Money Making Projects You Can Make With the Longer Ray 5

[@hansdegroot8549]

Great small projects for making with (I guess) any laser engraver. But the words of my economy teacher (45 years ago) keep resonating in my mind: "making/producing " is not a problem, selling is "key". When you don't sell, you won't make money. It's really necessary to make something quite unique, something that is not made by everyone with a laser engraver.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

You are 100% right about that Hans. You can make a million projects but if no one is buying them, you are not making a dime and in fact, you are just spending money on materials. It's important to find a product that people like and want and if you are going to be making what others are making, you'd better make sure that your price is competitive. Thanks for tuning in and for chiming in with the great advice from your economy teacher.

[@randyrockwell6136]

You really hit on some great ideas and good advice for crafters. This is what makes your channel one of the best on KZbin ….. you are not locked into one specific type of woodworking 🤠

[@scottmorris4914]

Yeah, his concept of Alternative Tuesdays works great for this.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

I do my best to offer a variety of everything on this channel Randy. It's the whole reason the Tuesday episode of the channel was created. I'm glad to hear that you enjoy the channel and its content. Thanks for tuning in and for the kind words.

[@Fobes]

How do you design the “Tetris” style puzzle?

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

For me, it was a download from library laser but you can easily use the drawing tool in Lightburn to draw the pieces that would form the puzzles. Set each line for a cut and let the laser do the rest. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in to the show.

[@barry.w.christie]

The problem I have is lack of imagination, but a quick scan of the internet will give you lots of ideas ... you can copy outright or use an idea to point you in the right direction. After a crap start to this year (died and brought back after 18 minutes), I decided to retire and spend some serious time developing my woodwork skills and hopefully making a bit of money in the process ... so thanks for being an inspiration 👍

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Glad to hear that you are still with us Barry and that I am able to be an inspiration to you. Stay happy, stay healthy and keep on making sawdust. Thanks for tuning in to the show.

[@meawayfromhome]

Hi Kenny, some great tips and ideas! thank you.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

You're very welcome Philip. Glad that you liked it. Thanks for tuning in this week.

[@michaelmarchione3408]

Great ideas for quick and inexpensive projects to sell. The best advice you gave , was not to flood your table with too many of the same items. I found that it is easier to hook a customer with just a few of a certain product. You want them hungry enough to want one. Back in the 70's and 80's I made custom engraved power horns for the hobby my wife and I competed in. I would take an order for just one horn in the spring and deliver it at the fall shoot. Take an order in the fall, handed it over in the spring. I had more orders than I could handle. They where pretty fancy. Another horn smith had a trade blanket next to mine at every shoot full of beautiful powder horns and he never sold any. Why? Because they were made to his liking and not designed around what the customer wanted on his horn. You make it personal for them. An heirloom, if you will. I never displayed a horn on my trade blanket. It all started with someone watching me scrape a raw horn with a broken piece of plate glass at a shoot. Took the first order right then and there. Enjoyed! Take care!

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Making a large amount of anything in the hopes that you will sell them is a great way to have to store a large amount of what you made. I have had items that I thought would sell like hotcakes, not sell a single piece and items that I thought would never sell, sell out and be in demand for more. It's an odd market, this craft sale business and it's hard to get a handle on it. Thanks for tuning in to the show Michael and for chiming in with your story.

[@XeniaSuaiden]

Great ideas, thanks so much!

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Glad that you liked them Xenia. Thanks for tuning in to the show.

[@paulsmessyworkshop]

Kenny, really nice projects. I can feel the pull from the rabbit hole. Any smoke or odor when using the laser on slate? Good stuff my friend.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Surprisingly Paul, there is absolutely no smoke or odour when doing the slate. Depending on how many you do, there can be some slate dust that gathers in the area that you are engraving but it doesn't travel like sawdust. It pretty much remains where the coaster is. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in this week.

[@joelcopeland3018]

You may have covered this previously but in an older video you were demonstrating the x-tool laser. Did you decide against the x-tool and if so, why? Was it the cost of the product or a problem with the product?

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

I still have the Xtool Joel and truth be told, the Xtool was the first laser that I had. I paid for the Xtool out of my own pocket and I don't regret it one bit. It is still an amazing unit and I use it all the time. I love my Xtool D1 Pro. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in.

[@joelcopeland3018]

@@acutabove_woodworkings Thanks...

[@barthrh2]

I'm curious about the clock. Is this a multi-part cut? The back seems separate, but what's the build of the face? I can't tell if it's a painted circle with the numbers burned away, or a build of individual numbers and dots laid on the face.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

The map section is one cut on the laser and then it was painted black. The clock face is another cut which was just a circle and then the clock numbers were all laser engraved on the face of the circle. I hope this clears it up for you. Thanks for tuning in.

[@TheCleveland1987]

i am just now getting into lasers. would you recommend this laser for a first timer and does it have air assist ? is it easy to add

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

The Longer Ray 5 10watt is a good starter laser and I have had some great success with it. It does not come with an air assist which is a little disappointing because air assist can greatly reduce over burn in a project. The air assist that is available for the Longer Ray 5 is actually just a nozzle that attaches to the laser head. You need to provide your own air pump in order to get the air assist to be effective. While I do like this laser, I prefer to use some of my other lasers as they are a little more versatile. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in.

[@TheCleveland1987]

@@acutabove_woodworkings yea I really like the reviews I'm seeing about this one and I seen some how to videos out to add the air assist it don't look to hard

[@TheCleveland1987]

@@acutabove_woodworkings would u say the sculpfun s10 would be a better option?

