Glowforge or Silhouette Cutter?

[lizzienewell]

Here's the machine. I first used a desk lamp for extra light, but then I purchased an under the cabinet LED to go over the top of it. You can see it works better. The last is of the new big ass pallet knife. I was worried it was too big but it can go under the entire sheet of paper and once.

 

[zathros]

Big Ass is always better. You spread the stress and cause less damage. Great idea!!

 

[lizzienewell]

Well I killed the cutting mat. It got clogged up with paper particles so I washed it, taking off all the glue and tried elmer's re-stick glue to re-stick the mat. It works but thats right when I cut through the mat. The parts I'm cutting only fit in a specific way so the machine keeps cutting in the same place. I'm off to get a new mat. I may try reducing the depth of the cut for 110 lb card stock. I also need to think about how I cut rice paper. It's the material which left the most paper fiber on the mat. I might use re-stick clue to attach the rice paper to card stock and then attache the cardstock to the mat. I glue rice paper to cardstock to get it through the primer without jamming.

 

[lizzienewell]

I went to Joanne's for a new mat. I've got one being shipped, but with Christmas deliveries, it's slow in arriving. The mat cost $17.00. Ouch! With that cost the price point of my models may be too high. It depends on how long I can make each mat last and on if I can purchase them wholesale. I looked at spray glue for renewing the mats but I have a chemically sensitive housemate.
I'll continue to work on design and when I've got it finalized I'll look into cheaper methods of production. I might pay to join the local Makerspace for a month and so be able to use glue with solvents away from my housemate. I'll have to do the math. Makerspace is $100/month. 300 if I want studio space. If I could use one mat instead of 6 in a month it might pay for itself. Another consideration is to look into a more expensive machine which has cheaper mats.
I wonder if it's still possible to get the wax which used to be used for pasteup.

 

[zathros]

You can't spray that outside?

 

[lizzienewell]

I will spray outside. My concern is that when I bring it inside the solvents might still be giving off fumes.

 

[zathros]

Leave it out side for a day or two, and that should get rid of any fumes. The solvents evaporate quite fast.

 

[Gandolf50]

I went to Joanne's for a new mat. I've got one being shipped, but with Christmas deliveries, it's slow in arriving. The mat cost $17.00. Ouch! With that cost the price point of my models may be too high. It depends on how long I can make each mat last and on if I can purchase them wholesale. I looked at spray glue for renewing the mats but I have a chemically sensitive housemate.
I'll continue to work on design and when I've got it finalized I'll look into cheaper methods of production. I might pay to join the local Makerspace for a month and so be able to use glue with solvents away from my housemate. I'll have to do the math. Makerspace is $100/month. 300 if I want studio space. If I could use one mat instead of 6 in a month it might pay for itself. Another consideration is to look into a more expensive machine which has cheaper mats.
I wonder if it's still possible to get the wax which used to be used for pasteup.

Ah... May be a dumb question but why 6 mats in a month? If your mat is worn out..( unless you got the low-tack mat ) I hate to say it..your doing it wrong!
I have my original mat for 3 years, only re-sprayed 2x's and cut thousands of stuff!! TINY stuff and used just about every square inch of it's surface! ...

I LOOKED !! AND LOOKED! the more expensive machine way to go is one that does not use mats! but you are also talking in the mega-dollar ranges!!! Cheap laser cutters are an option but a decent one, again, thousands, and need to be water cooled and vented to the outdoors! and they are only going to get more expensive!

https://knkusa.com/knk-force-cutter/
https://knkusa.com/product/15-klic-n-kut-maxx-air/
https://www.epiloglaser.com/index.htm (you will notice there are no prices! It comes in a package so you can have the heart-attack in the comfort of your home!)
https://www.bosslaser.com/index.php/boss-ls-1416.html

 

[zathros]

The few time I used my Cameo, I lightly applied the pieces. I did not find pressing them hard to be of any benefit, actually, it made taking off the parts so much harder. The first time I ruined a few parts, then went with the soft touch. Gandolf has the most experience, maybe if you describe you methodology, he could give you some advice. You could always do it in Private Messaging, if that made you feel more comfortable.

 

[Gandolf50]

Forgot..forget about maker-spaces till you have the $$$$ and check into FABLABS "FabLabs are required to be open to the public for little or no cost for recurring periods through the Fab Charter, frequently teach children, and are most often run by local non-profit organizations." There is one here... https://www.fablabs.io/labs/cherokeetrailhighschool so check it out before anywhere else...

Lab Capabilities
3D printing
CNC-Milling
Circuit production
Laser
Precision milling
Vinyl cutting

 

[Gandolf50]

Are maker spaces in the US that bad/expensive? At least the very few ones we have here are friendly local clubs, which require users only to be part of the club with a small monthly fee (and little additional fees for expensive tools like 3D printers)

No they are not that bad.. and the fees are reasonable, if you have a GOOD income.. but it is a MYTH that all Americans are RICH, if you are retired and living on Social Security.. you are basically just over what the government considers the POVERTY level.. But in reality.. you are doing everything you can just to get by, so FREE is far better than , a small monthly fee!

 

[zathros]

If the Europeans paid for the defense that we have covered since WWII they would not have the life style they (well, some) have now. Those days are over, and now, you will be carrying your load. America's shift to the China seas is to protect our Pacific interests. Time for Europe to pick up it's slack defense spending, or you will all be speaking Russian. Personally, I do not believe Europe could defend itself from itself. I think that's why England is "Brexiting". I hope I am wrong.

Also, America is a vast large country, much larger and different in all it parts. What I have in my Barn is more than anyone I know has. I could easily make 3D printers of various kinds, from additive, to Laser, but finding like minded people is another story, and everyone wants something for nothing. That's a problem in the U.S.. In some places anyways. I live in an upscale town. I am probably the poorest person in this town. Yet, I have neighbors with $100,000 dollar cars who ask me to fix their tractors, or even look at their cars, or help them with their plumbing, electric wiring, or even carpentry work. I just say, hire someone licensed in it. They know I can do virtually anything I put my mind for, yet they expect this for free. Trying to set up a community of people sharing delicate equipment that requires maintenance would be a nightmare. I talked my town into getting 3D printers for all the schools. They actually have and many teachers, I did not know, pulled me aside in the grocery store, as their kids pointed me out, saying that's Johnny's father, he got the 3D printers put in the schools. This town had full machine shops in the High School, with machines that easily could have been converted to CNC machines, they sold them for their scrap value. They were virtually untouched. After all, who would want to see their child do manual labor. No, we are not all rich in the U.S., but many holding the money reigns are and they make it harder and harder for those who are the backbone of this country. We are an industrious group though, and that's been proved over and over.

Trump is a jerk, just in case. I felt I needed to express that. Hillary was too. These are the choices we are given, they are the same people, the flip sides of the same coins, elitist.