Cheap Idea's... Please leave one.

[Duane Parcells]

Cheap clock from Walmart. Take clock apart and replace back with a piece of Rowmark LaserMark with your choice of new background.

[Michael Simpson Virgina]

I like this idea. Since you are into the number nine. Why didn't you use a 9 sided shape in the middle.

Unless....

They are really 6's upside down then the two 6 sided shapes would make sense and this would then be a very evil clock. :)

[James A. Wolfe]

Duane,
Go to Wally World or any of the other Big Box Stores and pick up cheap photo albums. The ones with "faux leather" covers work best. Cover the front with masking and compose a script so that you have an outline cut but no fill. For instance:
"The Life and Times of Lester Q. Dimwit"
Set your laser to cut only the masking and strip the inside of the lettering. Paint with Cheapo Deluxo gold spray paint (available at a store near you) and remove the stencil. A personalized, one of a kind photo album for next to nothing.

Good luck,
Jim

[John Noell]

Made me chuckle 'cause just yesterday the thin cardboard face on the cheap clock we were given at the local supermarket warped and the clock stopped. (It is very high humidity here.) So I grabbed piece of LaserMark, put our company logo on it, reassembled the clock and stuck it on the wall. Bet my wife that no one even notices it!

[Stephen Kane]

Duane, thanks for that.
Attached is corel file for face. Slight differences/corrections to Walmart image.


Stephen

[Phil Salvati]

Here are a few more gift ideas from Wally World...

The switch plate was $1.25, The TV tray was $7.00.

I also watch for people redesigning kitchens... I either ask to purchase their doors for a few bucks or if I catch them on the curb side, they end up donated.

[Phil Salvati]

Images were to large..... had to go re-size them!

[Scott Challoner]

I like the TV tray. It's one of those "Why didn't I think of that?" items. I hope my wife doesn't miss ours. :D I think you could engrave a chessboard, cribbage board, or any other game on them for a portable game to take to the park or wherever.

[George M. Perzel]

Duane;
Great idea-love it. However, I fear a few of your equations are a bit off.
The square root of 9! ( nine factorial) is 602.39, subtract 9/9 (or 1) gives a total of 601.39-not exactly Miller Time! Think you mean (sq rt 9)! which is 6 and minus one gives 5.

Also check the equation for "seven"- I get 6.9 which is close enough.
Best regards;
George
LaserArts

[Dan Hintz]

Also check the equation for "seven"- I get 6.9 which is close enough.
It's only at 207 degrees from the top position, so it's okay :D

[Dee Gallo]

George and Dan, you guys are scary. Bad enough Duane came up with the original math....

cheers from a math dummy, dee

[Duane Parcells]

That is a copy of a clock that first showed up from the Triple Nine Society. I'll let you look them up. No need to apply unless you're a Hawking or above. Thanks for the corrections. They are under way.

I give another here because I need help. A small bamboo cutting board from wally world. I started filling the flies in with black but it got very repetitive so I stopped. Any suggestions on a all at once, i.e. squeegee approach? What kind of fill? The two are from laserbits color fill.

[George M. Perzel]

Hey Duanne;
If the board has a decent finish you may want to try normal acrylic craft paint on a 4x4" section at a time -don't thin the paint. Brush it on a bunch of flies and wait about 10 seconds then card squeegee off and follow with microcloth or t-shirt-old camisoles work well too but tough to pull them off the Mrs without a fight or ending up with other more urgent priorities.....I wish!
Elmer's wood fill also works great but doesn't come in black although walnut would look good-easy to lay it on and wipe it off
Good Luck
Best regards;
George
LaserArts

[Michael Kowalczyk]

Hey I would just be a little cautious on what you fill with since these maybe be used for food. Then the flies might be the least of your worries:eek:. Unless of coarse they are for decoration purposes only.

[Dee Gallo]

Duane.. you painted two flies and it got repetitive? Really? You engraved like a hundred on there!

Anyway - when Liquitex first introduced acrylic paint in something like 1966, there were many tests done on it. One was that a human could eat one cubic inch of it (dried) and suffer no ill effects. It basically turns into an inert plastic.

My experience would suggest wetting the surface with food oil and wiping the excess off, this will make the surface less likely to absorb. Then, using a Q-tip or small stiff brush to apply the black acrylic, squishing it into the grooves (basically a dot over each fly). Then, squeegee the extra off with a diagonal motion. Don't worry if some sticks, you will be able to remove it with a Q-tip. Don't rub over the grooves a lot, because suction will pull the paint out since oil wants to repel water. When the paint is dry (completely - overnight) you can rub off the extra dots or sand it lightly. Then coat the whole thing with food oil again and wipe off.

I doubt this paint would be very permanent, since the surface is meant to be cut and washed. Those grooves will hold food as well so people will scrub them. You might be better off with a wood filler if you can determine one brand that is not poisonous.

Don't know if any of this is helpful, but here it is.

cheers, dee

[Stephen Kane]

Here is the clock on Celtic Slate in ramin woodframe. Looks very good. Got to improve clock hands.

Stephen

[Martin Boekers]

Tiles from home depot $.16ea 4.25x4.25, $1.15 for 8x10,

I do it with Color Laser Transfer, about $.50 a sheet (Magic Touch) then spray with semi-gloss lacquer to protect it. Total cost about a $1.75 for an 8x10.

Water slide decals (CLT sheets) applied to candles.

Both these are cheap ways for full color personalized items.

I know these are a bit away from lasering, but most of us already have a copier and probably a heat press so these are cheap additions to your product line. Especially good through holiday seasons. Easier to get nice consistant color and much cheaper than dye-sub.

Laser Sketch sells 2x3.5 absolute black marble 6 sides polished for under $2 ea, business card size. Engraves easy nice paper weight to etch your business card on one side and something nice on the other to leave with prospective clients.


Marty