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Thread: Beveled edge - Acrylic/Plastic

  1. #1

    Beveled edge - Acrylic/Plastic

    Has anyone experimented wil making beveled edges in this material? It does not have to be perfect clean and cane even be several "steps".

    The application I am thinking of is a warranty tag used in pick-up truck beds when they do spray in bed liners. I will try to post a pic.
    VLS 4.60 50 watt w/rotary, Corel X3/X4, Photoshop CS4, Photoshop Elements 7, Windows XP SP3 upgraded from Windows Vista.

    Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out screaming "WOO HOO, WHAT A RIDE !!"

  2. #2
    It's pretty easy to build a fixture to hold stock at an angle on the bed/cutting table. The problem (of course) is that you can only cut one edge at a time. You also have to be careful that overhangs don't interfere with the flying optics. You may be able to minimize the tedium a bit by cutting multiples and engraving in a separate step, but in the long run it's probably easier to cut the bevels on a tablesaw or chopsaw and flame polishing before engraving. You'll also probably have less waste as you can use the top and bottom of the stock. I guess you could rough them out on a saw and use the laser to finish them, but this seems redundant to just cutting and polishing.

    Otherwise your looking at a 4 or 5 axis laser which gets into BIG money.

    You might be better off subbing out the bevel cutting to somebody with a 5 axis and doing the engraving yourself.

    -kg

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Kevin Groenke View Post
    It's pretty easy to build a fixture to hold stock at an angle on the bed/cutting table. The problem (of course) is that you can only cut one edge at a time. You also have to be careful that overhangs don't interfere with the flying optics.
    Just a thought, make the fixture to hold the part upside down so that the highest part is the cut line.
    Dave J
    Forums: Where all too often, logic is the first casualty.

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Johnson29 View Post
    Just a thought, make the fixture to hold the part upside down so that the highest part is the cut line.

    Yeah, that's exactly what I meant. I guess I'm just warning that you need to watch the z position if you're switching between flat and bevel cuts or beveling rectangles on their long and short edges. I can imagine if I were making a bunch of parts, I might forget to drop the table at some point and run the lens box into the workpiece.

  5. #5
    I have cut bevels on acrylic with the laser by making a fixture to hold the part at an angle, but I don't really know if it is practicable for production. I think it would be tedious and time consuming to bevel one edge at a time.

    If your job is large enough I'd be more inclined to set up a router, or else build a machine (or adapt an existing machine) to do the beveling. Find out about suitable speeds/feeds/cutting tools before you commit to something.

    Theoretically you can bevel or make steps using raster but I don't think you want to go there.

  6. #6
    You can alleviate the risk of crashes by using a longer focal length lens. Also, on some lasers, you can remove the nose cone and replace it with a flat plate with a small hole in it to give more clearance. Not sure if this applies to your laser.

  7. #7
    I do id plates for large log hauling trailers using anodized aluminum.
    Mike Null

    St. Louis Laser, Inc.

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

  8. #8
    The issue is it is an oval, so an angle fixture will not work.
    VLS 4.60 50 watt w/rotary, Corel X3/X4, Photoshop CS4, Photoshop Elements 7, Windows XP SP3 upgraded from Windows Vista.

    Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out screaming "WOO HOO, WHAT A RIDE !!"

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Punta Gorda, Florida
    Posts
    329
    I have a beveler but, have also used a table top router and a dremel with a router attachment.
    EPILOG LEGEND 32 60 WATT, CORELDRAWX5, PhotoGraV2.11, strip heater, PUNTA GORDA, FLORIDA

  10. #10
    I've done it, as stated its OK for one offs, but too much of a set up PiTA for production work. You can only do one bevel at a time, straight lines only, and only on one axis. A router table is much more efficient.

    Dave
    Epilog 35 W 12x24
    Adobe Illustrator
    Dell PC

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Spokane, WA
    Posts
    230
    I agree with others about using a router instead. As much as I wanted to use the laser for everything, it really comes down to using the right tool for the job.
    __________________________________
    ULS X-660, 60Watt, Corel X3, Photograv

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