trick to hold down thin material

[walter hofmann]

Hi all
I am working with one of this sticky sheets for the cricket cutter. I glued it to a sheet of 1/8 ply and used it as a hold down
for leather fabric and such stuff. it works gret the only question is to adjust the laser power that it only goes thru the material or just scratch the surface of the sticky sheet
greetings
walt

[Mike Null]

Walt

When you use that method don't you get a lot of residue and mess on the bottom of the piece?

[David Fairfield]

I use the vacuum of the exhaust blower to hold thin sheets down. Cover any area not covered by the material you are cutting. I use pieces of cardstock, very simple and everything stays firmly in place.

Dave

[Kasey Maxwell]

I use the vacuum of the exhaust blower to hold thin sheets down. Cover any area not covered by the material you are cutting. I use pieces of cardstock, very simple and everything stays firmly in place.

Dave

Dave, I need to do this as my baltic birch usually gets warps in it, I have a vector grid with lifters but the wood never sucks flat, what HP blower are you using ? mine is only a 3/4hp, that might be the problem ?

Thanks

[walter hofmann]

Hi mike
no not with the realy thin stuff like felt , fabric,leather and such. I have attached a sample of leath236007er
greetings
walt

[David Fairfield]

Kasey, I have the green blower from Harbor Freight Tools. The blower needs disassembly and a good cleaning again, its been about a year since the last cleaning, but still draws enough air for a respectable vacuum. HTH Dave

[Kasey Maxwell]

I have been considering this 2HP fan

http://www.pennstateind.com/store/DC2000B.html

[Tim Bateson]

A tacky mat is priceless. I use it for all of my RowMark and sometimes for Baltic Birch.

[Kasey Maxwell]

can you cut with a tacky mat ? wouldn't it cut through the mat ?

[John Frazee]

I am lucky to have a metal honeycomb table. I just use a few magnets here and there.

Walter, would you mind sharing the file you posted? I have been looking for a clean one to laser.

[Tim Bateson]

can you cut with a tacky mat ? wouldn't it cut through the mat ?

I do it every day. You use the same power you normally would. I suppose if I used 1 speed and 100% power it may cut, but I don't. It has a lot of cut marks on the surface, but still going strong. When this side finally does ware out. I'll just flip it over.

[George Brown]

I do it every day. You use the same power you normally would. I suppose if I used 1 speed and 100% power it may cut, but I don't. It has a lot of cut marks on the surface, but still going strong. When this side finally does ware out. I'll just flip it over.

I've looked at those tacky mats (quite expensive), but don't they contain pvc?

George

[Kasey Maxwell]

do you use it with the vector grid or without or does it matter........(get it.......MATter :)

[Mike Null]

Tim

Aren't the pieces a mess on the back when you engrave and cut them on the mat. Using a mat would solve some of my problems but I've always been afraid I'd be faced with excessive cean up.

[Tim Bateson]

I've got some Name Plates to do tonight, so I'll take some pictures.
Mike - Some - If you over power the cut - for RowMark I try to cut only 99% through. However if it's sticky back it doesn't matter if the back has smoke residue.
Kasey - I use it right on the regular flat metal surface I use for raster jobs, so for the most part I only use the grid for thicker plastic and wood. I only use the sticky mat on wood if it isn't flat.

[Tim Bateson]

Here is my setup for the tacky mat. Ignore the blue tape - it's from another project I was working. I've used this side of the mat for probably a year. It's double sided and the other side is still like new. This holds my IP or RowMark flat especially since my honecomb is warn out and sags.
236629236630236631

[Ted Owen]

Tim, what's your source for the tacky mat? Is it the JDS MAT1?

Best, Ted

[George Carlson]

I'm not in this as a business, just tinkering. I've been playing around doing veneer inlays to assist with my woodworking obsession. I found that if I put a very light spray of 3M Super 77 spray glue on a scrap of birch plywood, it makes a great tacky surface for fine cutting of thin veneers. The important this is to let the glue dry for at least a few hours before you use it. Otherwise, the veneer will become permantly attached to the plywood.
I have a new controller in my Chinese laser that will allow PPI (pulse per inch) operation. The machine is a Redsail 60W M900. With the glass tube lasers it can be difficult to bring the power down below 20% because the tube become unstable. Using the PPI function lowers the average power output , making it posible to raise the peak power setting. On my machine, 200PPI at 30% acts more like a 10% setting. It produces a very fine kerf. This may work on LaserCut machines by using the hole mode and setting the spacing at .13mm.
This is a test piece of Birch plywood with Walnut veneer inlay I did for a friend.
237303

[Tim Bateson]

Tim, what's your source for the tacky mat? Is it the JDS MAT1?
Best, Ted

Yes that's the one I use. Best $99 I've spent.

[Ted Owen]

Thanks, guys.

Best, Ted