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Michael McDuffie
08-13-2005, 10:17 PM
I print every thing except the company name using my laser printer onto Avery 8877 ink jet clean edge business card stock. I then laser the company name into the cards. Speed 100%, power 40%, 600DPI on my Legend 24 70 machine.

Nice looking and cheaper than using a 2 ply plastic.

Michael

Keith Outten
08-14-2005, 2:30 AM
Michael.

I have been engraving my business cards on clear acrylic lately. I visit a local photo frame shop and they give me their acrylic drops for free so the cost of business cards is just the engraving time.

Bill Stein
08-14-2005, 11:36 AM
Michael,


I then laser the company name into the cards.

Are you cutting the name out of the card completely like a die cut? If not, how does lasering the name make it stand out?

Bill

J Porter
08-14-2005, 5:57 PM
Keith.... Maybe a dumb question.... but...

What's an "acrylic drop" used (not used) in a photo frame shop???

~Joe

Keith Outten
08-14-2005, 8:15 PM
The term "Drop' is generally used to denote scrap or cut-off material left over from cutting a production piece. Picture frame shops will normally use clear acrylic or Plexiglass for large picture frames instead of glass because of its weight. When the Plexi is cut to size the excess material, pieces that Drop to the floor, are saved for small projects or sent to the dumpster. A local frame shop in my area saves their Drops for me, it sure beats me having to cut up brand new sheets of acrylic into small pieces for engraving projects.

I also visit my local counter top shop the end of every week and pick up their Corian Drops which are basically sink cut-outs and material left over from jobs that is impractical for them to keep. This is another source of valuable material that would be destined for the dumpster. Corian scraps are used in my shop for small signs, plaques and the very small pieces are cut into pen blanks.

I suggest that everyone visit the yellow pages of their local phone book and search for sources of free materials. Most of the businesses are pleased not to have to fill their dumpsters, and that their scrap can be put to some productive use. The effort is also kind to our planet and reduces the cost of our projects. There is an amazing amount of beautiful material thrown away every day that is free for the asking. I often repay the local businesses who save their Drops for me by giving them small signs or custom engraved pens.

Since the topic of this thread is Business Cards I wonder if anyone else has an innovative idea or technique for making bussiness cards that will impress people.

Michael McDuffie
08-14-2005, 8:18 PM
Michael,



Are you cutting the name out of the card completely like a die cut? If not, how does lasering the name make it stand out?

Bill

I raster away about 1/2 the thickness of the paper. The paper turns a light honey color and makes it look a bit like two ply plastic.

Michael

Rodne Gold
08-15-2005, 12:23 AM
http://www.tokerbros.co.za/business_cards.htm

http://www.tokerbros.co.za/new%20pics/promo%203.jpg
We make a ton of cards out of Flexibrass , lasered with various cut outs - about $1 each on a qty of 100 , Customers often have a few 100 of these lasered and give them to very good clients or those they want to impress , often they have normal cards done and add these as "special" cards.
All our staffs cards are done like this and it immediately shows what you can do with a laser and they are thin enough to keep quite a few on hand - non of my customers throw the card away - ever!!!!

Barbara Buhse
08-15-2005, 12:42 PM
I make my business cards out of (well, what else?) engraved wood. I use the alder sheets, and laser engrave both sides, and vector cut them with slightly rounded corners. No one ever throws them away. (I think Rodne had said that once before too). Of course, my cards are the "ultra deluxe" which I would charge quite a bit for if someone ordered them, as opposed to a one-sided, no border wood card. I have also made business cards for my accountant out of plastic sheets, and again vector cut them into the proper size. They do get alot of attention. (Of course I have paper ones too).

Barbara

Brian Chuchla
12-28-2005, 8:03 AM
I have taken to using laminated veneer for my business cards. So far the best combination has been a 3-ply of Birds-eye maple - Black Walnut - Birds-eye maple. With each layer only being .007" thick, these cards come out at approximately .022" which really isnt a whole lot thicker than most card stock. When lasering on the material this thin, I have found that the dark layer in the middle helps much more to increase contrast and product that contrast needed to impress. I guess I am just lucky to have a supplier that will make the material in about a day, located just about 25 miles from me. I wish I had a photo to post, our customers have been very impressed with these. At $5 per 12x24" sheet, these cards are quite affordable.

Joe Pelonio
12-28-2005, 8:17 AM
I too am using veneer, but single layer. I have a woodworking shop 2 doors down (cabinet maker mainly) that gives me his drops in exchange for making him some wooden cards. Some of the pieces are too warped to use for cards, but otherwise they are no thicker than card stock. For my logo only I rastor deep enough that you can see air when you hold it up to the light, it's a cool effect.

Daryl Barberousse
12-28-2005, 9:23 AM
I make mine outta leather....typical 3.5"x2" card. I handed quite a few out at the National Finals Rodeo in Vegas early this month. Seemed like everyone's reaction was "Wow". I use my own scraps that would otherwise be thrown away or "pack ratted" for several years.:D

Alan Turner
12-28-2005, 11:41 AM
The term "Drop' is generally used to denote scrap or cut-off material left over from cutting a production piece. Picture frame shops will normally use clear acrylic or Plexiglass for large picture frames instead of glass because of its weight. When the Plexi is cut to size the excess material, pieces that Drop to the floor, are saved for small projects or sent to the dumpster. A local frame shop in my area saves their Drops for me, it sure beats me having to cut up brand new sheets of acrylic into small pieces for engraving projects.

