Just another market

[James Stokes]

There are a lot of amature guitar makers around. For them to hand cut their frets and keep them exactly right is all most impossible. They allways get a little variation in their cuts. That is where a laser comes in. I cut the fret boards for them. And they are exact every time. I have a half dozen that I work with. I cut their fretboards, Their inlays, pockets and router templates. I do not make a lot from this market, a couple thousand a year. But it all adds up.
What other odd markets do you serve?

[Joe Pelonio]

There are a lot of amature guitar makers around. For them to hand cut their frets and keep them exactly right is all most impossible. They allways get a little variation in their cuts. That is where a laser comes in. I cut the fret boards for them. And they are exact every time. I have a half dozen that I work with. I cut their fretboards, Their inlays, pockets and router templates. I do not make a lot from this market, a couple thousand a year. But it all adds up.
What other odd markets do you serve?
I have done a few jobs for a local guitar maker too. He doesn't sell enough of them to make a lot, it's sort of a side business for him.

One interesting application I did was a design student at an art institute, cutting a variety of materials for models over several years (until she graduated).

[Pete Simmons]

Instrument Panels for Homebuilt Aircraft.

They know I can do the lettering but when they find out I can also cut all the holes they really like that.


As I was a homebuilder at one point so I have a soft spot for these. Consequently I do not make any $$ at it but I like to think I still have a hand in the Homebuilt Aircraft field.

[Skip Weiser]

Here's another market that may (or may not) generate some interest. There's a small business near me that does vacuum thermoforming and they make candy molds. They always gets requests for custom chocolate molds with a company logo and/or personalized text, basically a chocolate business card, and also molds for wedding receptions with the bride and groom's names and the wedding date.

I've made quite a few business card size and larger molds for them out of 3/8" thick MDF with the text and graphics raised about .050. He'll take the MDF and make one form from it, then he pours some type of casting epoxy into that to get a mold that will hold up to the heat from the hot plastic. The MDF starts to come apart if he forms it more than a couple of times.

He likes the MDF molds because it's porous and vacuum forms great. I like it because it's cheap and it lasers really well. Previously if they needed a custom mold, they would have to try to find a machine shop that would even do it, and not charge a fortune.

So, if any of you have any thermoforming businesses near you, you may be able to pick up a little work from them.

Skip

[Dave Lyda]

Speaking of candy, Hershey candy bars laser engrave real nice. Plus you can eat your mistakes!

[Dee Gallo]

Okay, Dave, I'll "bite" - what settings are you using to engrave chocolate? I want to try that!

By the way, I bought my first laser from a lady who used to engrave custom made soaps for a hotel chain. Boy was the laser hard to clean at first! But it smelled nice.

- dee

[Belinda Barfield]

Okay, Dave, I'll "bite" - what settings are you using to engrave chocolate? I want to try that!

By the way, I bought my first laser from a lady who used to engrave custom made soaps for a hotel chain. Boy was the laser hard to clean at first! But it smelled nice.

- dee

Dee,

Do you engrave soap? I have not had much success with soap and would appreciate any insight you can provide. I believe there was a thread on here last year about this very subject and a number of members were interested. Thanks!

[Dee Gallo]

Belinda,

No, I have not done any soap, but I will try to contact the lady who did... it's been over 3 years, so I hope she's still there. If I have any luck, I'll let you all know!

She did show me pictures, though, and they were pretty nice, deep carvings. Not super sharp, but clear letters and logos, etc.

- dee

ps- I couldn't find her email, so I've sent her a snail-mail...

[Dave Lyda]

Ok, Dee here goes. The chocolate bars were done on our 40 watt epilog at 300dpi - 50% speed - 80% power. Logos and lettering looked really nice on them. We were experimenting on alot of different things that day. Don't know if something like this could be profitable or not but it was fun to see the look on peoples faces when we gave them the candy bars.

[Dee Gallo]

Thanks, Dave! I'll try that!

Sounds like fun - dee

BTW- Belinda: there is a post from July 5, 2007 called "Engraving Soap" which I found in a forum search. Check it out!

[Roy Brewer]

There are a lot of amature guitar makers around. ... I cut the fret boards for them.James,
How about a picture of the cuts in the fret boards the next time you do one?

[Roy Brewer]

There's a small business near me that does vacuum thermoforming and they make candy molds.Skip,
How about a picture of one of those MDF molds the next time you run them?

[Mitchell Andrus]

Fig Newtons. No money, just for family and friends... but the kids like to see their names, pictures, etc. on them.

[Peter Meacham]

I engraved dog biscuits with the next door neighbor's dog’s name - they were really surprised and pleased – I had to eat the mistakes – they were not too bad – oh, excuse me, I have to go find a hydrant

[Skip Weiser]

Skip,
How about a picture of one of those MDF molds the next time you run them?

Here's one that was done with 1/4" MDF. I didn't perimeter cut this one. As I was doing it the guy called and said he would prefer 3/8", so I stopped.

I used to do these on my router before I got the laser.

Thanks,
Skip