newbi with a 60 watt

[Gerald Rice]

That's kind of scary in its self. Ordered the 60watt from lightobject should be here soon. I was looking for bulk materials like wood plastics etc. Or advice on how to approach stocking materials. Do you just wait for a job and price it back or buy a variety of stuff.

[Rodne Gold]

Buy small pieces of whatever you can get your hands on , get settings right and make samples ..buy bigger qtys when you get an order

[Gerald Rice]

Thanks, sounds like good advice. When I do buy material any suggestion of companies to by bulk from? I see alot of commercial companies but prices are a bit high.

[Rodne Gold]

When I started , I begged , borrowed and grovelled for offcuts and scraps at various plastic/wood/fabricator type companies. Also went to the local supermarket and bought whatever I thought might be laserable (marble cheese boards, tumblers, wooden spoons , floor tiles ,stainless steel beakers, cork coaters etc etc)
I think the MOST important thing is to have actual samples customers can see and feel.

[Gerald Rice]

Thanks again good advise. I just know my wife is going to ask me where her wooden spoons went. :)

[Steven Cox]

Thanks again good advise. I just know my wife is going to ask me where her wooden spoons went. :)

Mine didn't, she just said "At least I know which ones are mine..... they've got my name on them!" followed by some other choice words for wrecking her spoons.

[Chuck Stone]

Mine didn't, she just said "At least I know which ones are mine..... they've got my name on them!"

Ah.. you put HER name on them!

(note to self ... )

[Dee Gallo]

If you've never used a laser before, I recommend you practice on cheap materials to master things like position, settings and focus. You can do tests on paper, cardboard, scrap wood, spare pieces of mirror or glass, fabrics like denim or canvas... and you'll try fun stuff like cookies, chocolate bars, your tools, maglites, backs of cutting boards, etc. Get a notebook and keep a record of your settings for future use.

There are lots of places to buy materials, like Delvies, JDS, Johnsons, Colorado Heirloom and so on, in addition to cruising the dollar stores for anything and everything that's not nailed down. You won't know what to stock until you know what you are going to make.

Good luck and have fun, dee

[Chuck Stone]

There are lots of places to buy materials, like Delvies, JDS, Johnsons, Colorado Heirloom and so on, in addition to cruising the dollar stores for anything and everything that's not nailed down.

those are my favorite places to pick up 'cheap' things and add something
to them. Plain stainless travel mugs get a coat of Cermark.. the glassware
goes in the rotary.

[Gerald Rice]

Thanks for the advise. I like the chocolate bar one the best. Any using lasers for jewelry wax?

[Chuck Stone]

Thanks for the advise. I like the chocolate bar one the best. Any using lasers for jewelry wax?



It tends to melt right back into the area you cut.. at least the Ferris File-A-Wax did for me.
There might be other waxes out there made for laser, I haven't checked.

[Rodne Gold]

I tried with various jewellers waxes , frozen and unfrozen..no go.

[walter hofmann]

Hi dee
you are right with what kind and from where but everybody should keep in mind that everytime you chenge material what is different in thickness you need to find the max focal point for this thickness before playing with settings.
thats my experience because I toutore many new guys and they all do the same thing the start playing with settings in speed and power on different material from paper to 1/2 inch , but they never thought to adjust the focal point.
greetings
waltfl