I also visit my local counter top shop the end of every week and pick up their Corian Drops which are basically sink cut-outs and material left over from jobs that is impractical for them to keep. This is another source of valuable material that would be destined for the dumpster. Corian scraps are used in my shop for small signs, plaques and the very small pieces are cut into pen blanks.

I suggest that everyone visit the yellow pages of their local phone book and search for sources of free materials. Most of the businesses are pleased not to have to fill their dumpsters, and that their scrap can be put to some productive use. The effort is also kind to our planet and reduces the cost of our projects. There is an amazing amount of beautiful material thrown away every day that is free for the asking. I often repay the local businesses who save their Drops for me by giving them small signs or custom engraved pens.

Since the topic of this thread is Business Cards I wonder if anyone else has an innovative idea or technique for making bussiness cards that will impress people.

Along the same lines -- I go to a local granite coutertop shop and dig through their dumpster at the start of each semeter of my evening course and pick up granite surface plates for the SS method of sharpening, which I teach. Each student then has no excuse for a dull edge tool. I take with me a straight edge, and only take those that are dead flat. They pitch some fair sized pieces.

Frank Ross
12-28-2005, 3:13 PM
Brian,
Where do you purchase this wood? It sounds good, but I haven't seen it
through the suppliers I use. Thanks, Frank Ross

Ian Malings
12-28-2005, 8:04 PM
Like Joe, I make my cards from actual veneer stock. Straight grain Mahogany comes out great.
Being that my 'real' job is in a large, high end architectural millwork company, I have easy access to scrap veneer and wood products.

should anyone require any decent short veneer stock in quantity, let me know and i'll see what kind of deal i can get you

ian

Brian Chuchla
12-29-2005, 9:57 AM
Frank,

I actually have the folks at Cards of Wood (http://www.cardsofwood.com) Make the laminate up for me. Instead of their traditional 2ply veneer I requested this be made up. If you call and speak with the folks over there, I want to say Nate is the owner, they would be more than willing to make up and variety of laminate you would like. This is not something that they advertise on their website, though I don't know why. It seems like a product that many people would be interested in.

mike klein
12-31-2005, 8:18 AM
Started toying around making Alder wood business cards from 1/8" stock. Looks great but I notice after engraving the cards are warped from top to bottom. I vector cut a couple of samples and the warpage is not happening until after the engraving. Anyone else experience this problem?

Mike

Joe Pelonio
12-31-2005, 2:51 PM
That's odd. I'm get some of that on the 1 layer veneer but have never seen warpage from the laser on 1/16" basswood. Any possibility the wood was wet?

mike klein
12-31-2005, 3:00 PM
Joe,

Nope..The wood is dry as a bone..I got it from laserbits here some time ago and it was, and still is in mint condition, maybe just a slight crown in a 4" x 24" pc..Its stored in our shop here where the temperature is kept at a constant 70 deg and around 25-35% humidity.

I cut out 4- 2" x 3" cards from a 4" x 24" pc of alder to work with, and did find that there is just a slight crown in the sheets, so, when I engrave them I put the crown to the table this time and after the engraving, the pc. of wood actually was flat. I checked it a couple of hours later and it still was flat.

So, from what I see, the put the crown of the wood to the table and it worked ok.

Mike

Bob Belt
12-31-2005, 5:00 PM
I am really surprised that I have never heard anyone ever mention 1/32" Findland Birch in any of the forums. This is the finest engraving wood I've come across. The detail is just outstanding, and the best part is there is no color fill or enhancing at all. It engraves practically black. I came across it while trying to come up with a wood business card when I first got my machine about 6 months ago and trying dozens of veneers and different woods and not being at at happy with the quality. While playing with the settings and different lens I found how well it does with the right combination. The first picture is my business card (sorry, my web site is not up yet), and the second is a picture I did this Christmas for a friend (please excuse my poor photography). I use 1/32" Findland extensively because of its great engraving and will fit in any picture frame. Give it a try.....
Bob

28640

28641

Lee DeRaud
12-31-2005, 5:33 PM
I am really surprised that I have never heard anyone ever mention 1/32" Findland Birch in any of the forums.I've got a piece of 1/32" birch plywood that I picked up at the hobby store. (I think it's intended as model aircraft wing skin.) Brand name is "Midland", they also make 1/64"...is that the same stuff you're talking about?

Shari Loveless
12-31-2005, 5:37 PM
Bob,
Where would I go to buy this 1/32 Finland Birch wood? I think I would like to try some pictures on it as well. Did you mask for cutting (not engraving)?
Thanks,
Shari

Bob Belt
12-31-2005, 6:44 PM
Lee,
I get my Findland (make that Finland) Birch from Sloans.. www.sloanswoodshop.com (http://www.sloanswoodshop.com) It MUST be the Finland grade.
Shari,
I use no masking at all. But I do run a 220 grit orbital over it when I'm done. I just leave the wood natural. People seem to be really pleased.

Bob