💡Creating slots & tabs in Lightburn, from scratch, THE EASY WAY!

[@azurehydra]

Genius! You are the absolute GOAT for laser related content. Catch some much needed rest though. Be well.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thanks, will do!

[@davidtuescher640]

I"ve only been using a laser engraver and lightburn about 4 months. I can easily say your videos have been the best. Keep up the great work! Get well!

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Awesome! 👍 Thanks for watching!

[@catfisherboy]

Hi Rich, praying for your good health, thanks for all your effort, for the community

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thanks so much! 👍

[@darrylwhitman8475]

thank you for your time making these videos . wife an I are truly noobs here with are Falcon 2 20watt laser , keep making the videos .

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Glad you like them Darryl!

[@sumanchowdhury5547]

SIr,would be great if would make a video on how to resize a file (both thickness wise and size wise)brought online.Thank you🙏

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Unless you bought from my online laser graphics store, you got regular graphics not designed for a laser. Fixing Etsy files is always a nightmare.

[@joeduncan7678]

I still come back to this video after a few years. I can make everything work until it comes to the 542 segment. I don't see to make it automatically to center. Great video, you are the best teacher for all the years I been doing laser, (which is only 4 years)

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Go to the Gear icon Joe, Units and Grids tab --> Grid Snap Distance. I have mine set to 1.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

*This is the easiest way I have found to do tabs & slots. I haven't seen anyone else use this method.*

[@GokouZWAR]

I did this for a display about 3 weeks ago and it worked pretty good but I had a bit too much gap so it didn’t grip perfectly but I did a .03 slot and .00 tab. And my tab wasn’t quite the right depth but I was ok with that because it was under the full depth of the wood I was using.

[@angelamorales2944]

First and foremost, praying for good health and clearance from the doc for you! Thank you so much for making this lightburn journey so enjoyable! It’s still not second nature, but I am feeling a lot more comfortable, thanks to your videos!

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thanks! All cleared and ready for takeoff! 👍

[@ianelliott940]

Thanks for everything Rich. Hope you get sorted health wise and are back to full health very soon.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thanks so much Ian!

[@patnelson5436]

Your are just to good. I spent 5 hours yesterday and never got anywhere until finding this video. Thanks a million.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Glad I could help Pat!

[@YYRL-m5o]

Just what I needed to learn. Thanks fella. Get well!

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thanks, you too!

[@FaithEngravedWoodworking]

Rich, I want to thank you for what you do. I can actually use the laser I just bought thanks to your lightburn tutorials. You’ve been a huge blessing. God Bless you and keep up the good work.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Glad to help!

[@DaveFisherLSAeronaut]

Another common sense video by making the complex simple. Thanks Rich.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Glad you liked it!

[@wizard1963uk]

Fantastic .get well soon

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thanks so much for the support Wizard! 👍

[@RobSandstromDesigns]

Just watched again to refresh my knowledge and try to make sure I am using the most efficient way to make slots and tabs. Great having these references.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Your videos rock Rob, keep it up!

[@ericeinsmann5559]

Rich, stay safe from Hurricane Idalia! I imagine unless you live in very eastern Louisiana, you might not even get rain, but with hurricanes, you never know! We're in central Florida, so we should be ok

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

I am in South East LA, but rain is normal for us here! We've had some major storms in the last 2 days, but we needed it Eric! After a month of triple digit temps and not a cloud in the sky, it's a huge relief!

[@DWIT3D]

Great little tutorial Rich. Hope you get better soon. Thanks for all you do!

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thank you, I'm working on it! Heading to the Heart Clinic right now!

[@CliffHarveyRCPlanes]

Thanks Rich, new to all this but you make it look so simple, get healthy, cheers 👍

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate it! 👍

[@kurtparr9037]

Another great video from you. I always get a wow experience when I watch your videos. ;-) Keep up the good work.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thank you so much Kurt!🙏

[@philipershler420]

Rich, thanks for a great walkthrough. We’re all pulling for you and hope things resolve soon.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Much appreciated!

[@grahamwhitehead5629]

looked at a few people explaining this, but yours was the most understandable, thanks you, and hope your getting better :)

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Awesome! 👍 Thanks for watching Graham!

[@TCLaser45]

Get well soon 🙏

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thanks TC, I'm trying!

[@patpliley5535]

Thank you for your time, Easy to under stand. Here's to Good Health for you.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thank you so much @patpliley5535! I really appreciate it! 👍

[@stevespringer8385]

Another excellent instructional Rich. What would be really helpful would be a demo on how to evenly space the tabs and slots along the box side when adding multiples on each side. Thanks Rich

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Well Steve, that's what the Visual Grid Spacing and Snap distance was for! With a little simple math, you can setup your own divisible by the size and amount of tabs you want. I'll do a follow up doing an entire box soon, but this was simply the basics.

