Flexible, Lazerable, but still Rigid - possible?

[Mike vonBuelow]

Ok, I'm making my parents a family crest that will sit on a Walnut base and be cut out of 1/8" birch that will be painted - and I was thinking I'd really like to make the mantle part 3D - actually coming out of the wood with all the twists, bends and such, even wrapping around parts of the shield and such (see example)

Is there such a material that is Flexible, Lazerable, but still Rigid that would provide this 'pop' ?

Thinking about it, some paper thin copper sheets would fit the bill - is that an option?

[Joe Pelonio]

Your laser will not cut copper, or any metal, unfortunately. You can use thin acrylic, bend it with a heat gun, then spray it with Fusion or better yet a spray gun with metal powder in clear. Just don't use a solvent based paint which will cause cracks (crazing) in the edges.

[Mike vonBuelow]

I was also thinking about sheets of Plastistuct - or is that toxic when cut?

Gotcha on the metal no-go - thx!

[Joe Pelonio]

If it's ABS it's safe to cut, and easier to bend and shape,but won't give the nice smooth edges of acrylic. It tends to flame some but if you stick to 1/16" or less it should be OK, but hard to get paint to stick to it. Maybe the manufacturer sells a paint for it?

[Dan Hintz]

A thick piece of leather painted after lasering is still flexible, takes an okay 2.5D burn, yet solid enough to mount.

[Mike Null]

I would probably use wood cut to shape then carve the 3d surface by hand.

[Mike vonBuelow]

then carve the 3d surface by hand

SURELY YOU JEST! :eek: Why do you think I bought the engraver !!??



But seriously, I want it appear thin like the cloth it represents. So I thought cutting a flat piece of (sum'pthin) and then bending/twisting it for a true 3-D effect, even wrapping in front of the shield at some points.

I'm still keen on the acrylic option as well...

[Dee Gallo]

Mike, why not just engrave on a piece of ribbon and glue that onto your bent acrylic or metal for the 3D effect? You could also soak the ribbon in starch so it stays stiff on its own.

- dee

[Josh Richard]

Could a piece of canvas be engraved then "painted" with Elmer's glue then formed it to a shape?

In my experience, the canvas would remain stiff, just not sure how the canvas would look engraved...

[Mike vonBuelow]

Re Starch & Glue - also crossed my mind, as well as model train plaster cloth.

The sheets, I found out, are styrene. Is that OK?