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Thread: Laser cutting inlays

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
    Location
    N.E.Ohio
    Posts
    51

    Laser cutting inlays

    Ok guys, since I don't have my laser yet to play with I have to live vicariously through you all. One of the things I want to do is some inlay work with wood.

    1. When I am designing a piece for an inlay do I use the same vector for the cut of the inlay piece as I do for the relief cut? Trying to understand the relation of the albeit very small kerf from the laser to get a clean tight fit.
    2. For the relief cut, do you just raster engrave it out of do a cut on the perimeter and chisel it out? My ut tells me you chisel it out.
    Mike
    ----------------
    Experience: Something you get just after you needed it.

  2. #2
    Chisel? Nah, raster out the relief, but plan on a learning curve for the depth. Suggestion- learn to do dithered photo engraving, and so this when hogging out the relief, the dithering will result in a smoother bottom. If the inlay can tolerate sanding, then a little deep is okay as you can sand it flush after.

    Sometimes I compensate for kerf by .004". Offset only ONE of the layouts, dealer choice, you can outline the male or inline the female. Remember when outlining to cut your compensation in half, so if you're adding .004" for kerf your inline/outline distance will be .002". However, you may find no compensation works. More learning curve as it all depends on YOUR machine.
    ========================================
    ELEVEN - rotary cutter tool machines
    FOUR - CO2 lasers
    THREE- make that FOUR now - fiber lasers
    ONE - vinyl cutter
    CASmate, Corel, Gravostyle


  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
    Location
    N.E.Ohio
    Posts
    51
    Yea, the depth part had me a bit confused since there is no 'depth' setting on a beam of light.
    Mike
    ----------------
    Experience: Something you get just after you needed it.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Hayes, Virginia
    Posts
    14,760
    You adjust your speed and power settings and test them on your material until you get the necessary depth. I have settings for Corian that will consistently provide a depth of 0.034" for ADA signs but Corian is an engineered material. Wood will vary from one species to another and most of the time one board to another.

  5. #5
    The density of wood varies all over the place the densest being the knots and grain lines. For the negative you will not get a flat bottom with laser raster. On the grain lines and knots you will have less material taken off than the other areas. You could over raster and fill with wood filler and glue. One other way is to use two veneers one for positive and other for negative and glue that on the work piece.

    Kim
    Epilog Legend 24TT

  6. #6
    It's not complicated. Raster the area for the inlay. The adhesive can solve most depth problems. Cut out the inlays from the back side.

    On the chisel---certain woods raster unevenly and a small chisel handled carefully, can remove the unevenness easily. Those woods are generally of the coniferous variety.

    walnut inlay.jpgabalone 2.jpg
    Last edited by Mike Null; 09-22-2017 at 9:01 AM.
    Mike Null

    St. Louis Laser, Inc.

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

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Tennessee
    Posts
    145
    George Perzel showed me one way to inlay (post on here telling how). You just raster the base, reverse raster the fill, glue them together and sand off the fill piece. Attached is a piece I made for myself. Got a bit too aggressive with the sander near the bottom edge but I did it again and it turned out well. Don't know what happened to the "good" one....it's here somewhere!

    Walnut and maple I think it is:
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Hobby Laser - 1800 X 1300 dual tube Shenhui (100 and 80W)

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
    Location
    N.E.Ohio
    Posts
    51
    Nice work guys! I am looking forward to trying this.
    Mike
    ----------------
    Experience: Something you get just after you needed it.

