# Specific 3D Printers, Scanners, & Hardware > RepRap Format Printer Forum > Firmware Enhancements to Marlin >  running a "skycam" laser cutter from anet a8 board and parts

## connormerrick

can anybody program me some files that can operate 4 or 3 stepper motors with a reel of string to suspend a laser cutter over a virtual print bed (AKA my garage floor)
I need it to be compatible with the anet v 1.0 board and use the ports : X Y Z and  if there is four wires then use extruder, stepper motors.
the laser will get its power from the fan port (either fan port 1 or 2 ( whichever gives out more power) ) and the fan port will turn on and off when it needs to

the laser that is suspended by wire is basically like a delta printer but i need to tell the anet board to think its a delta printer because its actualy not.

the setup looks kind of like this except without a camera on it, plus its not wireless because i just found this picture on the web. and also the system could have four wires instead of 3 because 4 is more stable but 3 would be fine if its easier to do.

Attachment 12892

the laser I have is only 2 w so its not very powerful for cutting thick things but all im cutting is foamboard for rc planes because I crash all the time  :Frown:   and if it takes time to cut foamboard with the laser then I just set the G code to a slower setting.

the frame im building for the cutter looks like this

Attachment 12893Attachment 12893

from the lowest point I want the center platform to be. to the center of the spool of string is 350 mm if that helps
from each stepper motor it is 1500mm apart unless it is just 3 stepper motors then use a triangle shape of 2000mm x 2000mm x 2000mm

the base plate is centered at home in the middle of the square / triangle
the string will be attatched to the 200 x 200mm square or 300 x 300 x 300mm triangle plate at the very edge

the laser is in the center of the plate

also I do not want to use endstops for each stepper motor

the stepper motors are the stock motors that come with the anet a8 printer just to help out

the spools of string are basicaly the ones you use for thread on a sewing machine so the diameter is about 1/4 inch so thats about 20 mm of thread per revolution

also I dont care what direction the stepper motors turn because I can manually adjust the direction that the stepper motor turns by switching 2 wires or I can wrap the string the other way

to give you a better idea of what the machine looks like, check this out at my local science centre at my city.





If anyone can give me a download like for firmware like marlin or whatever with all the ports and settings already configured then please help me since I need to finish this machine by tonight for a convention tomorrow.

I have no coding experience that is good enough to do by myself.

I will give you all credit for helping me out.

and if I win top prize then I will send via paypal 50% of the winnings. thats over $1250

please try to help asap

Im tight on time and I dont have much money so I cant pay you guys to help me unless i win
but if i win you get paid.

thanks 

- Connor M

----------


## curious aardvark

I think this is a case of too little, too late.
_
'please write me a custom firmware for an unknown motherboard, by the way I need it tomorrow.'_

The board should have some form of idnetification printed on it - that would be somewhere to start. 
Not all anet a8 kits will come with the same boards, the machine has been around for a while and no doubt the manufacturers have found and changed to cheaper parts and suppliers a number of times. 

Also you need to power the laser from the extruder connector - NOT the fan connector. gcode for switching the extruder on and off during movement is already incorporated into the firmware. 
Fan on and off is usually layer specific.

This is a complicated and long term project. Not something to rattle off in a few hours and expect it to actually work.

----------

