Deep Dive with Laser Dave: Wood and Acrylic Award Creation and Engraving

This month's Deep Dive will walk you through the process of cutting and assembling a wood and acrylic award, as well as engraving both materials in the same job. Use this process to produce beautiful awards that can be customized as needed.
Download design files: bit.ly/3AopI8X
Learn more about Speedy systems: bit.ly/3Zekbw9
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[@RoJar]

You deserve an award for these great videos! Thanks Laser Dave.

[@davidstevens2577]

Ahh 😊Thank you so much!

[@kakavycavatar6951]

I really like your idea creation and ofc your amazing a Laser Machine. I wish I can Buy it. 👍🏻

[@clarkstevens2711]

That is a good-looking award the one thing I would do difference is I would engrave the Walnut when I'm cutting it

[@JennsTurn]

Beautiful! Thanks for the info and links!

[@PMBRICOLEUR]

👍 great engraving. Thanks

[@TonyStone-q8w]

Awesome mate

[@RochzOraczewic]

I have a challenge for you. Creating a movie database where you will process each of your original materials available in the store. But not to be too easy, add to this setting not only for the speedi series but also for the Q 400 series. What do you think? I suggest starting with TroGlass 3mm material 😄

[@rossm9200]

A few tips as someone who engraves awards. 1. You shouldn't be floating the award in the middle of the table. It should be indexed to something. Whether that be the top corner or some sort of other guide. This is a surefire way to result in inconsistent placement. While I'm sure your method is find for a demo, it's not realistic for a production environment. 2. Acrylic is generally rear engraved. So this is another reason why this should be indexed. While it's not 100% necessary, it's definitely industry standard. 3. The walnut probably should be masked before it's cut. This would serve several purposes. First, it would help keep everything clean while cutting. Second, it would protect the walnut as it's being handled, placed and flipped for engraving. Third, it would limit cleanup after engraving. It would also give the option of color fill after engraving.

[@TrotecLaser]

Thank you for sharing your insights! We appreciate your perspective on our video. We only showcase the process in the center of the field for the sake of the video; this provides a better view so the process can be easier seen when filming; in a production setting, you are correct that running in the center field is unnecessary. Regarding the engraving on the acrylic, we understand that personal preference plays a role, and we've observed an even split in choices - with about half of our customers preferring the front and the other half opting for the back. So, please feel free to select the finish that suits your aesthetic the best. About the walnut material, we want to ensure you know that our pre-finished and lacquered walnut is designed for convenience and efficiency, requiring a quick wipe to restore its pristine appearance. While pre-masking is an option, we've found that it doesn't necessarily enhance the final look or quality despite the additional time and cost involved. However, we value your input and encourage you to choose the method that matches your preferences. Thank you again for your valuable feedback!

[@Anaiyahs]

Thank you.

[@TrotecLaser]

You're welcome!

[@juls49237]

Amazing 👍❤️

[@TrotecLaser]

Thanks 🤗

[@danielmartinezvillagran383]

¿Los guantes de qué son? Saludos desde México! Me encantan sus vídeos.!!

[@larrycameron-w9v]

Dave, I thought it was better to engrave on the rear and flip the file but you have engraved the front. Any particular reason?

[@TrotecLaser]

This is a personal preference; there is no wrong way to do this; the effect is slightly more polished looking when etching from the back side, but not by much.

[@larrycameron-w9v]

@@TrotecLaser thank you Dave appreciate the reply. Keep up the great videos!

[@ShareefAlAasmi]

how much you keep the speed and power for acrylic, thanks

[@TrotecLaser]

Laser settings will depend on the thickness of the acrylic and the wattage of the laser you are using; please refer to your materials database for your specific parameters.

[@elimontgomery9624]

Would there be an advantage to engraving the acrylic from the other side with a mirrored font?

[@davidstevens2577]

Engraving acrylic from the other side with a mirrored font may not necessarily provide an inherent advantage, as the preference for this style can be subjective. However, some people appreciate the reverse engraving technique on clear acrylic because it yields a refined, polished white appearance compared to direct engraving. To achieve this effect, the acrylic portion of the design file must be mirrored and processed as a separate file. This allows the award to be flipped over after the walnut wood has been engraved.

[@ciciartclub]

good

[@LuisCasstle]

You can save time by engraving the materials before cutting and assembling them.

[@TrotecLaser]

You are correct; that is an excellent idea if the image on the award is known. In many cases, the award is created blank as the image to engrave may not be known when making the blank award.

[@lohs225]

The tube is not going to last long if using 100% power all the time

[@davidstevens2577]

I can assure you that short runs at 100% laser power like this will not shorten our laser's lifespan.

[@blewprent]

I cringed when he said 100% power.

[@davidstevens2577]

Why would this cause you to cringe? Running at 100% power is common and recommended on our laser systems; this will cause no issues to the laser or the laser life.