Converting K8400 into a laser cutter / engraver?

Print quality on my K8400 is getting pretty crap, too much hassle to try and fix it. Besides, far better printers out there now (Prusa i3 MK2 here I come!).

So, what can I do with a K8400 with one flaky hot end that is barely worth selling?

What about converting it to be a laser cutter? There are several kits, starting with the Endurance L-Cheapo for under $200 to the J-Tech kits costing near double that.

Anyone had a go at this? I saw one guy who’d converted a K8200, so I guess it’s pretty similar. Be interested to hear from the electronics experts on here on any pitfalls - guess the weird 15V PS is one factor. But not such a big one, right? :wink:

Hey,

there is a Mod guide how to convert a CoreXY to a laser engraver. This may work for the Vertex as well, at least for the software tweaks that will be nessasary.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1091671

Let me know if you find a good solution :slight_smile:

Cheers for that. Yes, sadly the K4800 just is too flimsy and unreliable to keep using to print with, plus there’s so many better printers out there now so a conversion seems the only way I can recoup some of that cost as I doubt I can sell the K4800 for more than a sixth of the price I paid for it.

But even the laser conversion kits still leave you with a lot of trial and error for software, etc. Just all takes so much time that I don’t have.

Sigh. Looks like it’s not an option to keep and I’ll just have to take a hit on it. :frowning:

i would happily take any old K8400 off your hands :slight_smile: