Introduction
My native library spent a number of money and time reworking the previous few years. A part of this rework was including an Innovation Lab with completely different instruments that the general public can make the most of. These embrace a Cricut cutter, a Glowforge, a pair 3D printers, stitching machines, a T-shirt display printer, and some others I am unable to recall off hand. I’m excited to check out a number of of those, however began with the laser cutter, as a result of I’ve a house undertaking that wants just a few small issues reduce and engraved that I wasn’t certain how I used to be going to do.
The top purpose is to get a set of two inch by one inch rectangles with numerous years engraved, scored or reduce in order that I can use these as labels.
A easy begin
After a little bit of analysis, I discovered that what I wished was comparatively easy – at the least in comparison with what the machine is ready to do. To do extra superior issues, I might should study much more about how some software program instruments function. For my undertaking although, I used Inkscape. I began by organising the rectangle I wished to make use of, rounding the corners, and including a 12 months to engrave. This grew to become my fundamental template, to make sure that the whole lot was the identical measurement.
In all of my SVG recordsdata, I solely used three colours:
- Crimson for cuts
- Black for engrave
- Blue for scoring
Whereas I learn the Glowforge can deal with completely different colours, I seen that different tooling and software program couldn’t and used these three colours. If I ever get entry to a different laser cutter – or purchase certainly one of my very own – I do not need to should redo all of my work.
The essential factor at this step was to pick the textual content, then Textual content->Object to path. With out this step, the Glowforge utility did not see the textual content, simply the rectangle.
Getting Fancy
As soon as I had a fundamental reduce executed on basswood proof grade materials from Glowforge, I wished to strive just a few different designs. All of my examples beneath are utilizing 2009, as a result of that is the set I grabbed when taking photos.
With this, I engraved the background, as a substitute of the textual content, in order that the 12 months would come out. I did not find yourself liking this one very a lot, as a result of it makes the fabric a lot thinner. That is apparent after I had a number of tiles of years that had not all been engraved this manner. The thinness made these particular tiles really feel flimsy. Since I did not need to use this sample for all years for the undertaking, it wasn’t going to work for under a pair.
I attempted a pair acrylic colours – Black and Blue – to see the way it’d look. On this take a look at, I wished to take care of the thinness I discussed above too. I did this by including a small border across the exterior, in order that when the tiles have been aspect by aspect, the outer edges have been all the identical thickness. I preferred how this appeared and would find yourself utilizing a portion of this in some closing designs. The black acrylic turned out effectively.
Sadly, I did not just like the blue acrylic. That is how blue seems with the masking tape nonetheless in place. This tape is is to stop scorching marks. It seems comfortable with the tape in place, however as soon as eliminated, the blue textual content simply type of bought misplaced.
This take a look at did not have the outer border, however I do not suppose that might have helped me prefer it any higher. The blue textual content simply will get misplaced from any angle apart from straight on.
I reduce out particular person numbers as effectively. These look actually good. Sadly, I did not plan past the reduce out, and coping with 4 particular person numerals on every merchandise I wished to label in a short time grew to become a ton of labor to make sure they have been unmasked, aligned, and glued into place. Additionally they did not find yourself wanting pretty much as good because the tiled objects as soon as I had them in place.
One thing I ought to have realized from this experiment that I used to be vaguely conscious of, however did not take note of as a result of I used to be targeted on the numbers themselves, was that the interior a part of the numbers would come out. This was extra essential within the subsequent two experiments.
At this level I had determined that I preferred how the black acrylic appeared, however wished to focus on just a few years. I tried one final take a look at to see if I may make the most of the narrower engraved look and stack it on prime of one other. The unique purpose had been to finish up with the identical thickness as the opposite tiles, however that did not work as deliberate.
That stated, for the few years that I wanted to focus on, this labored very effectively. To construct this, I stored the decrease layer – the wooden – the identical measurement as different tiles. I engraved like I had executed for the acrylic assessments above. Then on the acrylic itself, I made it the scale of the interior border and reversed the numerals. I did this as a result of I initially examined by engraving the acrylic all the way down to measurement too, however it did not look good. As a substitute, I stored the acrylic the unique width and simply reduce out the numbers.
As soon as stacked and glued collectively, I spotted that I hadn’t stored the interior items of the zeros. It’s simple sufficient to go reduce out a pair extra numbers on the library, however on the similar time, not bothering me sufficient to take action.
Conclusion
Over the vacations, I accomplished the undertaking and bought the whole lot labeled. I am happy with the way it turned out. I used to be not stunned at how simple the Glowforge itself is to make use of. Studying the best way to design the SVG reduce recordsdata took longer than I anticipated. There are doubtless different software program instruments that would do the job higher, however for this small undertaking and for some experiments, Inkscape labored simply fantastic.
For my subsequent undertaking, I might like to complete off the WLED work I did final summer season. The unique undertaking did not work as anticipated, however the WLED portion labored splendidly. I may construct a pair stand lights and laser reduce out the bottom. I might have to determine the best way to mannequin the aluminium rail to chop it appropriately, however that sound like a enjoyable job.
