How To Laser Engrave Custom Dice

[@hspringsteen]

I am glad to find your channel. Most laser engraving channels seem to be lacking in detail. :)

[@GreylightMay]

Howard, I'm glad you found me!

[@RusselFleming]

Thank you for these videos. They are inspiring and give all the details needed in a very clear way.

[@GreylightMay]

Thank you, Russel! Thank you for taking the time to leave me a note, I really appreciate it!!

[@gabesgarage4522]

Hi, Thank you for making this video, I recently got an OMtech k40 machine and I'm using your videos to learn about using it. Thank you Wes

[@GreylightMay]

Hi Wes! Did you see I bought my own OmTech recently? I am really loving it. It is so nice to be able to go into my own workshop and cut whenever I want to. I'm so glad my videos are helping you with yours!

[@franzgriffle6063]

I love this. I appreciate the details and the information. Is there anything you would do differently now in comparison to when you released the video?

[@GreylightMay]

Franz, that's a thoughtful question. I often DO learn better ways after making a video. As for engraving dice, I can't think of anything, which is too bad because it is a labor intensive process. The quality of the results, though, is quite good. Do you have any ideas?

[@franzgriffle6063]

​@@GreylightMay Not sure, I was going to experiment with some dice engraving for an art project and I was glad to see this video. Originally I was going to leave the dice sitting loose on the cut surface but once I saw you made placeholders I realized It would have been so much more work adjusting the engraving path etc. You saved me from making a big mistake and I appreciate that.

[@GreylightMay]

I'm so glad this was helpful to you!!

[@oleww50]

Ggreat video, really interesting and well explained. Thanks! 🙂

[@GreylightMay]

Thanks, oleww50! I particularly like the "well explained" because that's what I try hardest to achieve. It's great to get feedback that lets me know when I'm successful!

[@TamerRyan-87]

Great video, thank you for sharing. I'm having some trouble replicating the process however. My engraving on acrylic dice seem to cause the pattern to pop out instead of indent... Laser settings? Also the acrylic paint seems to peel easily during the cleaning process and I have trouble maintaining detail. Any advice?

[@GreylightMay]

Ryan, is the laser only engraving the design? If so, it would have to cut into the die. The only way I can imagine it raising is if you were engraving the inverse, in other words, everything but the design. Are you using Lightburn to prepare your files for the engraver, or some other CAM software? Is there a setting for 'inverse' that has been accidentally turned on? Is there a preview function, like in RDWorks and LightBurn? If so, watch to see what is actually being engraved. Your drawing could also be telling it to engrave outside the design. Do you have squares representing the dice drawn in the same color as the design? If you can't figure it out, send me an svg of your file at [e-mail] and I'll take a look. As for the paint, if the paint is recessed in the engraved design, it is protected from wear and it has clean acrylic to adhere to. I do a final clearcoat, and have not had a problem with it coming off. BTW, what do you mean by cleaning process?

[@TamerRyan-87]

@@GreylightMay with my latest test I had more success. I'm using a low wattage laser so do more passes. I suspect the acrylic might be getting too hot or "boiling" up. Regarding the paint, I use Games Workshop paint and meant cleaning with the goo gone afterwards. In my case I seem to have trouble with it also affecting/stripping some of the engraved crevices. Thank you for the reply btw

[@GreylightMay]

Ryan, sorry I couldn't be more helpful! I don't have experience with low wattage lasers, the 80 watt I use has no choice but to vaporize the acrylic it engraves. I'm not surprised the Citadel paints can't hold up against goo gone. The reason I added masking was so I wouldn't need to do any cleanup. Is the masking not working for you? Good luck as you work your way through this. There is alot of trial and error in making, and persistence is definitely required, for me as well!

[@TamerRyan-87]

@@GreylightMay Thanks for the encouragement. The low wattage laser is more intended for engraving than cutting, and was always going to be a low cost attempt at making custom dice. The masking helps to a degree but because some of my designs are complex/detailed it still requires cleanup even after the removing the masking. Will keep at it!

[@Renabun]

Love your channel, great to learn how to do custom work for gaming!

[@GreylightMay]

Thank you, Happy, for your support!

[@brunopires7314]

Great stuff! Well thought of and clearly explained! What laser engraver would you recommend for non-comercial purposes. Engraving dice for games with the family?

[@GreylightMay]

Bruno, the only thing I would say is if you go the inexpensive route with a diode laser, make sure you use an enclosure and ventilation. Acrylic fumes are very dangerous! Well, wood fumes, especially from plywood which contains glue, are bad as well. Any laser cutting should be vented. That warning aside, it depends on your budget and your DIY skills. You can see me receiving and setting up my own $3k CO2 laser at this link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bKGrgWqhqbuNqbc

[@klawndyke]

Now how kool is that... didn't know about the blank dice.. Thanks for sharing

[@chilango2432]

I like the idea, thanks for sharing. I would have used cardboard for the jig as acrylic is very expensive and is something that will get thrown to the garbage, I guess money isn't an issue on your side. The labels seems like a good material, never thought on those, did you test blue masking tape?

[@GreylightMay]

Ismael, very good point about the jig. Why didn't I think about that?? I haven't tried blue masking tape, but I think that it should work quite well. Thanks for the suggestions!

[@2verge]

Thank You for giving a good explanation. That's really a cool idea.

[@MichaelAussie05]

Thanks for a entertaining and informative video. Thanks for your time and effrots.

[@GreylightMay]

Michael, it means a lot to me to get your comment, thank you!

[@Przemko25]

Hello! I have a question about the type of dice. I recently did a laser engraving on a dice I bought X years ago - I don't even know where I got it. The engraving came out very nice, clear and sharp. So I bought a new dice blank - except that the engraving on the new ones is not so clear and the plastic is slightly melted. The graphics are slightly blurry because of this. I heard from a friend who used to do laser tests that he also melted his dice. I will add that the laser parameters for the first dice and for the new ones are set the same. Just a question of quality and material from which such a dice is made. Can you recommend which dices are best? In the description of most dice it is written that they are acrylic. The question is whether all of them are suitable for laser or not.

[@GreylightMay]

Prokom, if they are truly acrylic, they should not melt, but like many things we buy from overseas, descriptions are not always accurate. Sometimes the person writing the description is a reseller and they don't really know the material, so they just guess. Sometimes it is a language problem. My advice is to buy as small a quantity as possible at first, and test them. If they hold up under engraving, stay with that supplier and buy more. You should be able to return any that don't work because you have proof the description was inaccurate!

[@Przemko25]

@@GreylightMay There is not much to choose from in my country. Buying in China is like looking for the impossible because all the ads look like sellers' dice are from one source. Well, I ordered some and we'll see. I was hoping someone would share where they bought them from :)

[@GreylightMay]

Prokom, I bought mine on Amazon. I buy pretty much everything on Amazon because I know if I have a problem I can always return it easily. I just checked, and there were many 'blank acrylic dice' options available on Amazon, both opaque and transparent. I bought from 4 different vendors in 2017, and all worked great!

[@shandyVideo]

Where do you buy the dice blanks from, and how do you know they're made of material that's safe to use on the laser? (I'm worried about random plastic from Amazon sellers)

[@GreylightMay]

Shandy, I searched for acrylic blank dice cubes on Amazon. As for how I was able to trust it was really acrylic, for me it's no different than trusting my acrylic sheets are really acrylic. As a material, it's widely available and not expensive, so there would be no reason for a vendor to mislead me. But absolutely make sure 'acrylic' is in the description.

[@ironconrad4981]

Loved the Video. I noted you put the paper on the dice faces? Was that to get a better cut or was it to give you a better mask for painting? Could you perhaps spray or coat the dice face and achieve the same thing? Where do you get the blanks? Finally, while I thought that Maker Space was limited, I put it into Google and a Meetup in my area popped up.You are indeed serving your mission!!!!PS: loved the video on Acrylic tokens as well.PPS: Any advice on Lasers would be helpful. What worked for you? What didn't?

[@GreylightMay]

Joseph, yes the paper is for masking to make painting easier. Normally, an acrylic sheet comes premasked, and you just leave the paper on, but the blank dice don't come that way. I can't think of a liquid masking process that wouldn't remove the paint when you removed the mask. My method for removing the paper on the back of cut items, which can be difficult, is to soak them in Simple Green (you would have seen that in the token video), but you can't use that with painted items because it will take the acrylic paint off as well. In fact, I use Simple Green to soak minis I want to repaint for one reason or another, and it strips the paint off very nicely, which is why I know it won't work for this application. Luckily, the paper labels I use on the dice comes off a little easier than the paper that comes on acrylic sheets. As for buying the blank dice, I believe I found all mine on Amazon - there is an amazing assortment out there, just do a search for blank dice! My advice on lasers is embedded throughout the laser cutting videos. I try to not be too redundant, and to focus on something new in each video. This is the only way I can keep my videos to my time goal of no more than 7 minutes. I always ask myself, what new will someone learn from watching this? Unfortunately, I guess, that means you have to watch a lot of videos to learn all the tips.... I hope you have subscribed? If so, over time you will learn everything I know!

[@Sparkynutz81]

What kind of laser do you use to make dice? I'd like to buy one. Looking at the longer 5. Would that work?

[@GreylightMay]

Ryan, because this dice project only requires engraving, it could be done with a less powerful laser, but I've always done a variety of projects that require cutting of materials up to 1/4" thick or more so my laser cutters have been 80 watt CO2 lasers. For example, the jig I make is cut on the laser cutter. Also, I'm very concerned about safety and air quality. I would never engrave acrylic without an adequate fume extraction system in place, it is very bad for lungs. That being said, if you are willing to build an enclosure and setup external ventilation, this project would be doable on a diode laser, if you aren't concerned about speed and engraving is primarily what you want to do. You might also look into a 40 watt CO2 laser cutter for not much more money. They have a very small bed, but sufficient for dice, tokens and other small game accessories. (Added) I just watched a KZbin video of someone demoing the Longer 5, engraving on a curved metal object, the acrylic hood was getting in the way and he took it off!! Shocking safety errors on several levels. It really captured my main concern, which is these can be very dangerous machines in inexperienced hands. On my laser cutter, if the lid is lifted a half inch, the laser shuts down. A laser reflecting off metal can't escape the cabinet. If a fire occurs, I can throw a fire blanket on it and the fire is contained within the steel cabinet. And exhaust seemed to be a non issue for this KZbinr. I understand that CO2 laser cutters are expensive, and the limitations of the bed size is a serious constraint. An open gantry can be very appealing because you can just move it across a larger piece. But there are always trade offs in decisions like these, and safety is the one thing we should never cut corners on. The Longer 5 could well be a great solution for your needs, just factor in the additional cost and effort to add a cabinet, exhaust and some kind of air assist. It could still be the most economical solution!

[@Ranmitita]

Amazing video May! I got a question though, are the figures actually engraved to the dice? (having a physical depth) Or is the paper just burnt and then with the resulting silhouette you paint them to make the final painted shape? Thanks in advance!

[@GreylightMay]

Ranmitita, it is physically engraved, and you can control the depth with the laser cutter's power settings. I'm glad you liked it!

[@Ranmitita]

@@GreylightMay Thanks for the reply!!! I got another question have you ever tried laser engraving a dice made up of resin/epoxy?

[@GreylightMay]

Ranmitita, I've never used anything other than acrylic in a laser cutter because certain plastics emit a toxic fume when burned. You would have to do research on any other material, to see if it was safe to engrave.

[@sethjackson3557]

What type of cutter do you use? I'm currently shopping for one

[@GreylightMay]

Seth, I just bought one for myself, and made this video about selecting it and setting it up: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bKGrgWqhqbuNqbc

[@morteloarbosa5650]

@@GreylightMay Thanks! I watched your video, that cutter looks impressive, was the model used here an OmTech as well?

[@GreylightMay]

Mortelo, the dice were engraved five years ago, when I was going to TechShop. That machine was an 18x24 bed, 60 watts, so much smaller and less powerful than my new machine. OmTech didn't exist then, and at the moment I can't remember what brand it was (so long ago!) Since this project is mostly engraving, you don't need a very powerful machine. Only the jig is cut, and you could make that out of cardboard or foam core and it would work.

[@emmamakesbadart]

An icon!! Thank you so much!

[@GreylightMay]

Emma, you are welcome!!

[@CategoricalNonsense]

Amazing stuff, thank you so much!

