New to me Laser Engraver
- Thread starter mbatarga
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Old tool guy
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Did you burn the screw holes through, or just mark them?
nadogail
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May you enjoy Good Health and your new Laser Engraver for many Happy Years.
I've got a 45W O2 laser (Glowforge Pro) that a relative purchased for a business and was no longer using. It wouldn't be a first choice in terms of brand, but the price was too good to pass up - and I'm considering this a learning process with the technology.
I've got a few other pics showing some items I've made and another of the labels when I was testing out the dimensions and engraving/cutting parameters.
Old tool guy - The holes for the screws were premade as "cuts" on the labels rather than just having the location engraved.
The rectangular box was made with a utility available that accepts dimensions for whatever size wanted and prints out the sides and bottom. The heart shape works the same way - but the final product below is fully enclosed as their is no "lid" - the concave portion of the box sides that meet at 90° requires to be glued together to form the shape.
The third pic are sample prints on the Glowforge web site. I tried the template print using some acrylic I had and it worked first try. The paper cube is just stock paper. The printer actually "scores" the paper surface which creates a perfect crease for the folded corners.
I've got a few other pics showing some items I've made and another of the labels when I was testing out the dimensions and engraving/cutting parameters.
Old tool guy - The holes for the screws were premade as "cuts" on the labels rather than just having the location engraved.
The rectangular box was made with a utility available that accepts dimensions for whatever size wanted and prints out the sides and bottom. The heart shape works the same way - but the final product below is fully enclosed as their is no "lid" - the concave portion of the box sides that meet at 90° requires to be glued together to form the shape.
The third pic are sample prints on the Glowforge web site. I tried the template print using some acrylic I had and it worked first try. The paper cube is just stock paper. The printer actually "scores" the paper surface which creates a perfect crease for the folded corners.
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I played around a little bit and made a few pen/pencil holders (using a box template site) as simple gifts.
The MRR initial box goes to the spouse of a friend and the GMM initial box has been given to my son. The reverse side of my son's gift is the company logo for where he works. I cut/pasted it off their web site and then pulled it in to an edit program to make some changes to it.
I didn't take a picture of that side though
The MRR initial box goes to the spouse of a friend and the GMM initial box has been given to my son. The reverse side of my son's gift is the company logo for where he works. I cut/pasted it off their web site and then pulled it in to an edit program to make some changes to it.
I didn't take a picture of that side though
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gahrajmahal
Well-known member
Mbatarga, that is some really nice work! I really like the paper box. That’s some accuracy there. Where are you sourcing your thin plywood? What other consumable does the process require?
Sorry - didn't know of the request on the plywood source. Bought two different sizes from Amazon vendors so far. It is listed as 3mm plywood. I've bought 2 sizes so far - from different vendors. Rather pleased with both products. The larger size is individually wrapped while the smaller size was not. I know it's important to keep them at constant moisture if possible - and also keeping them flat. I have stored them in plastic bins for that reason.
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This is my latest project - a plaque for an event coming up at the of this month. Hosted by a friend - it's a weekend of ***** shooting, long distance rifle shooting (+900 yards!), pistol shooting, lots of eating, card playing, drinking (only after gun events are held) and also guitar playing. I'll cut a picture frame for mounting it and I'll have everyone in attendance (about 30 guys) sign it first. The engraving came out great - darker image sections and the lighter image sections actually make this a 3d image!
Four of the pen/pencil holders will go to the top two finishing clay shooting pairs and the fifth will be for the host's office desk.
Four of the pen/pencil holders will go to the top two finishing clay shooting pairs and the fifth will be for the host's office desk.
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One of the guys at the gathering mentioned above called and asked me to make something for him to gift his wife for their 41st Anniversary. I was able to browse Etsy and paid ~$3 for a file design I thought would work. It took me two tries to get everything to work but the baltic plywood is only about a $1.50 a sheet for the 12"x12" size I used. I stained another sheet of the plywood dark walnut and glued the engraving/cutout onto it and then routed frame pieces from maple to complete the assembly. He paid me double what I gave him as a price - which was just based on my direct costs and the gas to meet him for delivery.
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Old tool guy
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Nice
BTL-A4
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Nice work! Will it work on metal?
BTL-A4
Well-known member
I'll answer my own question:
A 45W CO2 Glowforge Pro cannot cut or engrave bare metal because its laser wavelength is reflected by metal surfaces. It can only mark metal by using specialized coatings (like Cermark) or by engraving anodized aluminum, where the laser removes the colored coating rather than the metal itself.
A 45W CO2 Glowforge Pro cannot cut or engrave bare metal because its laser wavelength is reflected by metal surfaces. It can only mark metal by using specialized coatings (like Cermark) or by engraving anodized aluminum, where the laser removes the colored coating rather than the metal itself.