cry once thing.
I haven’t. Have you looked at plasticity?
I used to lay my oven on its side to be able to hang stuff…
I’ll consider that next time, thanks.
Well 1 year later and still working on the Etsy dog. Getting closer to final paint. I still need to fill some pin holes and minor imperfections. I plan on painting it matt black so it needs to be almost perfect.
That looks really good. are you blocking it with a Stick or a DA?