[@GreylightMay]

You're welcome, thank you for watching!

[@robertosswald5896]

All the time I was wondering what are the labels for... And I was searching for laser engraving dice specifically to see how are they painted. Now I feel stupid :) But the whole process looks interesting.

[@heyokawolf13]

Would love to see some Miss!/Hit!/Crit! as well as Hit!/Evade! dice for Gaslands from Osprey.

[@GreylightMay]

Joseph, I took a look at Gaslands... would these be new dice, ones that aren't currently available? The ones I saw online said skid, etc...

[@heyokawolf13]

I'm still learning the system but some combat dice would be cool but options can adjust the hit numbers making custom dice less useful unless you make different types of combat dice. As far as I know nobody is making combat dice (Attack or Evade) for Gaslands. Your videos are top shelf, really. I find making on this level fascinating. Thank you for sharing!

[@GreylightMay]

I wasn't familiar with Gaslands - as you know, there are just so many games out there, you can't play them all! Sounded like a great setting for terrain as well. I'm launching a website next week and will send a video about it to subscribers. One of its features is a way to provide feedback on future projects and products for my store. If there is an interest expressed for something like these combat dice, I'll make a serious effort to cover them in an upcoming video and also make the drawing available. Thanks for leaving me this comment, and I hope you will continue to send me ideas!!

[@FiftyWalrus]

This is really cool. I was just wondering what strength is the laser you are using to do the engraving?

[@GreylightMay]

The laser I use at TechShop is a 60 watt, but that is really overkill for this application. I think a 40 watt would be fine for engraving acrylic dice...

I know what I want to be when I grow up

[@GreylightMay]

Thank you, Helmir! Yes, I am very lucky to be able to spend my time doing what I love: designing and making cool stuff, and playing games every day!!

[@pelemlangka]

Is there a blank dice of translucent with size 12 mm and 16 mm ?

[@GreylightMay]

I don't know, you can search for some on Amazon, that's where I bought mine...

[@GreylightMay]

Looking now I've found both 12 and 16 mm at www.pippd.com . I've never bought from them but they look legit. Let me know if you buy some!

[@diplomaths_charles]

HEllo! Excuse me, but I don't understand what are the yellow tape pasted on dice for? :-/ Could you enlight me please?

[@GreylightMay]

Charles, after engraving the dice need to be painted. You should always have some sort of masking on acrylic while you are painting, it is faster and easier and when you remove the masking the background is totally clean. When you buy acrylic sheets they come pre-masked with paper on both sides, to protect from scratches in transport. For blank dice, you need to add the masking yourself. That is what the paper is for. I have tried several different methods of painting without masking, and none of them have worked very well for me.

[@diplomaths_charles]

@@GreylightMay Great ! Thank you very much! Now said, it seems obvious ^^ One more question... what is the power of your laser? 1000mW ? thank you again. (and please, forgive my english, I'm french ;-) )

[@GreylightMay]

Charles, I use an 80 watt laser but dice engraving could be done on much lower power, even 40 watts...

[@diplomaths_charles]

@@GreylightMay thank you so much ^^

[@christopherm4510]

:D love that you had Vodka available to clean the dice

[@SkinnyGirl125]

Im trying to start a game and need to get custom dice, figurins etc. Do you know where i can start looking for a supplier

[@GreylightMay]

Jamie, I've been looking at Panda Game Manufacturing ( pandagm.com/ ) because I'm considering making a game myself. I haven't done business with them, so I can't vouch for them, but they look to have every component I would need. Let me know who you finally pick, I would be very interested!

[@rbrentw]

Great Video, what brand and model of Laser Cutter are you using?

[@GreylightMay]

I use a 60 watt Universal, but I'm not sure about the model... I use it at TechShop, my local makerspace.

[@Naeddyr]

I'm never going to buy a laser-cutter, yet here I am. Do not tempt me any more!

[@GreylightMay]

Sorry! Maybe there is a makerspace near you where you can get access, like I do, and even some public libraries are getting them... after all, they are so cool!!

