Laser Machine and Our Hobbies , Idea Requested Please ...

[Jasonmm]

Hi Everyone

I know this isnt the build your own entertainment center forums ... but I wanted to show you guys ... what a laser machine can do ... and get your suggestions on how you would use a laser machine in a mame machine build  ...  as this is the most creative group found anywhere on the internet !!!









There are a couple of rules using the laser machine ... The largest single peice is 24x18 inches , with a 12in deepth , it can engrave or carve ( raster ) anything ... but to cut ( vector ) it can do 1/2 inch plastics , but has a tough time with wood that size ( ie... several passes with the laser , however , if our able to turn you peice around , and cut from the other side , you can do 1/2 wood ... but thats the max for cutting )

Here is a trophy I did ... showing more detailed work ... the laser can handle easily ...







and made with this corel draw file ....



So how would you use the laser in your mame build ?

thanks Jason

[drventure]

I could easily see something like that used to etch the artwork into a CP, then layering Plex over it.

Same with the marquee or side art, but the cabinet would just about have to be a woody.

Actually, for the marquee, I could see taking some veneer, mounting it to plex on the backside, using the laser to etch a design on the front (or hell, on the back even), such that when lit from behind you see the design because of the differing thickness of wood.

If you etched it on the back, when the inside light was off, the from would just be flat, which could have some interesting possibilities too.

[Mysterioii]

What I would do is have regular printed marquee art, then use that art to come up with a design for the laser etcher that just brings out the highlights of the actual printed art.  I wouldn't etch the whole design, it might look cluttered, but for example my marquee says "MAME" so I would definitely highlight all around the text.  I'd reverse it and etch that into the INSIDE of the plexiglass cover plate so the outward surface is still smooth.  (My marquee isn't the vinyl decal type, it's the non-sticky printout sandwiched between two thin layers of plexi type).  Then I'd layer the artwork and the plexi sheets and hook up a blue LED to edge light the front plexi so the highlights glow.

Heck you could edge light it with RGB leds and drive it with an LED-Wiz so your marquee highlights change color...   

if you like this idea maybe I could get you to etch a plate for my marquee.....   

[Jasonmm]

if you like this idea maybe I could get you to etch a plate for my marquee.....   

I would be interested in doing this for you ...

I like both ideas listed above ...

pm and we can talk ...

Jason

are you talking about something like this ?

[Gray_Area]

I think that plaque looks great. But, yeah, laser takes a lot of power to cut stuff, even plastic, and for something with decent tolerance, CNC (or some people's skills) is the way to go.

[selfie]

I have a LASER engraver also. Lots of fun to play with.

One of my favourite effects is using acrylic mirror and engraving the "mirror" off the back and then back lighting the panel

[Jasonmm]

I have a LASER engraver also. Lots of fun to play with.

One of my favourite effects is using acrylic mirror and engraving the "mirror" off the back and then back lighting the panel

I tried that for this project but had my settings wrong and vectored the file !! Next time forseure ...

[Mysterioii]

Hey man.  The sheet you etched there is tinted...  can you etch clear plexi or will the laser just pass through without enough energy being absorbed to etch it?  I was really kinda joking, but now it's got me thinking...  I'd have to see if I still have the file with my marquee art to use as a template, everything would need to line up exactly.

So for edge lighting a piece of plexi/acrylic, which do you guys think would give the best results:  laser etched or CNC etched?  The grind from an actual CNC machine might diffuse the edges nicely and make it show up more...  I dunno, I'm not really experienced with such things.

[Jasonmm]

Hey man.  The sheet you etched there is tinted...  can you etch clear plexi or will the laser just pass through without enough energy being absorbed to etch it?  I was really kinda joking, but now it's got me thinking...  I'd have to see if I still have the file with my marquee art to use as a template, everything would need to line up exactly.

So for edge lighting a piece of plexi/acrylic, which do you guys think would give the best results:  laser etched or CNC etched?  The grind from an actual CNC machine might diffuse the edges nicely and make it show up more...  I dunno, I'm not really experienced with such things.

''

Hi

I have access to all kinds of plexi , different color and depths ... yes I can raster clear , white , chalk  plexi , without vectoring ... by the way , the laser crushed the CnC machine for this kind of work ... The laser would have the job finished before you even got the CnC machine set up ... As far as lining up everything exactly ... its called a laser for a reason ... you will be impressed ...

Just let me know ... I think etched out from behind and backlight through 1/8 or 1/4 plexi would rock ...

Do you use Corel Draw ?

Jason

[Jasonmm]

Hey man.  The sheet you etched there is tinted...  can you etch clear plexi or will the laser just pass through without enough energy being absorbed to etch it?  I was really kinda joking, but now it's got me thinking...  I'd have to see if I still have the file with my marquee art to use as a template, everything would need to line up exactly.

So for edge lighting a piece of plexi/acrylic, which do you guys think would give the best results:  laser etched or CNC etched?  The grind from an actual CNC machine might diffuse the edges nicely and make it show up more...  I dunno, I'm not really experienced with such things.

''

Hi

I have access to all kinds of plexi , different color and depths ... yes I can raster clear , white , chalk  plexi , without vectoring ... by the way , the laser crushes the CnC machine for this kind of work ... The laser would have the job finished before you even got the CnC machine set up ... As far as lining up everything exactly ... its called a laser for a reason ... you will be impressed ...

Just let me know ... I think etched out from behind and backlight through 1/8 or 1/4 plexi would rock ...

Do you use Corel Draw ?

Jason

[selfie]

The tool marks in an engraved design are essential for good illumination. A polished, engraved groove barely lights up at all however a LASER engraved line differs from a LASER cut line as the engraved line is not polished so it still works well.

When you are edge lighting a panel the depth of the cut/groove will effect the brightness of that line and every line further away from the light source.

For even illumination ideally the grooves should be deeper as the get further away from the lit edge.

Which is best router or LASER? Both have advantages and the best solution will be a case by case thing. LASER can give MUCH more detail and finer lines but will not illuminate the middle of a large panel as well as a router cut panel. My LASER will engrave readable text down to 3 points high, thatsthis big, but my CNC Router can do an edge lit panel 8'x4'

[Jasonmm]

Finished ...







Came out nice ... with the tmolidng ... Jason