These past two weeks I spent with Callum learning how to use the laser-cutter to its fullest capabilities!

Deciding the level:

Since I have already had experience with laser cutting before from ENGI 120, I decided to go with the intermediate level of this project.

Raster etching:

Callum and I decided to begin our laser-cutting project right after we completed our training session, as this way we’d be able to use the same scrap wood we had used during the training, and use the laser-cutter while the memory was fresh in our minds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I first chose to perform raster etching, as I always wanted to learn how to engrave with the laser cutter.

I chose this black and white King Dedede image as it had a clear outline, and had simple shading. I converted the image to Illustrator, and with Callum’s help, we created an outline of him in the program by using Illustrator’s image trace, and deleting the lines we did not want cut.

Then came the cutting! It went very badly at first. Since the scrap wood I used was so thick (6 mm…), I needed the speed to be incredibly low to cut through the wood.  However, this would burn the wood, which was especially noticeable with the raster etching.

So, I decided to use masking tape after etching to avoid burning the wood. However, I didn’t know how to do this, so what I tried doing was first etch the pattern only as one print job. After the etching would be done, I would cover King Dedede up in masking tape, refocus the laser, then create a new print job with just the cutting job placed at the same location.

This…did not work at all. But I was stubborn and tried it a total of 3 times, until Callum recommended that I simply pause the print job, and use masking tape after the etching was complete.

This worked great! I tried it once, but messed up the timing of the pause, so the first attempt ended a bit burnt in some areas. The same thing happened a second time, so I tried again. The third time I accidentally restarted the job instead of pausing, which broke my heart. 🙁 Finally, I tried once more for the fourth time, and managed to get a great sample!

I then practiced how to place etching of the settings I used on the back on a messed up piece. After a couple of tries, I managed to find the perfect location! Yippee!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I do wish I increased the power of the laser or decreased the speed of the etching so that the shading of the image was darker and more noticeable, but ultimately I am happy with my results! He is so cute! 🙂

1D HINGE PRINT:

I then decided to laser cut the 1D Hinge as I noticed the sample in the OEDK laser cutting room was broken :(.

For the first printed hinge, I realized that I had engraved the incorrect settings that I used. The second time I printed, for some reason the text ran off the sample, which I chalk up to me accidentally shifting the text’s location without realizing.

The third printed hinge, I decided to use the same masking tape trick I had used in the King Dedede etching, but soon came to the realization that it was a horrible idea to implement on this print. Since the cuts were so close to each other for the hinge, the masking tape was incredibly difficult to take off, and left a very sticky residue. I tried using an X-Acto blade to remove the tape’s bits but it still left a sticky residue that I couldn’t get rid of. In addition, I found the engraved text to be a bit too light and difficult to read.

Because of this, for my final printed hinge, I opted to decrease the speed and increase the power of the engraving settings, and did not use masking tape to prevent burning. As a result, this piece unfortunately did end up a bit “crispy” but at the very least it wasn’t sticky.

I think next time, I will try the masking tape once more, but only on the edges of the cutting, so I avoid the sticky feeling while keeping the edges intact. Either that, or try lightly sanding the surface of the wood to see if that removes any of the adhesive.

cost estimate:

• Materials:
  •  1 1/4″x 2′ x 2′ plywood (Home Depot, $7.99 each) : $7.99
  • Laser-Cutter Renting (TechLINK Technology Center, Houston): $0.00
• Labor: 4 hrs at $15 an hour: $60
• TOTAL: = $67.99