What do I _have_ to do for fun with a new laser?

[jason harris]

Just curious as I have an 80W 1500x1200mm bed laser coming soon.

I know what I am going to do on it, i.e. what I got it for but I am new to lasers so what do I have to do on it for fun :)

Cutting aircraft pieces from balsa comes to mind, too bad the balsa comes in such small sheets.

Just on the fun aspect, what else should I have a go at that I and my small kids might like?

Thanks,
Jason

[Mark Sipes]

Puzzles, tiles, stencils, nametags, toast, cookies, Ipods, Ipads, business cards, start with those......

[Chuck Stone]

threatening your teenagers that you bought it strictly for removing tattoos.. :p

[Steven Cox]

If you want a laugh, search Utube for Laser Engraved Tattoos. There's some morons sticking their arms in and lasering images. I couldn't believe it myself and was equally astounded with the comments expecting something like (hope that's allowed here) but no the comments are on the lines of....

Does it Hurt?
How long does it last?

So for entertainment value and educating the kids on what not to do its worth a look!.

Also try google "spruce" suppliers for balsa and you'll be able to find larger sheets than you can buy in a shop.

[jason harris]

Thanks guys, I had thought about some neat business cards. Stencils I intend to make for PCB SMD pasting. I thought about a jigsaw puzzle.

I might practice before I go anywhere near my ipad :)

Oh dear, I looked at the tattoo video, yes perhaps it belongs in a berenstein bears book. This son is how you don't do it :)

[Otto Hermansson]

Well, the Aztec calendar would be a good start. :D

[jason harris]

I cut out the aztec calendar on my CNC router at one point, it came out nicely on that.

[Mark Sipes]

What no cookies?


Need to update your sig block with all your equipment and location so we can send work your way......include the new laser.
.
.

[Ernie Balch]

Make some wooden boxes in 3mm birch plywood. All my friends were asking if they could get one.

[Dee Gallo]

For kids, here are some things I've made - sometimes with them pushing the GO button, for some real excitement on their part:

LED nightlights, tangrams and other puzzles, personalized mini-mag lights, small flashdrives, scrapbooking pieces related to their sports or whatever, greeting cards, notepads, anodized dogtags, iron-on patches and for my nephew's first date, he asked me to engrave a wooden rose for him to give to his girl..and she said yes! Very exciting , hahaha!

There are some very cool 3-D animal patterns you can get to cut out that the kids can put together, as well as the usual food items (sugar cookies, chocolate bars, hotdogs)

have fun, dee

[Mark Sipes]

Start with this project and you will be the hit of the neighborhood.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=BfCZpuFUT4U&feature=fvwp

[Martin Boekers]

Some have posted "foldable wood" pieces here, they are really cool!
do a search here at SMC.

[Dee Gallo]

Start with this project and you will be the hit of the neighborhood.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=BfCZpuFUT4U&feature=fvwp

That's really cool, Mark! You'd have a spectacular piece if you went to town with some fancy painting.

Oh yeah, Marty, I posted some little notepads with the wood hinges, they were popular last Christmas.

[jason harris]

Foldable wood sounds interesting, I will look around for that.

Thanks Dee, lots of ideas there. A friend has decided he liked the look of some of this stuff for his model reailway.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsTp_aDWLCo

I thought sure, if you give me the cad files.

[Martin Boekers]

Do a search here, I believe for Dave Fairfield. He has made some
incredible models.

[Dee Gallo]

Dave Fairfield is a WIZARD with tiny! I have a chair and violin he made which are teensy tiny - beyond belief.