[@Naeddyr]

They are! They are so cool! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[@JTMC93]

Guess one could use a laser cutter to make the 3 dice in one style contraptions with a 2:1 ratio of different colored dice to make a simple way of rolling dice for the Dragon Age/Fantasy AGE RPG from Green Ronin. Also what labels did you use. Cause I have been looking for them and can't seem to find any that are a full aheet. Though I did find some about the size of post it notes and some 16mmx32mm strips that might work a bit better. As for paint... How does Simple Green and the like react to Lacquer or oil paint? Also any recommendations on good calipers? All the ones I have tried have failed me 6-months to a year after getting them. Though that might just be how often I end up using them. And sorry for all the questions...

[@GreylightMay]

I believe the labels are avery, but not sure, they were in florescent colors. I'd do an Amazon search and put full page in the search description - yes, I just checked and there is quite an assortment of them. I always use acrylic paint on acrylic because I just assume it will adhere better. I haven't tried any other types of paint. Yes, you are right about calipers. Mine weren't cheap pricewise but they are quite finicky and I won't be surprised if they don't last for long!

[@JTMC93]

Greylight May Thanks for the reply. And yeah seems like what happened in my comment happened. Dang phone never types right. I tend to experiment with different stuff and have found that some paints actually hold better than one might think. One form of lacquer I have tried on some high end acrylic dice actually stained the dice that after a few coats it was better than any acrylic paint. This was after I had issues with the acrylic chipping off which the lacquer did as well but then after the 7-8th coat it was flawless. Though I would only use model paints regardless. Learned that lesson when an oil paint ate through a space marine casualty's leg.

[@arranjaundrill3951]

Really good video, thanks.

[@GreylightMay]

Thanks, Arran, for taking the time to leave a comment - I appreciate it!

[@TimGray]

What laser do you have?

[@GreylightMay]

The dice were done on a Universal 60W, but now I use 100W Rabbit laser, both are at my local makerspace...

[@V41M4R]

Are those for dark souls? That's the exact game I'm exploring avenues of making "custom dice", for. 😅

[@GreylightMay]

Yes, actually, they are - you are really paying attention, Luis!

[@V41M4R]

@@GreylightMay Would you possibly be willing to cut a tiny stencil of each of the sword increments, and sell them?

[@GreylightMay]

I'm sorry, Luis. As you can imagine, I get a lot of requests, but all of my time goes into new projects and videos. I don't do any custom work, for that reason.

[@marshallolsen3606]

What type of laser cutter are you using? I'm part of a group that are looking to make our own dice. Any information you have would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!!

[@GreylightMay]

Marshall, I was using a Universal 60 watt laser at that time. I've moved on to a Rabbit (same as Boss) 100 watt laser cutter just recently because my old makerspace closed. Engraving dice doesn't require much power, just make sure the Z dimension can raise above the height of the pieces you are engraving. For dice that should not be an issue either.

[@frankbranham7404]

Do you know which dice manufacturers are definitely acrylic? Some plastics aren't good for engraving, and some are somewhat toxic.

[@GreylightMay]

Frank, I just looked for the word acrylic in the description, which probably means I ruled out options that would have worked but I thought it was better to be safe in my choices. You can usually ask the seller, if you have time to wait for their reply.

[@DICEToyLabs]

Epic

[@GreylightMay]

Thank you, Dice! I hope this was helpful.

[@rat-matt-miniatures8705]

If I were to send designs to you, would you be willing to engrave them for me? Id obviously pay for the service but just wondered if you would be willing and able to...

[@GreylightMay]

Hi, I've had similar requests but I have very little free time. What would you need? Is it a one time thing or ongoing?

[@rat-matt-miniatures8705]

It would be a one time thing and consists of twelve dice with objective markers for wargaming. If unable to due to time restraints I fully understand though. but thank you very much for replying.

[@GreylightMay]

Rat-Matt, I would really love to help, but I think I need to stay focused on my mission, which is to provide inspiration and instruction. Thanks for your confidence in me, and I hope my videos, at least, are helpful to you!

[@rat-matt-miniatures8705]

They are indeed, I shall have a look on the islands and see if we have an engraver here and if I can use their facilities. Thanks again for the time and teh videos.

[@burbymery]

Great video May ^^ if I may, I am going to contact you by email to ask you for some tips.

[@GreylightMay]

That's fine, burbymery...

[@burbymery]

@@GreylightMay Thanks ♥