Like I said a laser looks like it would be a ,great tool for a hobbyists but at $7000 and up the epilog is way out of my price range.  And pretty much most folks in this hobby.  Even $1500 to $3000 is more than most can afford.    If you can afford 3 4 or 7 grand for a laser more power to you, but most folks are going to have to live with a less expensive laser if the want one.

-Doug

Ok so what is the problem with inexpensive lasers?  I was thinking about this because lasers seam to come in different price ranges.  

$300-600 for those on eBay and from overseas.

$1100-1500 these appear to often be variations at least in looks of the less expensive lasers but usually from a company located in America.  Micromark would be a good example.  Often times sold by a company that sells various hobby related items not just lasers

$2000-3000. Also usually an American company.  Often sold as a hobby class of laser by companies that are either just into lasers or that sell other higher end hobbyists tools.

$5000-7000+  Usually sold by companies that sell just lasers.  Often at multiple price points as their lowest level hobby or entity level unit.

So what are you getting for your money?

Is it ease of use?  Cutting power/speed. Accuracy of cut, repeatability of cut, dependability/life span or what.  Because if it is lifespan it would have to be radical.  As you can easily spend 5 to 20 times the cheapest models cost on the higher end units.

-Doug M

Have made printed interiors  for all the shops and windows and curtains for all the residences above

next are the signs and some interior detail close to the windows and paving and fence between the building and track

This building is part of the underground section of the station facing out to the small station and harbor on the lower level

The grey area in the second photo is the harbor wharf

Started on the first scenery for the new layout, this small old town will be just below the main station and next to the beach and harbor

Buildings are from previous layouts, the green wooden building is scratch built from veneer similar to one on the Franklin and South Manchester.

The old hotel and drug store were built by Alick Horn, a master modeler from South Africa

There are more out there with lasers.  I have had a VersaLaser for over 10 years now.

Mostly to do my own work.  Photos of a scratch built laser cut box car.  Based on a photo from the Library of Congress and ORER dimensions from 1905.work.

As I have said before, I have never worked with acrylic. I have a few questions If you would be so kind.

1. What thickness is the acrylic material?

2. How do you achieve the layered look.? Are you rastering / etching the material? or cutting various layers and gluing them together?

BTW Your 700 mm X 500 mm (27.5" X 19.6") is a great buy.

Again these are only MY thoughts:

First - And foremost I agree with Doug in that the high cost of a really good Laser is beyond most of our means. I do think that if you are good with pretty much any Cad program that will put out the right format to work with a Laser you can find a person/company that if you supply them with a readable disc. they can cut your design for a cost. So there is really no need to spend the money on a tool that really wouldn't get used that much. Maybe splitting the cost with a bunch of friends would be a good way to go. Doug if you want to see one in action in our area go over to I think it is either "Rockler" or "WoodCraft Supply" (check there web sites) in Novi ask for Scott and he could give you a demo. Call first to make sure he is there.

Second: Do to the limitations (materials and sizes of the materials) of most of the Laser cutters that I have checked into, I personally would rather put my money into a CNC Router. If you go on the web you can find MANY DIY and or already built CNC machines for a very reasonable cost. If I had the money and the justification to spend a bunch of money I think that I would go the CNC route. I don't see many if any posts on MRH site about cutting out parts for building scale models. From what little I have read I think that a CNC machines would do the trick very nicely and you still would have to have the CAD software that would export the proper file format for it to work just like a Laser.

Just saying and these are my own thoughts.

Richard

This is a 1X T-Trak "bridge" module used to fill a gap if the number of modules do not come out even. Made of laser cut 1/8" basswood with a 1/32" fascia frontage. The logo was laser etched after the fascia was painted.

Above = under construction (no fascia)    Below = Completed module

Hi Rich

The first building in this post is acrylic

I used 2mm for this

the blue main station is 3mm

The green shop fronts are 2mm Matt board - used by framers to make boarders around photos

All the work so far is made of layers glued together

I will post some construction shots after work tomorrow

Nice bridge Rich

Good idea doing the logo after painting