Mag-Drill on Craig Andera https://www.craigandera.org/tags/mag-drill/ Recent content in Mag-Drill on Craig Andera Hugo en-us Sun, 01 Nov 2026 07:37:49 -0500 A Stand for the M3's Computer https://www.craigandera.org/log/m3-laptop-stand/ Thu, 15 Oct 2026 07:39:15 -0400 https://www.craigandera.org/log/m3-laptop-stand/ The laptop that runs my Gweike M3 laser kept wanting to fall off the edge of the machine, so I drilled a hole in the top and mounted a commercial stand to hold it. I love my M3, but it has been frustrating to have the computer just sitting on the edge of it. The computer is just wide enough that when you open the lid, the lid wants to knock it onto the floor. I knew I needed to make some space for the computer to hang out nearby.

My solution: install a keyboard stand attached directly to the machine. I drilled a hole and mounted a commercial stand. I used the Vevor mag drill again. The best place to do it went right through a warning sticker with some…creative…spelling.

The hole for the stand, drilled through the top of the machine.
The hole for the stand, drilled through the top of the machine.
The stand's post coming through the top of the machine, with its bracket underneath.
The stand's post coming through the top of the machine, with its bracket underneath.
The computer on the stand.
The computer on the stand.
Another view of the computer on the stand.
Another view of the computer on the stand.

I still need to find a way to extend it a little so there's room for a mouse, and there's some cable routing to do. But I'm already quite happy with it compared to the prior precarious arrangement.

]]> Weekend Shop and Maker Time https://www.craigandera.org/log/weekend-shop-and-maker-time/ Sun, 11 Oct 2026 15:00:00 -0400 https://www.craigandera.org/log/weekend-shop-and-maker-time/ A weekend of shop time: a plywood batten to light-proof the warped lid on my Gweike M3 laser, more plumbing and cleanup at Nova Labs, and compressed air for the Elite CNC. I got in a lot of shop and maker time this weekend. Most of it is on a project I can't talk about yet, but I thought I'd drop a few notes about some of the other things I got up to.

Laser Hacking

My Gweike M3 (the one I moved into the basement back in June) showed up with a pretty major defect: the polycarbonate lid is warped. Looking back at my pictures, it seems to have arrived that way.

Here it is in my driveway the day I got it. You can see the big hump at the back of the black bit on top.
Here it is in my driveway the day I got it. You can see the big hump at the back of the black bit on top.

The hump is big enough that if you just happened to be standing in exactly the wrong place, it is somewhat possible that a scattered reflection could escape and do damage. I have been wearing laser safety glasses when operating it, even with the lid closed, for that reason.

I did talk with Gweike support about it, and they asked if I thought it could be fixed. I said yes, because honestly, I do: it just needs something to block the light, and I figured putting a batten across the gap where the lid sits on the lid frame would work. They kindly sent me some consumables as compensation.

Of course it sat for a while. I have been chipping away at it. Unfortunately literally: I had the, as it turns out, dumb idea to just force it into submission with some bolts. The polycarb did not like that, and the first time I heard a little crack, I abandoned that idea.

Instead, I went back to the batten idea. I was going to use steel, but my experience with the polycarb made me super gun shy: I wanted something with more give. So: plywood. Cheap, I have a bunch of it, and soft.

It was also a chance to use my Vevor Mag Drill. I think this is the first time I've drilled holes with it, but the frame is steel, so it was a convenient way to make sure they were straight, since I had to get all the way through both sides of the box tube that makes up the frame.

The Vevor Mag Drill, used to drill straight holes through the steel frame.
The Vevor Mag Drill, used to drill straight holes through the steel frame.
Another view of the Vevor Mag Drill.
Another view of the Vevor Mag Drill.
After that, it was a simple matter of cutting a piece of plywood, painting it black, and bolting it in place.
After that, it was a simple matter of cutting a piece of plywood, painting it black, and bolting it in place.

A view of the inside. You can see where I used some epoxy putty to seal up a few errant holes. I really like that stuff. Easy to work with, dries really hard.

A view of the inside, with epoxy putty sealing a few errant holes.
A view of the inside, with epoxy putty sealing a few errant holes.
Even with all that work, you can see there's still a lot of waviness in the lid. Oh well - good enough.
Even with all that work, you can see there's still a lot of waviness in the lid. Oh well - good enough.

Next up on the laser will be finding some way to get a keyboard mounted to it.

More Nova Labs Reno Work

On Sunday I went in to help out more on the Nova Labs renovation. I continued to work on getting the sink installed.

Getting the sink installed at the Nova Labs renovation.
Getting the sink installed at the Nova Labs renovation.

There was also work happening to clean decades of filth off of the ceiling, lest it drift down all over the stuff we're going to move into that space.

Cleaning decades of filth off the ceiling.
Cleaning decades of filth off the ceiling.
Some volunteers also worked on getting more of the dryer ducting down from the ceiling. A bit tricky, but it went pretty well.
Some volunteers also worked on getting more of the dryer ducting down from the ceiling. A bit tricky, but it went pretty well.

More Elite CNC Upgrades

Didn't get pictures of this one, but we also worked on getting the Elite CNC set up with compressed air. We need something to cool the bit when we run aluminum, lest the bit clog up and break. Coolant is messy, but we've used compressed air with good success, so one of the other coaches tapped into the building's compressed air system and ran a line to the table. I'll try to remember to get a picture of it.

Busy weekend, obviously, but that's the sort of stuff I enjoy.

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