[@stevespringer8385]

@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy I was thinking more along the lines of the array tool. I thought there was a way to select all objects along a line and have them equally spaced along the line with a click of the mouse - no math involved.

[@Essentialvideophoto]

Hello Rich. It's great to see you again and doing well. I've missed you all on Saturday, my hours are not favourable for staying and watching you guys performing arts. I love this video , just what I need to learn. Every video of yours is full of great tips and very informative. Thank you for doing it even though you are on a doctor watch list. Stay well Sir, we need you.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thanks a lot! You can always watch the replay on the Laser Makers Realm!

[@mrnorthpole67]

Great Video ! Thank You for YOUR time to make the video and Please get well.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thank you, I will! 👍

[@Edwinpbennett]

Hi Rich sorry did not realise you were suffering too. Here’s to feeling better. I fully understand your regime as we discussed before. Keep smiling lots love from the UK

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thank you so much @Edwinpbennett! I really appreciate it! 👍

[@TheFalconJetDriver]

I hope you are on the Mend! You are a wonderful person for sharing your knowledge with others. Short and to the point with explanations as to why😀🛫

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thank you so much!

[@sabrinabradley5010]

Thank you for the tutorial. Clear and straight to the point.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thanks for watching Sabrina!

[@IanFlyinGremlinRCNZ]

Good to see you are at least up and about. And just wow that is defintly an easy way to make boxes. I havent tried making one yet, coz the tabs an slots had me, but now after wating your video, I am going to go ahead and give it a shot. Thanks Rich.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Glad to hear it Ian! I will probably do a follow up on this, start to finish.

[@3rauner]

Rich i Wish U Bet Well soon and came Back health and strong. Thank U vor all what U have done vor US beginners and the Others ;) i Like the Style how U do Ur Videos . And i learn and learn and learn at the age of 43 😉 thank U from the bottom of my Heart realy

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Glad you liked it!

[@scorpianspirit5124]

Hi Rich, I'm excited to say I have ordered a Roly Lasermatic10 from Leo based on your videos. I let Leo know where I was referred, and he of course said Rich has been where many of his orders have come from ! It's on the way, however it's been stuck in customs in Chicago for the past three days. Leo is on it, but it is somewhat concerning considering how our government agencies work these days. Hopefully it will get out of customs inspection soon, as I can not wait to start using the machine...(Very giddy) ;-)....Anyway I have been learning so much from your channel, thank you for all that you do ! Cheers from Mark in Utah ! (Oh btw, I did enter your raffle hoping to get really lucky ! LOL......UPDATE to my post, I just got notice from Fed Ex that the issues are resolved ! My machine is to be delivered tomorrow ! I guess Leo was on it, I'm very excited for this package.😁 Cheers !

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Awesome! Congrats! And yes, the support for the LaserMATIC is the best there is!

[@rudolfherwig7279]

Wow! Great explanation! Thanks a lot for the video, I learned so much 👍😊 Because my native language is german I often have troubles understanding english speaking people. But you do speak so clearly that I understand all what you say. Of course, I subscribed your channel!

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Glad it was helpful Rudolf! Thanks for the sub! 👍

[@edriveria64]

Thank you so much for your time and help, you have been my teacher from the beginning. Take care of yourself and God bless you and your Family.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

So nice of you!

[@PileofBrass]

I wish you well, Rich. Thanks so much for all the help you provide. As a newb, you are really a blessing to me.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

I appreciate that!

[@tamarasimpkin]

Oh my god, AAAAAmazing, Thank you so much!!!! New with a new diode laser and im so grateful to you.x

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Glad I could help Tamara! Welcome to the obsession! 🤪

[@DaveB-k3q]

Good stuff as usual. Hooking some friends up to your channel who are also new to Lightburn and lasers.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Awesome, thank you!

[@jimdahlgran6431]

Thanks!

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Wow! Thank you so much! I appreciate the support! 👍

[@GeraldJensen]

Thanks!

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

No problem! Thanks so much for the support @GeraldJensen

[@minnesotamaker1846]

Praying for your speedy recovery Rich

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thank you so much!

[@allenhuckabee3764]

Good job Rich and thanks! Get better soon!

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thanks so much!

[@mikeguidry49]

Thank you Rich for another informative video. Praying for good health for you.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Much appreciated Mike!

