What is the best/easiest way to setup small items such as keychains

[Lisabeth Shaffer]

to engrave many at one time? I think I read somewhere (here?) that the person cut out place holders on acrylic in one large sheet (I have 24x12). Does any one have any other ideas? I would like to be able to just put them on the laser bed and maybe check one or two, but then know that the rest are lined up correctly. I think that makes sense.

Lisabeth

[Mike Troncalli]

You have a couple of options. Create a grid file and engrave in in a 1/8" piece of material that you set in the bottom of your machine. Make sure it is set where you can place it in the exact same spot every time. Once that is done, you can use that file as a base to add your engraved items. I go with the cut out place holders myself except I use 1/8" foam board. Cheap, easy to cut out...

[Dee Gallo]

I like to make a template from either cardboard or hardboard (masonite) if I have a lot of repetition to do. I file them for future use and it is easy to use the same document setup too, just changing small details if needed, like personalization or whatever. Place your cut lines on their own layer and after you make the template, lock out the printing option so it won't bother your engraving, but will be there in case you need to make another template later. Write the name of the document on the template, along with settings to make things easy next time. Most times I save the settings in the driver too.

[Chuck Stone]

^^^ What Dee said. That's exactly what I do for keychains. Save the file with the cut lines,
make the cutouts in cardboard or whatever else is handy and cheap. Write the file name
on the template.

[Kev Williams]

Cardboard for me. I measure the piece I need to do, test cut it in cardboard, if it fits, then I do full-on matrix, leaving enough space between parts so the template is re-useable. The nice thing is, since the laser cuts the holes for the pieces, you KNOW the engraving ON the pieces will be where it should be.

[Mike Null]

What Dee said but I use mdf.

[Lisabeth Shaffer]

What Dee said but I use mdf.

what is mdf?


Thank you all for your responses. I have a lot of chipboard that I'm not using for anything else.

[Mike Null]

MDF is medium density fiberboard available from HD and Lowe's. It engraves nicely and is durable as long as you don't get it wet. I use 1/2" thick material.

[Ivan Pavletic]

You can use what ever you have a stock pile, cardboard, MDF, Acrylic... I also use MDF, for pencils, bottles, flashlights.... . For bottles i use "X" type modul. sometimes I use double sticky tape for items that are not flat so they don't move during engraving.