New Lasered Items I'm Making...

[Paul Torrigino]

Well, it's been about a month since I got the Epilog 12x24 45w and here are some pictures of what I've been playing with.

I like the drink tokens and coasters and I already have some customer interest. But I'm not quite set on the finishing techniques yet. These were just dipped in a cherry stain after cutting. I'm thinking of trying a clear gloss sealer to the wood BEFORE engraving next time. I think they'd need a better finish for protection. Any ideas? The coasters are 1/4" poplar, 4" in diameter. The tokens are just 1/8" basswood 2 1/4" in diameter. For pricing... off the top of my head I'm thinking $1 each for the tokens and $10 each for the coasters. Does that sound in the ballpark? Is it worth the trouble? Anyone out there making these?

The sign designs are coming out real nice. One has a filigree pattern based on Hawaiian tapa cloth. It took about an hour to cut the pattern on the laser. It's 3/8" bender board nailed and glued to a 1" redwood background. I really like the way the Tiki lounge sign came out.

The motel sign is something new we're trying. It's about 24" tall and is made of 1/4" mdf hand painted. We have a lot of ideas for these, all based on retro motel and bar signs... The 'Pete & Loraines" text is just a paste-up on this photo.

The miniature Tiki lounge sign was fun. I just reduced the artwork from my full sized tiki lounge sign to make it. It's about 6" wide.

I just got my rubber stamp making sample kit in the mail last night, so that's the next thing I'll be trying.

Paul

[Nancy Laird]

I like the drink tokens and coasters and I already have some customer interest. But I'm not quite set on the finishing techniques yet. These were just dipped in a cherry stain after cutting. I'm thinking of trying a clear gloss sealer to the wood BEFORE engraving next time. I think they'd need a better finish for protection. Any ideas? The coasters are 1/4" poplar, 4" in diameter. The tokens are just 1/8" basswood 2 1/4" in diameter. For pricing... off the top of my head I'm thinking $1 each for the tokens and $10 each for the coasters. Does that sound in the ballpark? Is it worth the trouble? Anyone out there making these?

Paul

Paul, you might try putting a couple of coats of clear lacquer on the wood before you engrave it (front and back), then dip them in the stain. Just a thought. Here's how we do color fill on our wood products:

Color filling on wood products is easy, IF you do it right.

First and foremost, whatever you are engraving and want to color-fill MUST be finished first. We use one coat of sanding sealer and two (or three on occasion) costs of lacquer, sprayed.

Laser your object, and then wax it with a good-quality wax specified for wood floors. This will not only remove any burn flare, but will also seal the ends of the pores of the wood that have been "cut" by the laser.

Than use a good-quality acrylic paint and a soft brush (we use a battery-operated toothbrush that starts running when the brush is pressed). Scrub the paint into the lasered portion, and don't worry about getting it on the unlasered part--it will come off shortly. Let dry for a couple of minutes, until you start to see the sheen come off.

Using a DAMP rag, wipe off the excess paint, wiping ACROSS the grain (wiping with the grain will just pull the paint out). Don't worry about paint film and residue now - it will come off later.

Let dry for at least an hour, preferably longer. Then wax the object again with the floor wax. The wax will remove the paint residue and film and leave your object with a nice shiny finish.

Viola! You're done. Just don't try to stack objects that have been waxed until they are thoroughly dry (don't ask me how I know that).

We are using Liquitex Basics acrylics, available at Michaels and Hobby Lobby - lots of color choices. Word of warning: the reds and yellows seem to "muddy" when applied to lasered areas because you are applying them to the brown areas. Other paints might do better. We stick mostly with browns, blacks, and copper because the colors don't "change."
Good luck. It really isn't as hard as one might think - just a little time-consuming.



I think the prices on the tokens are fine; the coaster price seems a little high. You might do a calculation on how much they cost you to make (material + laser time) and do a 2.5 or 3X for your overhead and profit. You might find that you are overcharging a little for these. You can got a lot of 4" pieces from a sheet of not-so-expensive material, I think.

Nancy

[Paul Torrigino]

Wow thanks a LOT for the advice Nancy! I'll try it!
Paul

[Shaddy Dedmore]

For coasters, have you considered leather? Try http://www.springfieldleather.com/ and look under Cut Leather for the round shapes. There is more sizes that they cut, so either call for pricing or ask for a catalog. I used 3 3/4" because it was cheaper than 4" and didn't seem al that much smaller.

Then use an 1/8" MDF, acrylic or BB Ply sheet for a template (cut circles into it).