[@flakk1989]

Very straightforward. Thank you. And I hope you get well soon!!

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thanks so much!

[@politicsandtrains]

Great job, may be Santa will bring me a laser printer for Christmas!!

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

That would be cool!

[@markpatterson3189]

I was making my slots and tabs by making exact sized boxes and docking them then using the Booleans to weld for tabs or subtract for slots. Your way is much easier, thank you.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thanks Mark! And yes, that's probably how most people do it. I look for shortcuts!

[@earlcummings3653]

As always simple and to the point.......unfortunately I could not get the slots and tabs to form without using the boolean feature.....still working on how you select and subtract without using the shift key

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Follow the video in your software to replicate exactly what I do.

[@cook6052]

Say Rich, great piece. I now understand the basic fundamental. Could you do a Phase II? Show how to do multipal tabs/slots, so the work out evenly across a dimention? Thanks

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

It's on my list!

[@elguapo1507]

Thanks very much Rich! Get well soon!

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thank you, I will!

[@karlriley1314]

Get well soon and take it easy, ya sure. You are taking it easy. That's the only way to do it is do something you enjoy doin. Thanks.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Very true!

[@davidelder5399]

Great video👍thanks for explaining this in the easiest of steps. 🙏 wishing you well from over the pond

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thanks so much David! 👍

[@swishair]

Another great and informative video Rich, as always. Wishing you well.🙏

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Glad you enjoyed it!!

[@philippe5394]

Hi Rich, thank you very much for all these "rich" videos. They really help me to understand ‘LightBurn’. I plan to order a Creality Falcon 2 Pro very soon. In your explanation of ‘kerf’ management, you used an example of a kerf of 0.01mm !!! Isn't it more like 0.1, because in the example of this laser engraver, the spot size is 0.08 x 0.1. Am I right, or am I still missing something?

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Yes, 0.1 is correct, sorry. Get the LaserMATIC over the Creality, hands down a superior machine!

[@heidiw4078]

Thank you for the video, very helpful. I wish you a speedy recovery!

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thank you Heidi!

[@ChazmillsADLT]

I use FreeCAD which has a special add on for these. I’ve made hundreds of boxes and they are perfect every time. I export them as DXF files (I think) and import them into Lightburn. It is just a matter of arranging the parts to where I want them and then and cut.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Cool, this was a Lightburn tutorial. I can make very complicated boxes in minutes in Lightburn.

[@therealnecroscope]

You seem to be in good spirits. I've been there myself (tied to an IV for about a year) and working on my hobbies while convalescing definitely help keep my spirits up, outlook positive, and mind occupied on things other than how bad I felt. Thank you, keep it up, and get well soon!

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thanks so much! The hobby keeps me happy!

[@steveferguson1232]

Rich, may I ask what they found with the heart monitor you wore. I’m a heart patient as well. I have a pacemaker and to make matters wore a paralyzed right diaphragm. I had to go to Emory University to have surgery to fix that. Please take care of yourself. I like watching your videos as well as all of your followers. We need you around, the laser community needs you around. You are loved my friend

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thanks Steve, but I'm going to keep that private for now.

[@renman71]

Rich, I love your channel. You have so much to offer. Thank You! I do have one question however. Don’t you have to account for kerf along the long axis on those slots, to ensure a good fit? I am very new at this I honestly would like to know.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Yes you do. I usually just split the difference between the two.

[@krisknowlton5935]

Great tutorial. When I cut my boxes I set my kerf offset to +0.04 (half of the kerf width) so the laser will cut the outside of the line instead of down the middle of the line. That way the joints are nice and tight. If you run with the kerf offset at 0.0 your joints will be sloppy by twice the thickness of your laser kerf. That way you don't have to figure in the kerf thickness when you design the box. Other than that, the way you design them beats the heck out of the way I've been doing it. Prayers for a speedy recovery.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thanks, much appreciated!

[@andrewvanderweg5075]

Thank you! You're tutorials are the best Cheers from 🇦🇺

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

You're very welcome!

[@VesaKarvonen-v2w]

Thank you for the video Rich. I hope you get well soon!!

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Much appreciated!

[@AntonyJackson-n9g]

Hi Rick hope your health is getting better just tried you way I Tried another way if you duplicate the taps you can select one box and do the tap and then grab the other box and do the slots without having to try and line them up

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

That's what I do, but this was an instructional video, so I wanted to repeat the steps.

[@georgeknight1645]

Another great video Rich thank you, good health

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thank you Goerge!

[@emanuelpelleg281]

Hi Rich. A very clear and useful tutorial. Many thanks. One question, though: In the case of a 100X100 base for a box, do two of the sides not have to be 106 (with material thickness of 3 as in your example) ? Emanuel

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Yes, that happens when you add the tabs, they become 106.2, jut like the top.

[@Tensquaremetreworkshop]

@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy ...and that will not work. For a 100mm (say) cube, then the maximum dimension of all parts (in both directions) needs to be 100mm. More than that would exceed the 100mm size. (Every edge is alternating 'tab' and 'slot'. Tab to tab is 100mm, slot to slot is 94mm.)

[@charlesmyers9765]

What would be a good first 3D print machine that could print some large items when needed? Like sections of an RC plane fuselage.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

I'm probably not the person to ask Charles. I don't want to give you bad advice. Try Jerry at 3DHP.

[@dragonseyevideo5320]

Thanks Rich! Get well soon!!

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thanks I am!

[@OwDo]

Now I've seen this, guess what I'll be doing this afternoon. Thanks again Rich for a very useful video. Get well soon.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Making a box? 🤪 You asked me to guess!

[@JarsRacing]

Thank you for the video Rich, sure hope get feeling better, really appreciate all your help!

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

My pleasure!

[@darrellreed7044]

Thanks for such great videos! I’m learning, slowly but steadily improving

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Great to hear Darrell!

[@markferrick10]

Great tip Rich. Get well soon.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thank you!

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thanks so much!

[@nickbayliss9110]

Great video Rich. You make it looks so easy. Good health to you.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thank you Nick!

[@StumblingBumblingIdiot]

Stay strong brother! Jealous of the Bambu, I was gonna do the kickstarter but couldn't afford to lose the money if they didn't actually make it ;) Easy way to make slots and tabs.....ask Rich to do it for you...thanx for watching, see you next video. Laugh every day!!!!!

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thanks for watching Mike! 👍

[@myopinie7014]

Thank you sir! This is a great tutorial

[@myopinie7014]

BTW, God bless - Hope you are doing well.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Glad it was helpful!

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

TY!

[@josepinto9252]

Hi Rich! I have no idea how to make evenly spaced slots on a curved design. Example: along an S or snake shape. Would very much appreciate your help. Thanx.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Try using copy along path Jose.

[@jppalm3944]

Posted before finding out your sick. Feel better. SW is for complex box shapes. Group sells a kerf tool you mount on laser

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Never seen it. I use the old fashioned method with a line and a crack ruler.

[@roystheboy]

nicely explained im completely new to lasering at the age of 62 do you have any videos for complete beginners

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Yeah, search for the number 101 on the channel. You'll find Lightburn 101.

[@stephen_LaserLuster]

Another great video,clear and easy to follow. A question though. Don’t most diode lasers have a kerf closer to 0.1mm rather than 0.01? Thanks for the many awesome videos.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Yes, absolutely, I may have misspoke... I do that a lot! 🤪

[@stephen_LaserLuster]

@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy The fact that you occasionally misspeak, like we all do, but don't edit those statements out is one reason why we love your videos. It gives many of us more confidence to try things and see what happens. And if we make a little miss step here or there we know, based on your examples, we can always learn from it. Again than you for all the wonderful videos, You have taught so many of us so much! 😀

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Glad you like them! I keep the mistakes in because some folks might make the same ones!

[@KenpoBill]

Great info...as usual.!

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Glad you liked it Bill!

[@GokouZWAR]

Don’t you want the slots to be 3.01 and the tab 3.00 so that the tab has room to slip in and get enough friction grip? In the video you do 3.01 for both.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Yep, most of my videos have bloopers in them. But you figured it out!

[@Tensquaremetreworkshop]

There is no friction on the 3mm dimension- it is either on the outside or butting up against the tab. It is the 10mm dimension that requires differential sizing. This tutorial is in error.

[@DIYTinkerer]

Thanks for the video. I might be missing something, your slots and tabs are the same length, shouldn't they also need to account for the kerf? i.e. the tabs need to be length of slots plus the kerf, the tabs should look longer than the slots.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

That is correct Simon. This video was just talking about making slots and tabs. I have another video on kerf. What I do personally is, I put the tabs on another layer with a positive kerf offset in the Cuts and Layers window.

[@gregself6203]

I teach the guys at the Men's Shed to use Lightburn. I haven't tried this but I think I see two problems. Will the tabs have slop because the kerf is on the wrong side of the slots. The size will be 100x100 internally. Both easily fixed.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

You add the kerf of your particular laser to the tabs after running a kerf test on the material, just like any other tabbed project.

