Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- lasercutter_tips_and_tricks [2020-01-14 17:24] – [Techniques] MirZa
+++ lasercutter_tips_and_tricks [2024-08-26 20:24] (current) – [Resources / Project Ideas] danshearer
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 Page for useful/cool things to do with the laser cutter for new and experienced users
+===== Resources / Project Ideas =====
+  * [[https://www.thingiverse.com/tag:lasercut|Designs for laser cutting on Thingiverse]]
+  * [[https://www.reddit.com/r/lasercutting/top/?t=all|/r/LaserCutting on Reddit]]
+  * [[https://www.makercase.com/#/ | Makercase]], for creating boxes, including with organiser dividers
 ===== Material tips =====
@@ Line 83: / Line 88: @@
   * Steps:
   * Dither an image in Gimp or this online tool https://29a.ch/ditherlicious/
-  * use Gimp or ms paint to convert the image to a monochrome bitmap
+  * use Gimp or ms paint to convert the image to a monochrome bitmap, alternatively imagemagick using: **magick.exe in.png -monochrome -alpha off out.png** (Windows) or **convert in.png -monochrome -alpha off out.png** (Linux)
   * open the image in LaserCut and scale it so one pixel corresponds to one line of the laser engrave (the height of the image in mm should equal the height of the image in pixels multiplied by the scan gap)
   * You can preview the output by clicking on "Laser" -> "Simulate"
@@ Line 94: / Line 99: @@
 **Painting**
-  * Paint can be rubbed into etched areas in acrylic, then cleaned up with a wet cloth: https://youtu.be/Vl41zsCRWI4
+  * Paint can be rubbed into etched areas in acrylic (with sponge or cloth), then cleaned up with a wet cloth
   * Same can be done for wood: https://youtu.be/9WNd82-K09E
   * Multiple colours can be done with repeated spray painting and engraving the reverse side of clear acrylic https://youtu.be/SxNQgyL0dXY
 **Double sided engraving**
-  * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWMgsjQtyd4
+  * Cut and engrave your object and a mirror image of it next to it at the same time
-  * Cut and engrave your object and a mirror image of it at the same time
   * Switch the 2 copies around
   * run the engrave again
@@ Line 123: / Line 127: @@
   * This will require some trial and error
   * Costa has experience with this
+  * Another method is to engrave from [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQXuzTTf2QE|both sides of the material]], using a jig to make sure the two cuts are aligned
 **Hatching**
@@ Line 133: / Line 139: @@
   * Costa has made a nice jig for bending acrylic at precise angles, consisting of nichrome wire, 2 board boards and a hinge https://www.instructables.com/id/Acrylic-Bending-Tool/
   * This can also be done on the laser, using an out of focus beam or with the lens removed https://a-e-mag.com/features/try-bending-acrylic-laser
+  * Another cool example of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arjRtCjI9AQ
 ===== Design =====
 **Removing duplicate lines**
@@ Line 140: / Line 147: @@
 **Kerf correction**
+Example of this in action (slope may be different for different materials and settings) in figure below:
 {{https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jetro_Pocorni/publication/287815638/figure/fig4/AS:309555671126016@1450815231017/Kerf-width-data-for-aluminum-plate-cut-with-a-6-kW-CO-2-Laser-over-a-range.png}}
+  * Pattern for testing out different tolerances for tight fitting finger joints: [[https://www.festi.info/boxes.py/BurnTest?language=en]]
   * Good explanation: http://archive.fabacademy.org/2018/labs/fablabsiena/students/giuseppe-allocca/laser%20cutting.html
   * The laser cutter has something called “kerf”, if you send a 1cm square to the laser, the part will come out slightly smaller (~9.8mm)
-  * This difference is about 0.1mm, so paths need to be offset by 0.1mm to compensate for this.
+  * This difference is about 0.1mm, so paths need to be offset by 0.1mm to compensate for this using the offset tool in Lasercut 5.3
   * Fusion 360 has a plugin which does kerf correction automatically: [[https://apps.autodesk.com/FUSION/en/Detail/Index?id=7634902334100976871&os=Win64&appLang=en|link]]
   * This should also be possible with the “offset path” tool in any vector editing software like Inkscape or AI
@@ Line 155: / Line 165: @@
   * [[https://github.com/DiatomStudio/Piccolo/wiki/Piccolo-Assembly-Instructions|Piccolo assembly]]  – “Draft angle on the laser-cut edges”
   * [[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/286652510_Laser-cutting_Pneumatics/figures|Lasercut pneumatics]] – Fig. 4
+**General Laser cutter inaccuracies**
+  * https://youtu.be/sEUol9R1OhQ
 ===== Material sourcing =====