Inlaid license plate with mirrored acrylic

[Brent Franker]

Hello! Just looking for some opinions on how to do something as I've not used my laser much and need to make a gift :)

To make an inlaid front license plate do you guys start with a blank plate then glue or tape the inlaid pieces on top? Do you find gluing or double sided tape works better? Do you cut your own back plate or buy plate blanks?

Can you guys recommend a place to buy these materials? I saw the blanks and some mirrored acrylic on Laserbits but they didn't seem to have too many color options.

Also, if you use double sided tape do you buy like a "sheet" of the double sided tape, put it on each of the two colors the size of the plate (if making a 2 color inlaid plate) then do the laser cut? That seems like it would be easiest/quickest but maybe a little more costly than gluing it down.

Anyway, I haven't messed with the laser much and have never made a plate or done inlaying yet so was just wondering if any of you guys could give me some advice and if I'm on the right track as to how to go about doing this. :)

Thanks!

[Roger McDowell]

Brent - I do a lot of license plates. I use a .05" ABS backer plate with a layer of double sided tape covering it. I cut the background color and adhere it to the backer plate and then insert the contrasting color like putting pieces in a jig saw puzzle. I get my acrylic and ABS from a local source. Let me know if you need some backers - I can probably help with acrylic too if you are just doing a few.

[Brent Franker]

Brent - I do a lot of license plates. I use a .05" ABS backer plate with a layer of double sided tape covering it. I cut the background color and adhere it to the backer plate and then insert the contrasting color like putting pieces in a jig saw puzzle. I get my acrylic and ABS from a local source. Let me know if you need some backers - I can probably help with acrylic too if you are just doing a few.

Thank you, Roger! Do you get your double sided tape locally as well or do you order it online? If you order it can you tell me what you have found works the best and maybe a part number or name? Thanks, Roger!

[Roger McDowell]

I order the tap from Mike Halpin at SpecTape (859-283-2044) p/n on the 24" wide roll is ST-591SA 24.

[Mike Null]

Brent

You can buy everything you need from Johnson Plastics and right now they have a special offer going on.

See this thread: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?232625-Special-Offer-for-Sawmill-Creek-Members-from-Johnson-Plastics

http://www.johnsonplastics.biz/category/M37/1/1/935

[Brent Franker]

Thanks much, guys!