| HOME | CONTACT | INFORMATION | LINKS |
INFORMATION PAGE |
|||
| Q: Can the laser cut metal? | A: No. The laser we have is an Epilog
C02 type which means that the beam will bounce harmlessly off most
metal surfaces without cutting or marking the metal.
|
||
| Q: Can the laser mark metal? | A: Yes. If the item is made from
anodized aluminum such as a flashlight, MP3 player, or other similar
items we can change the properties of the colored surface which turns
it white or a very light color. Many different anodized items can be
marked with very good results.
Other metals such as stainless steel, nickel, and some others require a special compound called Thermark which is a ceramic substrate that is fused to the metal surface and turns very dark grey or black depending on the surface. This product will result in slightly higher prices to cover the additional costs of the material. |
||
| Q: What about organic materials like wood or leather items? Can anything be done with them? | A: Yes. Wood and leather are excellent
candidates for laser cutting and engraving. The laser we have can cut
leather up to about 1/8 inch thick into very precise sizes and shapes.
It will also darken the leather to produce designs, engrave with text,
etc.
Depending on the type of wood we can cut, engrave, and even do inlay designs. Veneer can be cut to shape, and then the laser can create a hollow area that the veneer fits into very well. You can create very complex designs that way. áWe can cut most hardwoods up to 1/4 inch thick. Cutting wood that thick is a slower process and will likely be more expensive than just engraving, but if complex designs are needed it is an excellent way to create small parts. |
||
| Q: What can you do with plastic? | A: We
can cut most plastics with the exception of PVC because it creates
chlorine gas if exposed to heat. Acrylic items can be cut up to 3/8
inch thick, we have also cut and shaped 1/2 inch acrylic rod stock. Lexan (polycarbonate) can also be cut, it will have a slightly blackened edge and our maximum thickness is 1/8 inch for this material. As for other plastics, we are willing to work with you to try them and evaluate our ability to work with you. |
||
| Q: How large of an item can you work with? | A: The Epilog laser has a bed size of 12 inches by 24 inches and can take an item up to about 5 inches thick. In some cases I can remove the laser bed and fit an additional inch or so of thickness, but we would need to test the item to be sure. | ||
| Q: I saw some glassware that was round and engraved, how did you do that? | A:
We have a rotary attachment that allows us to place a round object on
it and engrave all the way around in most cases. Some unusual glassware
may not be engravable across the entire surface, but we are more than
happy to discuss this with you. Did you know we can even engrave a wine bottle that is still full? It's true... only the upper 1/1000 inch of the glass is affected so you can present an unopened engraved bottle at your next special event. |
||
| Q: Can you engrave meat? | A: Yes... but never again... stinky! | ||
| Q: I am a model maker... can you do anything with balsa wood ? | A: Yes. We have created custom model
kits from balsa which were ready to pop out and assemble complete with
labels and markings. The trick is that when the parts are designed we
leave a tiny gap in the cutout lines so they are held in place... but
just barely. They come out just great!
|
||