Nice job, your stuff looks great.

Shaddy

[Nancy Laird]

Just out of curiosity, has anyone tried to cut leather on a laser? How about rastering a design?

Nancy

[Brian Robison]

Hi Nancy,
Rastering works wonderful on leather. I've not had good luck vector cutting though. My laser is only 25watts so that may be the issue.
I thought I had a picture around here but it must be on my home computer.

[Frank Corker]

Nancy have a look through the past forum questions - there have been a few people who have posted stuff with leather work. I have done a fair amount myself and lighter colours engrave fantastic, dark tends to be dependent on the leather but all cut very nicely. PS it can stink a tad

[Karin Voorhis]

Very nice work there. Coaster are a great new addition!!!! Also the drink tokens are wonderful too.

Nancy: As Frank I too have cut leather and been fine with good results sorry no pics errrrr..... Just make sure you have a good exhust it stinks bad IMHO...

[Paul Torrigino]

I think leather is a great idea too. Where do you get it??

[Dave Jones]

Nancy, Just curious if you've tried doing a double paint fill, with a fill of white first before doing the red or yellow. I'm guessing that just like painting a house wall with white before using a light color, it might lighten up those colors to make them less muddy. I know the white won't look white, but am just thinking it would lighten the fill area a bit before filling with those colors.

[Rick Maitland]

Paul I think your signs are very creative. I like your choice of fonts too. The colors go together very well. Gives me ideas of my own. As for leather engraving and cutting we have done a fair amount of both. We did alot of trial and error with different types of leather. I have had leather that would not cut through no matter what power and speed at multiple passes. I dont know what type would not cut because we had only scrap pieces, but like Frank said the lighter brown colors due raster the best.

[Michael Kowalczyk]

Nancy, Just curious if you've tried doing a double paint fill, with a fill of white first before doing the red or yellow. I'm guessing that just like painting a house wall with white before using a light color, it might lighten up those colors to make them less muddy. I know the white won't look white, but am just thinking it would lighten the fill area a bit before filling with those colors.

Hey Dave,
Do you have a 2nd floor that you are able to climb out? 12' of snow WOW!!!. I can remember 4' back in the mid 70's, in Connecticut, school out for a few days, digging tunnels and making snow forts but 12' WOW you can make townhouses with that much snow.

Hope it doesn't hamper your business.

[Brian Robison]

My Mom only lives about 8 miles from Dave. Looks like they only got about a foot and a half yesterday.

[Nancy Laird]

Nancy, Just curious if you've tried doing a double paint fill, with a fill of white first before doing the red or yellow. I'm guessing that just like painting a house wall with white before using a light color, it might lighten up those colors to make them less muddy. I know the white won't look white, but am just thinking it would lighten the fill area a bit before filling with those colors.

Dave, I had not tried that, and the thought had never occurred to me. It will probably work - I'll give it a shot. Thanks for the suggestion.

Nancy

[Dave Jones]

Nancy, where I am we got about 2 feet of snow yesterday. It ranged from about 16" to 36" at different locations within about 50 miles of here.

The 12' of snow was further north, above Syracuse, NY and around Oswego and Parish (I'm in Owego as opposed to Oswego).

[Bill Cunningham]

Paul I think your signs are very creative. I like your choice of fonts too. The colors go together very well. Gives me ideas of my own. As for leather engraving and cutting we have done a fair amount of both. We did alot of trial and error with different types of leather. I have had leather that would not cut through no matter what power and speed at multiple passes. I dont know what type would not cut because we had only scrap pieces, but like Frank said the lighter brown colors due raster the best.

I have yet to find a leather that cuts nice.. I guess it's just the luck of the draw.. I wander into Tandy Leather evey so often and dig through the scrap bin for some interesting pieces, but generally for pieces to put photographs on.. Like Rick, all of the pieces I have tried, did not cut, even after multiple passes. Some are fairly thick (1/8") but I have not had any luck cutting thinner stuff either.. Photographs, particularly older photographs, usually come out nice in leather..The one below, is me. Taken about 25 years ago, in another life..My current occupation, is much warmer, and dryer..:D

[Frank Corker]

Nice pic Bill. Do you still have all that hair?

[Bill Cunningham]

HAAAA.. Yup still have the hair, only now it's grey.. Thats a Heliox 18 bandmask in the picture, and I could actually stuff all that hair into a Superlite Helmet.. :D :D :D

[Ray Rouleau]

Beautiful work Paul, wondering if you like to share the Coaster holder .CDR file. I've been trying to create my own with no luck.
Ray