[@Tensquaremetreworkshop]

You are absolutely right- the kerf adjustment needs to be on the width, not the height. The height does not need compensation- the kerf comes of both the body and the tab.

[@steven67856]

Hi Rich hope you get well soon as your videos are ago to for me & I’ll be waiting for the next video

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thanks so much, I appreciate that!

[@bybbuck]

I'm wanting to do a coffin shape and use 1 piece of ply for the sides and top and bottom. Do you have a video showing how to put a hinge in? And then how would I do the tabs and slots on this?

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

I don't, and this is too hard to answer in a text, sorry.

[@bybbuck]

Understood

[@edkennedy1166]

Hi, Rich. I hope you're doing great today. I hope your doctors figure out what's going on quickly. Love the video, one question, though. Since you compensated for the kerf on the tabs, should you not do that on the slots? i.e. make the kerf for the tabs 6.02mm, and for the slots 6mm. I haven't tried a test yet, but I was wondering what your thoughts were.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

This method seems to work well for me Ed. Try it on a small piece and see how it works for you.

[@leighredfern9783]

Great video can I ask , can you create a box in easel and export then import into Light burn ?

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

That I don't know. If it can be exported from Easel as an image file, svg, ai, dxf, png, pdf, etc., it can be imported to Lightburn.

[@allistergilbert4564]

A joy to watch

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate it! 👍

[@johndoe6032]

Thanks for the video, but when I use the subtract tool it gets rid of everything except the part of the small tab box outside of the larger box. Can't figure out where it's going wrong. Followed all of your steps exactly.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Tools --> Boolean Assistant John.

[@WilSmith-xg5jg]

Hopefully by now you are all healed and back to work. Very good video, Sir. Very good. However I do have a few questions. I know this video is over a year old but I hope to get an answer. I followed your example step by step: Problem: I set it all up as directed but when I get the Cross arrow in the center of the box, it does not snap to the grid. It does work on the corners, but I'd rather it be in the center. If I move the curser off the center slightly it does change to a line with a circle, but it doesn't move anything. Am I doing something wrong? Thank you

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Check your Snap to settings in Gear icon, units and grids.

[@timhaley7383]

Great again as always. Thanks.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thanks again!

[@laserhobbyGuy]

Thanks Rich. pray for your good heath, stay chill bos.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

I appreciate it, thanks!

[@BPR-76]

Is the wood size on important if your making it like a box? Can it be any slot size plus the kerf if you’re laying your pieces flat and interlocking them l like a puzzle?

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Yes

[@jamesp4063]

how do you do it if you want to create a gap between the edge of the box and the slots? For example creating a book.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

I'm not sure I understand the question James. Try posting on my free forum. lahobbyguy.com/bb

[@louiscerny5921]

Great Video.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Glad you enjoyed it Louis!

[@be11thazor]

Great Video Rich, hope you are doing better!!

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

I am! Thanks!

[@seagnatprepper9613]

Absolutely Great !!!... wish you would switch from metric. :)

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

The thing is Nat, metric is so much easier to do math with.

[@apikipan192]

Thanks for the tips. This is a lot easier than the method I was using. Curious as to why you create the tabs with the kerf included. Would it not be even easier to just create to the size you want and then enter the kerf offset in the layer settings, or is there a difference I am missing?

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

I change the size of the tabs. So if I use 2.8mm wood, I make them 3mm.

[@TheUnofficialMaker]

love to follow along with you,thanks. EZ Pezy after you show us!

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Glad to hear that!

[@kennethfrick9879]

Always simple but effective info! ❤

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Glad you think so!

[@teresa6775]

Wondering.......is there a way to make the slots attaching it together round instead of rectangle/square, so it would look like a nail instead of a laser cut slot ?

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Yes Teresa, good idea! Some people use a dovetail slot and tab as well.

[@Tensquaremetreworkshop]

@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy Nope. You can cut the tails, but the pins need an angled cut. Do not know a laser cutter that offers that. (But technically possible to arrange)

[@mathieubaker1548]

Now, How would you make tabs for none uniform shapes? for instance, I do Lake maps and would love for it to have tabs so it keeps the shape in place until i can take it and punch it out. because I use a conveyor and the cut pieces, most of the time get caught a screw up my alignment. thanks for any advice! I use Lightburn and XCS

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

That would be too hard to explain in a comment!

[@mathieubaker1548]

@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy I later figured it out! Turns out there's a tabs feature in XCS. Didn't even know it existed lol. Thank you though!

[@herbertbrowning6753]

Hi Rich Please take care, and God bless you.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Thank you kindly!