Laser Cutting and Engraving

[TandKHunting]

We purchased a laser cutting machine at the beginning of the year. When it's not cutting fabrics, plastics, foam, etc for our gear...it sits idle. I'm trying to think of creative things to do with it.

It can laser engrave wood, leather, acrylics, marble, etc. What kind of custom type stuff intrigues you guys that may be done on a laser?

 

[Touchdown88]

I have an xtool machine and I do a lot of tumblers.

 

[Ferrulewax]

If I had a laser engraver (almost) everything I own would be getting engraved with my name and phone number. I’m too good at losing stuff.

 

[dirtytough]

If it engraves metal you could engrave F1’s for people.

 

[Dos Perros]

Which machine did you get?

 

[TandKHunting]

Which machine did you get?

Its a Kern Laser EcoFlex 150. It's an industrial laser. Not cheap, but Made in the USA (Minnesota).

 

[TandKHunting]

If it engraves metal you could engrave F1’s for people.

Unfortunately, I can't do metal on this machine.

 

[ODB]

Hmm

Are you saying you can use the laser to cut materials in the same way some places use a die cutter? How clean is a cut on leather?

Are you able to import a customer-created file to create the templates? Like Illustrator, etc?

 

[Dos Perros]

Hmm

Are you saying you can use the laser to cut materials in the same way some places use a die cutter? How clean is a cut on leather?

Are you able to import a customer-created file to create the templates? Like Illustrator, etc?

I've cut on a 100W laser, and it cuts something like 1/8" particle board with a very clean and smooth edge. I would guess leather would be similar. And yes you can import .ai's and other vector files to cut. My local Makerspace has one I use often.

The panels on Exo's K4, on the hip belt and shoulder straps, I assume are "Hank," cut on a laser cutter to yield a sealed edge.

 

[TandKHunting]

Hmm

Are you saying you can use the laser to cut materials in the same way some places use a die cutter? How clean is a cut on leather?

Are you able to import a customer-created file to create the templates? Like Illustrator, etc?

Yes, we can do all of that. We manufacture nylon hunting gear, so all of our components within a product are cut with the laser. For PALS, like the backpack picture above, we laser cut B52 Squadron. I can actually cut through 1/8" HDPE without a problem. I could probably cut through much thicker stuff if I needed to.