Puzzled by a puzzle

[Angus Hines]

I'm getting ready to cut a very large puzzle 30x18 (2850 pcs.). And I got all set up and ready.

Then the light bulb came on...*the pieces are going to fall down into the cutting table*

I really don't want to put this puzzle together....LOL.

So any ideas from you guys on this would be greatfuly helpful????

~Angus

the pins on my table are .75 tall spaced at 1.0

[Debra Thayer]

I had the same problem, I used wax paper under, worked like a charm!

Debbie

[Dave Fifield]

...or leave a super thin bridge of material (~ 2 mil) uncut between each piece, so it all stays together in the laser, but pulls apart fairly easily when you want to box it up.

I use this technique with many of my tiny pieces of wood veneer for my laser marquetry....it's a real pain having to go find them in the bottom of the laser.

Dave F.

[Joe Pelonio]

Any sacrificial material will work for that, depending on your puzzle material though you could get some flashback that will discolor on the underside, if that matters.

When done you can apply transfer tape to remove it all in one piece.

[Mitchell Andrus]

Dave, I use stainless steel screen. About like household stuff, but the stainless is less prone to melting like aluminum. I know... lasers don't cut aluminum, but sometimes hot outgasses do.

Try McMaster... worth the $

[Angus Hines]

Thanks guys,

it's 1/4 clear acrylic (without a photo or any recognizable features it ought to be fun) so I think I might be best with the ss. screen and transfer tape

[Mike Hood]

I have a similar problem with smaller parts that I cut for a local UAV manufacturer. I need to hand him full sheets of parts, with minimal effort for getting them out. I ended up leaving .0015" tabs (using Corels eraser tool) spaced to hold the parts in the sheet. They're delicate, but I slide them out in full sheets.

The same would work well for a puzzle. I tried SS screen as well, but I was left with loose pieces. Bad news for a puzzle that you don't want to have to assemble I'd guess. :D