For this homework, I did the beginner level because I was not familiar with using a laser cutter or Adobe Illustrator. I became much more confident with operating FusionPro after this task.
First, I measured the thickness of the wood (0.19 in) and decided on the following parameters for vector cut: 21 speed, 100 power, and 10 frequency. Then, I had to figure out the kerf. I did this by cutting out nine rectangles as shown below. I measured the gap created by burning away material, which was 0.113 inches. Supposedly, this means that the kerf should be set to 0.113/10 = 0.0113 inches. I used en.makercase.com to create my 4x4x4 inch box.
I tested the fit with two sides of 0.011 inches kerf, but the fit was way too tight. I will have to hammer it down to awkwardly fit. So, I decided to decrease the kerf to 0.007 inches while testing my engraving. I scaled the whole box down so I could save material and time. The results turned out well but I felt that a slightly tighter fit would be better. Thus, I decided to set the kerf to 0.0075 inches for my final product. My engraving settings were: 600 resolution, 100 speed, and 50 power.
To prevent my final product from having burning surfaces, I taped the area with masking tape. I was advised that masking tape works well for vector cuts but not engraving. Therefore, I did the cut and engraving separately. On AI, after aligning the texts and the Sid crest with each side, I grouped the etches and removed them to do the vector cuts first. After the vector cuts, I removed the tape and placed each piece back in its spot. Then, I did my engravings.
I was able to align the etches with the sides by looking at the camera on FusionPro. However, due to the angle distortion near the corners, I wasn’t able to perfectly place them as desired. As a result, my whole engraving was positioned lower than I wanted it to be, but since the patterns were grouped together beforehand, the four alphabets still aligned with each other. Next time, I should record the x and y coordinates to have the engravings on exact locations.
The 0.0075 inches kerf was a tight and great fit; I was able to fit all the pieces on by patting the edges with my hands. Lastly, I finished the box by sanding the surface since there were a little bit of wood chips on the surface when I was removing the masking tape.
Cost estimation:
- 1/5 in. x 4 ft. x 8 ft. plywood: $13.98*(1/8) = $1.75
- (our piece roughly was 2ft. x 2ft.; material cost according to DENALI)
- Labor cost: $15/hr *3hr = $45
- Total cost: $46.75
Below is a photo of my clean workspace!
