Jig Tutorial - Get Perfect Consistent Laser Engraved or UV Flatbed Printed Results Every Time

[@488richard]

why does nobody show you how to get the shape you want for your jig. I have pre made leather key rings. how do I get those shapes on a jig?

[@pineapplewafers]

Ok, so I have to ask. how do you cut the wood and not have a completely black edge that leaves char on the fingers when rubbed? By the same token, how do you get an engrave into the wood and not have it completely black due to charring? I have a 10w diode desktop laser that I am experimenting with, and I have been making little wooden items as tests and the process of trying to clean the char has become laborious, even in the small scale. I am using an air assist so surface charring isn't an issue when cutting, but the sides are always black, and the recessed parts that get engraved suffer the same issues as the sides. I can't imagine masking would help with the recessed cuts because the laser would just burn off the masking and then char the surface... right? Any help would be appreciated!

[@smedleyworks]

I don't know how deep you're engraving, or how thick the wood is, so I'd suggest playing with your power and speed settings. Maybe try cutting through it with multiple faster passes, instead of one slow pass. I'd try the same thing on the engraving. Back off the power or increase the speed and see what happens. You have air assist which is great, but are you exhausting/sucking the residue and smoke away from the wood too? A good exhaust is super important.

[@KinsyMcVay_SESTrojanTech]

Great video! Why would you peel the masking off of the tags before engraving them, though? Wouldn’t that help keep the tags cleaner? Thanks!

[@smedleyworks]

You are absolutely right. We normally wouldn't peel the mask off, unless the blanks were going into a UV flatbed printer. In this case, the artist actually wanted that burned rustic effect on the tags.

[@marksneyd1262]

Fantastic video, thanks for sharing. What would you seal the finished with?

[@smedleyworks]

@@marksneyd1262 If you're referring to the tags, the artist did not want them sealed. However, you could seal them with a paint sealer or urethane. :-)