How to Make a Project Larger Then Design Area With M1
IronClad Laser Co
11
610
0
Design Files
whited established.xcs
M1
Details
Comments
Remixes
Contents
Introduction
Basic Information
Instruction
Step1: creating the Design
Step2: Cutting and placement
Design Files
Wooden wedding Sign to commemorate a wedding. The sign is about 23in long and 11 inches high. There's a lot of different way to do this, one is a jig or like i chose for this project was to use registration marks on the image so it be lined up properly.
10 More images
Basic Information is loading...
Step 1: creating the Design
First step is to decide on how to do it. I chose to do it in two pieces, that's what I had to work with.
I first designed a smaller version that I could test fit and use as a proof making the final version.
Next I took the smaller version and just expanded it to the size I wanted on the first work space.
Next grouped all pieces and turned it the long way on the work space.
Opened a second work space.
On work space 1 moved image down to the predetermined point, selected all elements and copied them.
On work space 2 used Cntrl V to paste the image into work space.
Rotated all elements 180 degrees and moved all elements to predetermined point using registration marks that were made during initial design to keep all elements lined up and cut properly.
Once all those elements are arranged select all design elements, group, select group, select grouped elements subtract at overlap, all elements will turn into outlines, make a rectangle around the elements on the work space, using the registration marks to line up the rectangle, select grouped elements, hold shift, select rectangle, unite, unite at over lap. that will leave only the elements on the work space lined up and cut off at the registration marks. Do the same in work space one and two.
Step 2: Cutting and placement
3 More images
Setting 1
Process Method
Laser Cut
Process Material
3mm Basswood Plywood
Power(%) or Cut Pressure(g)
100
Speed(mm/s)
3
Pass
2
Setting 2
Process Method
Vector Laser Engrave
Process Material
3mm Basswood Plywood
Power(%) or Cut Pressure(g)
60
Speed(mm/s)
70
Lines per cm
200
Pass
1
Bitmap mode
Grayscale
Go to work space 1, take one piece of 12 x 12 bass wood and place in M1. Your registration mark is also the line you will put a single cut line in line with. I move my cut lines to green layer. I make those the first in layering. This cut line will be the line at the bottom of your honeycomb along the edge, so the bass wood will drop down into the honeycomb and lay flat.
This project uses 4 pieces of basswood.
2 will be used to cut letters and edging and two will be used as your base. I use scrap wood make the back side glue connections at the seam.
You can do which every you want first, cut lines or the engrave.
I do the cuts first, change from automatic to by layers before running, put your green bottom cut off layer first, then the next layer for the letters to be cut out.
I always make my engrave letters the light blue layer and the score letters my dark blue layer and my main cut lines the red layer.
Once all the letter have been cut, remove the letters and left over scrap wood, put in a new piece and run your green cut off line.
created a rectangle around the your outside frame of your elements.
Now change all your letters to engrave, set your rectangle to cut and engrave the new piece of basswood. You're doing a deep engrave so 60p/70s/200LPI should get a decent depth and run the cut for the triangle and that's the outside edge of your elements.
Go to workspace 2 and do the exact same procedures over again, take everything out and lay it down and if you followed your registration marks it will all line up.
The reason we engraved the bottom placement board was to get out placements perfect with no guess work. I used super glue to glue the pieces into the engraved spots. You're essentially creating a big puzzle.
I personally used scrap pieces on the back of the engraved basswood pieces and used Gorilla glue bond all and some pieces of black granite to glue the back strips on that create the connection between the two pieces. Leave it over night and let it bond and dry, flip it over and put my puzzle together. While it's drying I do the staining on the pieces and so on.
Good luck and you can down load my XCS file to get a better understanding and pick it apart to see the registration marks where the cut line is and give yourself an idea of different ways to create a project bigger than your M1 work space.
First step is to decide on how to do it. I chose to do it in two pieces, that's what I had to work with.
I first designed a smaller version that I could test fit and use as a proof making the final version.
Next I took the smaller version and just expanded it to the size I wanted on the first work space.
Next grouped all pieces and turned it the long way on the work space.
Opened a second work space.
On work space 1 moved image down to the predetermined point, selected all elements and copied them.
On work space 2 used Cntrl V to paste the image into work space.
Rotated all elements 180 degrees and moved all elements to predetermined point using registration marks that were made during initial design to keep all elements lined up and cut properly.
Once all those elements are arranged select all design elements, group, select group, select grouped elements subtract at overlap, all elements will turn into outlines, make a rectangle around the elements on the work space, using the registration marks to line up the rectangle, select grouped elements, hold shift, select rectangle, unite, unite at over lap. that will leave only the elements on the work space lined up and cut off at the registration marks. Do the same in work space one and two.
Go to work space 1, take one piece of 12 x 12 bass wood and place in M1. Your registration mark is also the line you will put a single cut line in line with. I move my cut lines to green layer. I make those the first in layering. This cut line will be the line at the bottom of your honeycomb along the edge, so the bass wood will drop down into the honeycomb and lay flat.
This project uses 4 pieces of basswood.
2 will be used to cut letters and edging and two will be used as your base. I use scrap wood make the back side glue connections at the seam.
You can do which every you want first, cut lines or the engrave.
I do the cuts first, change from automatic to by layers before running, put your green bottom cut off layer first, then the next layer for the letters to be cut out.
I always make my engrave letters the light blue layer and the score letters my dark blue layer and my main cut lines the red layer.
Once all the letter have been cut, remove the letters and left over scrap wood, put in a new piece and run your green cut off line.
created a rectangle around the your outside frame of your elements.
Now change all your letters to engrave, set your rectangle to cut and engrave the new piece of basswood. You're doing a deep engrave so 60p/70s/200LPI should get a decent depth and run the cut for the triangle and that's the outside edge of your elements.
Go to workspace 2 and do the exact same procedures over again, take everything out and lay it down and if you followed your registration marks it will all line up.
The reason we engraved the bottom placement board was to get out placements perfect with no guess work. I used super glue to glue the pieces into the engraved spots. You're essentially creating a big puzzle.
I personally used scrap pieces on the back of the engraved basswood pieces and used Gorilla glue bond all and some pieces of black granite to glue the back strips on that create the connection between the two pieces. Leave it over night and let it bond and dry, flip it over and put my puzzle together. While it's drying I do the staining on the pieces and so on.
Good luck and you can down load my XCS file to get a better understanding and pick it apart to see the registration marks where the cut line is and give yourself an idea of different ways to create a project bigger than your M1 work space.