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

@@TheCleveland1987 I honestly can't say as I have no experience at all with that particular unit. Sorry about that.

[@KENMCCRORIE]

Those are great Kenny!! I am going to try some of those. Great info. Great projects. I can't sell anything, they are always give aways.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Give aways are good too Ken. Sometimes, a homemade gift is better than a store bought one. Good luck on your projects and thanks for tuning in to the show.

[@dawnmason9558]

I have the 5w longer ray 5 can it STILL burn through the wood to make filigree & vinyl record clocks?I have a problem with how to cut THROUGH wood to make the lanterns, clocks & photoframes. I can do the burning on coasters etc. could you do a tutorial on how to do the programming on the laser Grbl that comes with the engraver. Also HOW can you laser engrave multiple items at once, like 4 coasters side by side etc. I know I’m a pain asking so much but ai can’t find anything to actually show us how. You talk about making them so how about a HOW tutorial please????

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

I really don't have any experience with the 5watt Longer engraver but I don't see why it wouldn't cut through plywood just the same as with the 10watt unit. You may just have to do multiple passes at higher powers to achieve the same result. The clock that I show in this video was cut from plywood and only painted black. Cutting vinyl records with a diode laser is a very dangerous thing to do and it produces chlorine gas and hydrochloric acid which are both very toxic and very corrosive. If you want to learn how to make the vinyl record clocks, I have a tutorial on that here. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pGTGpqJ4hshsrLM In order to set up engraving more than one item at once (like coasters) I use absolute co-ordinates when engraving and have the co-ordinate grid engraved on the base plywood of my laser. That way, when I look at the computer screen and see where the engravings are going to happen, I can lay my coaster blanks at those exact coordinates and know that they are going to engrave properly. I hope that helps a little. I can add some more laser tutorials to the list of future show ideas Dawn and hopefully you will see them on the show soon. In the meantime, if you have any questions, you can always contact me through the channel's Facebook page or through email and I would be more than happy to help in any way I can. Thanks for tuning in.

[@dawnmason9558]

@@acutabove_woodworkings yes I did find that afterwards but as ai have a Cricut machine I can cut them on that. My son wants a Zelda clock made out of his favourite record…a duplicate of course!I have only had the engraver for about 3 weeks so still trying to work out power & passes. A friend has one & he will come show me how lol.

[@dawnmason9558]

@@acutabove_woodworkings I MAY try to do the clock in MDF or plywood see if it comes out better.

[@scottmorris4914]

what is the thickness of the wood you used for the keychain? Did it cut the shape with only one pass?

[@dwightl5863]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3bOcphvYtx-mZo Keychain begins at 5:30 mark.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

The keychain was 1/4" thick poplar and was cut in two passes although if I were to slow down the speed and increase the power, I am positive it would have cut it in one pass. I hope this helps Scott. Thanks for tuning in.

[@scottmorris4914]

You mentioned a web site with images available?

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

The website is in the video description Scott. I believe it is librarylaser.com. I hope this helps.

[@scottmorris4914]

@@acutabove_woodworkings I see it now. I was looking for a link (blue color text). My fault. Thx.

[@bbmhto9265]

Where do I get the program to do these projects?

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

The link is in the description of the video for the site where I got these laser files. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in.

[@juliet4262]

As always you inspire me! I am curious how you potentially sell, online? Or in person? Thanks for the effort you put into you shows I really look forward to and enjoy them on Tuesdays and Fridays 😊

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

For me Julie, I make a product and then post it on my personal Facebook page to sell it. I considered an Etsy page but the fees and the shipping from Canada would kill me and any potential sales I might get. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in to the show this week.

[@scottmorris4914]

Godd ideas. Yep, mine is still in the box. LOL. But I am waiting on a part for mine. That part I just don’t have to have it, and it is an easy install.. LOL

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

I hope you get your part soon Scott. Good luck on your laser project when you get started. Thanks for tuning in .

[@Aamria]

Where do you get files for these machines ?

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Most laser engravers have a list of file types that they are able to use in order to engrave projects. SVG, JPEG, BITMAP, etc. I got all of these patterns for free from the website Librarylaser. The link is in the description of the video. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in.

[@markduggan3451]

Some great ideas but I can't see me buying a laser.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

I couldn't see myself using a laser in the shop either Mark and now I have 4 of them and am loving it. LOL. Thanks for tuning in to the show. I hope you found it a little entertaining.

[@gregeastman6662]

i agree this would be a grate money maker ...just too let newcomers know.!...dont for get about you higher light bill( laser do need power ) and then theres your gas bill for heat ,no one wants too work in the cold , now your profit just fell %50 ,

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

There is always a factor of the electricity it takes to run a machine. A 10 watt laser burns as much electricity as a 60 watt lightbulb so it is easy enough to add that cost into the price of the unit you are selling. In most cases it is less than $1.00. As for the heat, if you are working in the house and venting your laser outside, there is no extra cost in heating. You would have to heat your home anyway. Thanks for tuning in to the show and for chiming in with your opinion. It's appreciated.

[@danatucker6969]

Love the show and you know it’s coming….however ..marvel and other franchises are copyrighted. so although the chances are small I have heard of certain companies ran by rodents do not take likely to people earning money from their characters or logos so a disclaimer at the beginning of the video warning of such would be a good idea. I’d hate to see you sued by a rat bud but keep up the great work you do. Cheers

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

You bring up a very valid point Dana and these coasters would only be sold to friends and family. Not on the open market. That being said, you definitely have to be careful using someone else's copyrighted images. Thanks for the concern and for pointing it out and for tuning in. Merry Christmas to you and yours.