I decided to add this to my shop

[Joe Jones]

Looks like you are ready to turn the laser on, and have fun. You still have Mods to do if you want to use the rotary attachment, either a drop out in the middle or taller legs.

I am going to build a custom cabinet for it. The work surface will be at seated in comfort height, and the laser will rise or fall above that. Storage below, with the filter, the air assist, the rotary tool and more stashed in the voids.

Joe

[Joe Jones]

I am so excited! I was HOPING this laser could cut the shop floor foam pads so I can make custom equipment cases (read: gun cases ) for the things I wat to be able to tote around discreetly. I was amazed at how cleanly this cut the foam, and at only 50% power at that! This test piece just FELL out of the foam material.

FOAM NAME.jpg

Then I started etching glass tiles, just to see what it could do...

GLASS TILE TEST.JPG

Joe

[acourtjester]

Ah yes the old Glass time trick, I worked very well for you. Put a LED light strip along the bottom and it will really POP.
Good show on the floor foam cutting.

[Joe Jones]

Ah yes the old Glass time trick, I worked very well for you. Put a LED light strip along the bottom and it will really POP.
Good show on the floor foam cutting.

Each letter was cut at a different speed and power level. I REALLY did not think that a little 20 Watt CHINESE Blue diode Laser could etch that deep into glass.

Joe

[acourtjester]

Yes sir, you can etch regular glass too, this guy has some slick routines, other on YouTube too.
https://viperdesigned.com/laser/glassonthefly.html

[Joe Jones]

I am going to have a blast with this thing.

Joe

[acourtjester]

New tool alway open up new projects, allow your mind to wonder and share the joy with your friends and us.

[acourtjester]

Joe I have designed and 3-D printed 2 base mounts for the glass tiles with space for LED light strips in the base for displaying them. I can send them to you if you want.

DSCN0020.JPG

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DSCN0018.JPG

[Joe Jones]

Joe I have designed and 3-D printed 2 base mounts for the glass tiles with space for LED light strips in the base for displaying them. I can send them to you if you want.

I will keep that in mind. I suppose I should have SOMETHING to print, just to set up the machine and make sure it works. I will create my own stuff, after I manage to go through the learning curve of the software, either Fusion 360 or SolidWorks. I am in touch with WKU to see if they offer a course, but I think I will go with Solid Professor, which is a self-paced online SolidWorks course.

I WAS going to sell my NextEngine 3D scanner, but now I guess I should keep it and learn how to use THAT too. I did some preliminary tests with the software, but not having a printer to see the results made it unrewarding.

My new favorite song ... "I wish I was 18 Again ..."

Joe

[cstroke]

[[/url]
I've used these and cut 3/16" acrylic for inside them.. I mirror the art so the engraving is on the back, the edges are polished from the co2 laser.
Very neat.

[Joe Jones]

Always check your spelling.

Joe

[Joe Jones]

I don't want to be critical, but Imagined" is spelled "I M A G I N E D"

Spelling errors poke me in the eye. it is my Catholic School upbringing.

Joe

[Joe Jones]

[[/url]
I've used these and cut 3/16" acrylic for inside them.. I mirror the art so the engraving is on the back, the edges are polished from the co2 laser.
Very neat.

Yeah, I searched Amazon and found those. They are okay, but too small. I have 15" wide glass tiles I want to illuminate. I guess I will have to build my own stands.

Joe

[cstroke]

My wife is an English teacher so she proofreads most of my art before I finalize it.
Engraved a mug that I spelled the woman's name wrong, I even verified the spelling and knew it was wrong, engraving was almost finished when I realized I never modified the drawing.. UGGHHHHH..
Another one was a wedding gift...( I don't know the recipients) did the art, made sure it would cut etc... wife proofreads it... Looks good, sends it to the girls mom to approve it, green light.. Last name is spelled wrong... Ugghhhhh, caught before it was delivered, thank goodness..

[Joe Jones]

Decades ago, when I lived on the beach in Oceanside, CA., I knew a guy who had a small one-man sign shop just off the main drag. I walked past his shop one day. he was working on a HUGE banner, hand painting the letters on the sign. I just glanced at it as I passed by the door, and it hit me! so I went back in and asked, "When is this banner due?" He told me he was rushing to meet the deadline that morning for a church pancake breakfast event.

I hesitated, because I knew he could not make the correction without starting over again on a new banner ...

"Alan, breakfast is spelled B-R-E-A-K-F-A-S-T, not B-R-A-K-E-F-A-S-T" He went into a panic and asked me how to fix it. There is NO WAY to fix that, beyond cutting out the bad part of the banner, sewing in a blank segment and repainting the letters.

The banner hung with the spelling error in 48" letters for all the world to see, and he closed his sign shop shortly afterward.

Joe

[cstroke]

The mistake that sends me into orbit is forgetting to bridge a letter and it falls out..
I know you can fix it by cutting a new letter with the bridging and tacking it in, but it's the idea of not taking a few seconds and double checking your work..

[Joe Jones]

The mistake that sends me into orbit is forgetting to bridge a letter and it falls out..
I know you can fix it by cutting a new letter with the bridging and tacking it in, but it's the idea of not taking a few seconds and double checking your work..

You know ... it wouldn't take MUCH to modify the software so that ISLANDS are outlined in RED. When you go to cut a file, the software should SHOW YOU what will fall out and what will remain attached to the desired piece. The "Islands" that are the centers of closed letters (A,a,B,B,D,d,O,o,P,p,Q,q,R) should appear as a different color if they are NOT a part of the main design. You may WANT them to fall out, and attach them with VHB tape later on, but when they fall out without you being aware of it ...

Joe

[djreiswig]

SheetCam kinda does this. Outside cuts are one color and inside cuts are another color. You can also tell by which side of the path the leads are on. If it's going to fall out, the lead is on that side.

[Joe Jones]

Tonight's project: A custom case for my MEVO wireless cameras, cords, power supply and tripods!

Joe

FOAM A.JPG

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FOAM D.JPG

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foam F.JPG

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FOAM I.JPG

[Joe Jones]

I am LOVE, LOVE, LOVIN' this laser!

Joe

[Joe Jones]

This Neoprene foam cut like a dream. All I have to do is glue the layers together after this dry fit.

Joe

FOAM K.JPG

FOAM L.JPG

FOAM M.JPG

[Joe Jones]

The whole project including the green plastic case: $40.00

Joe

[acourtjester]

Joe do a video for YouTube showing your process for the case, I'm sure there will be interest from laser users, and others. I did one years ago for a Nikon camera in a attache case, cut by hand.

[Joe Jones]

Joe do a video for YouTube showing your process for the case, I'm sure there will be interest from laser users, and others. I did one years ago for a Nikon camera in a attache case, cut by hand.

How is .007 these days?

A video of the process? Sure thing. Let me just crack open another case of spare time.

Joe

[Joe Jones]

I bought three more cases today from HFT. Two for pistols, and one for a rifle. I am going to make display cases for common guns and put them into my local gun store. I believe they will sell well. This will open up the need for the Logic Trace 44"x60" tablet I purchased some six years ago, and still haven't taken out of the box! I think it should be easy to trace any gun that will fit into the 44"x60" rectangle, even if it is there diagonally.

Joe