Vector Pin Table

[Ricky Gore]

I was thinking of making my own Vector Pin Table. Has anyone else done this? I was thinking of using tthe laser to cut holes in wood and using small dowels for the pins. Does anyone else have other ideas or experience?

Thanks,
Ricky

[Brian Robison]

What are you cutting Ricky?

[Ricky Gore]

When I'm cutting intricate designs in acrylic, I don't like to leave the backing on because it takes so long to weed. (Snow flakes etc..) But, if I take it off I get that resin / cloudy stuff on the bottom when cutting and I have to clean it off. I was thinking a pin table might allow me to cut without the paper backing and reduce the mess.

Thanks,
Ricky

[Gregg Vaughn]

I got my Epilog salemann to throw one 12"x12" section of a vector pin table in with my Helix. The table that Epilog makes is a very substantial, almost over-built (rare these days) fixture. It works well, but I think a lighter table would be easier to use and store. I would think one could easily duplicate the design out of acrylic, cut the holes with your laser and use roll pins, nails or the like for the pins. Having a elevated rail or guide to square your material would be nice.

[Ricky Gore]

Roll Pins and Acrylic sound like a good idea. Can you tell me approximately how far apart the pins are on the Epilog table?

[Brian Robison]

Look at an acrylic vector table from Mike Null.

[Gregg Vaughn]

Ricky ..... I'm at my day job, I'll measure them when I get home. I'm going to guess they are about on a 1" grid.

[Mike Hood]

Mine are in a 1" grid (Explorer). I paid WAY too much for what is essentially a 1/2" sheet of aluminum with a bunch of roll pins inserted. Spend some time at a drill press and you'll save yourself hundreds of dollars.

[Bill Morrison]

I didn't even know they had elevated pin tables until I read this thread but I did an array in Corel and used a scrap piece of acrylic to hold some acylic rods I bought. I just made a saw cut in plywood to hold the rod then drew lines an inch apart and had the laser cut them. My wife didn't really care for what it was for but she thought the light shining through the blue, green and orange rods were neat.

BIll Morrison

[Mike Hood]

I cut a lot of dinky little parts... a pin table is much easier than a honeycomb style to find the little bits later...

[Gregg Vaughn]

Ricky, Epilog is a 1" grid as well

[Ryan Sprole]

The big trick is to have Anodized aluminum underneath to absorb the laser after it has passed through the acrylic. (the pin table is made from anodised) So what you want to do is set a sheet of black anodised aluminum on the engraving bed. Than elevate you acrylic above the table. I say use baby toy blocks or whatever scrap you got to make an even rise in all 4 corners of your acrylic. Then vector cut the acrylic and let it drop out. wala than you have a nice clean cut with no pin table.

[Ricky Gore]

Some very good suggestions. I'll let you know what I decide on.

[Bob Cole]

This is a good topic. I have the vector grid and it drives me nuts when doing acrylic when the laser goes over part of the grid and reflects back on the acrylic. Thought a pin table would work better.

I would think it wouldn't matter how far apart the pins/dowels are as long as they were close enough or far enough not to be in the cut line. Removable pins would be great with holes close together so you can place the pins in any configuration.

What would work best for depth of the pins? Would it be better to make it shallow (1/2 inch or 1") or deeper?

[Mike Null]

If you're getting bounce-back off the grid try using 1/4"-1/2" acrylic or wood stand offs between the grid and the work.

If you're going to build your own pin table make the pins 1" long rather than 1/2". You can still get some bounce back off the table at 1/2" and make the table of an absorbent material--wood or plastic. Anodized alum. will work for a while but it will burn off and begin reflecting--less likely if your pin length is sufficient.

The extra air space is also important to aid in exhausting the contaminated air from under the work on rear venting machines.