  9. #9
    Great responses - great idea to reverse and cut the inlay material from the back - never thought of that, because the laser kerf is about a 2 degree "V", and you want the draft for fitting tight. When I inlayed the neck of this guitar, I cut the the mortices in the maple with the original cut file, vector cutting the inlay cavity perimeter, then enlarged the same file manually by about .006" before lasering out the dichroic inlay material, and only needed slight sanding for fit.
    Vectoring the outline in maple is exactly as Mike says - test scrap first to measure depth, then cut away - so fast to test, that all seasoned laser users pretty much always throw a test pc in the bed prior to real cutting.
    The laser cut cavities routed out real fast - like in fifteen minutes to do the whole fingerboard because once the router got near the lasered edge the scrap popped out, and I never once went beyond the line.
    GoldBurlInlay.JPG.477a004fb9b02b598ac0502ea91e7c26.JPG
    QuiltSilver-Boro-Headstock.jpg
    john.blazy_dichrolam_llc
    Delta Unisaw, Rabbit QX-80-1290 80W Laser, 5 x 12 ft laminating ovens, Powermax 22/44, Accuspray guns, Covington diamond lap and the usual assortment of cool toys / tools.

  10. #10
    Very nice work John.

    BTW, the dichroic inlay material is of John's making and it's for sale. I have some beautiful pieces. Just contact him by PM.
    Mike Null

    St. Louis Laser, Inc.

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

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Null View Post
    Very nice work John.

    BTW, the dichroic inlay material is of John's making and it's for sale. I have some beautiful pieces. Just contact him by PM.
    Thanks, Mike! I can't help but continue to invent (at great expense), and recently put unidirectional carbon fiber into my "quilt" mold and ended up with the world's first 6A grade quilted carbon fiber. Too bad it doesn't laser, but it CNC mills great, glues to wood with Titebond, and has same expansion/contraction as wood (zero longitudinally, but allows movement cross grain, or stays put when laminated to plywood). Once I get some capital, I will likely offer sheets for Creekers to use and maybe offer a design contest.
    CFQ-Vert-test-shot.JPG.e6eddb5f188bedb8bfdd80eebd3ec7b6.JPGCF-quilt-veneer-edge-clsp.JPG.bb8be02c339779c95c30e7825e88a841.jpgCF-quilt-Face-sprayshot.jpg
    john.blazy_dichrolam_llc
    Delta Unisaw, Rabbit QX-80-1290 80W Laser, 5 x 12 ft laminating ovens, Powermax 22/44, Accuspray guns, Covington diamond lap and the usual assortment of cool toys / tools.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Sun City West AZ
    Posts
    132
    Nice material!
    GARY ROBERTS
    ShopBot Desk Top
    Full Spectrum 60 Watt Pro

  13. #13
    John is that rarity that can be described as a "piece of work" in a GOOD way -

    His creations are nothing less than extraordinary
    ========================================
    ELEVEN - rotary cutter tool machines
    FOUR - CO2 lasers
    THREE- make that FOUR now - fiber lasers
    ONE - vinyl cutter
    CASmate, Corel, Gravostyle


  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Kev Williams View Post
    John is that rarity that can be described as a "piece of work" in a GOOD way -

    His creations are nothing less than extraordinary
    Thanks Kev! Stay tuned, because once I come up with the $5K minimum order, I will be laminating gold Aramid fiber (Kevlar), which I believe can be laser cut (Laser just bounces off the carbon fiber). Imagine the quilt pattern in gold. Much higher chatoyance than real quilted maple. So as not to hijack further - go to my thread under musical instruments - http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...t-Guitar/page2 and you will see other laserable laminations I've done recently. My favorite so far is my wave textures backed in mirror PET, which both reflects AND sends back the transmitted colors. Perfect for awards, trophies, etc. Then it can be laser engraved right through the AR coating, then paint filled, and when paint filled, the letters reflect off the backing as well. Easily solvent wipe the lacquer off the face - no solvent nor abrasives scratch the surface.
    ShortWave-Jupiter80.jpg
    john.blazy_dichrolam_llc
    Delta Unisaw, Rabbit QX-80-1290 80W Laser, 5 x 12 ft laminating ovens, Powermax 22/44, Accuspray guns, Covington diamond lap and the usual assortment of cool toys / tools.

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