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Thread: Newbie cutting Rowmark plastic

  1. #1

    Newbie cutting Rowmark plastic

    I am a newbie. Making name badges using Rowmark plastic. I am engraving the names first, then vector cutting the badges. I have some issues.
    First of all, there is a very slight ridge around the vector cut badge. Can't really see it, but you can feel it. Is there a way to cut without the ridge? It is especially noticable on the Textures plastic. I am using a Full Spectrum 40W laser. Settings are 70 power 14 speed.
    Another issue is cutting Flexibrass - slight ridge also. I get less ridge by cutting on the backside but the edge just doesn't seem "clean" enough. Settings for the Flexibrass are 40 power 50 speed.

    Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated.

  2. #2
    Suggestions:

    1: You need to mask the material before cutting, blue painters tape works okay, vinyl-transfer tape works better. You can also cut first using the Rowmark masking, but it really doesn't help all that much.

    2: instead of one cut pass, lower the power and increase the speed and make 4 or 5 passes to cut. The cut will be MUCH cleaner.

    3: Consider running the cut before engraving, and don't cut all the way thru. If you cut only 1/3 the way thru, you can easily and cleanly snap apart the badges from each other.

    4: spend the money on a plastic shear, and let the laser run one "groove" pass that the shear blades will follow.
    ========================================
    ELEVEN - rotary cutter tool machines
    FOUR - CO2 lasers
    THREE- make that FOUR now - fiber lasers
    ONE - vinyl cutter
    CASmate, Corel, Gravostyle


  3. #3
    I do a lot of name tags. the edge you are talking about is called "coin edge" and is generally there. On my machine that can be somewhat adjusted by changed the PPI but I've never totally fixed it. In my case it doesn't matter as I bevel the edges anyway. I engrave then cut and do not apply a mask.

    Making multiple passes in the cut mode might help but on thin material I just use one pass.
    Mike Null

    St. Louis Laser, Inc.

    Trotec Speedy 300, 80 watt
    Gravograph IS400
    Woodworking shop CLTT and Laser Sublimation
    Dye Sublimation
    CorelDraw X5, X7

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Sammamish, WA
    Posts
    7,630
    I have done a lot of name badges and other Rowmark signs for over 10 years and have never had that problem. I also mask with transfer tape before cutting to keep the inner color from bleeding onto the top, but cut cleanly in one pass at speed 20, power 40 and frequency 600 with 45 watts. My only issue has been with shiny silver on black and small text, have to run the engraving twice.



    Sammamish, WA

    Epilog Legend 24TT 45W, had a sign business for 17 years, now just doing laser work on the side.

    "One only needs two tools in life: WD-40 to make things go, and duct tape to make them stop." G. Weilacher

    "The handyman's secret weapon - Duct Tape" R. Green

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