Capabilities
- What are the maximum dimensions of a cut piece?
- Can you assemble my cards or invitation pockets?
- I'm an artist. Can you cut-on-demand and drop ship?
- What materials do you cut?
- Can you cut printed material? What about registration?
- What type of equipment do you have?
- Can you cut metal? (No.)
- Can you cut a stack of paper? (No.)
Design
General
What are the maximum dimensions of a cut piece?
The dimensions of your design should be no larger than 23.5 x 17.5", dependent on material size. By keeping the dimensions slightly smaller than the bed size of 24 x 18" a new edge may be cut. Many of my stocked papers are quarter sheets (~19 x 13").
Longer materials may be cut by running the job with the door open, lasering one end, turning the material and lasering the other end.
Last Updated: Apr 18, 2011 2:57:02 AM
Can you assemble my cards or invitation pockets?
Absolutely. I can create your custom cards "retail ready": lined, with an envelope and in a cello bag. Please note your requirements on the quote request. Pricing for invitation pockets includes folding & gluing.Last Updated: Apr 18, 2011 5:04:17 AM
I'm an artist. Can you cut-on-demand and drop ship?
Absolutely. Cut-on-demand saves the cost of double shipping, conserves materials, and allows you to try designs without sitting on unsold inventory.Last Updated: Apr 18, 2011 5:03:59 AM
What materials do you cut?
I specialize in paper. This includes:
- Card stock (cover weight)
- Text/writing paper
- Cardboard
- Sticker sheets (I can kiss-cut just the top sheet of paper, leaving the backing intact)
- Handmade and specialty papers
Wood etches and cuts beautifully up to 1/16" or 1/8" depending on the type. Wood veneers have virtually no discoloration. Thicker wood requires masking (more labor) for a professional look.
Craft felt cuts fairly well. The edges show some discoloration. I don't cut wool felt because it smells like burning sheep.
Anodized aluminum is bleached out when etched, leaving a nice white mark. Unanodized metals require application of a product that forms a strong bond with the metal when lasered. After the unbonded product is washed off the mark is black.
Acrylic jobs are on a case-by-case basis.
I welcome enquiries for other materials.
Last Updated: Apr 18, 2011 2:55:41 AM
Can you cut printed material? What about registration?
I cut printed material with a tight tolerance (up to 1/32"). If you are using special inks or paper I recommend testing to get the best result. Registration with the laser is a manual process. I require four crosshairs to be added to the printed piece, one in each corner. Send me an Illustrator or vector file with two layers/pages, one with the printed material and one with the die/laser marks.
Tight registration is time consuming. Please note in your quote request the level of tolerance needed/size of bleed.
Last Updated: Apr 18, 2011 5:16:55 AM
What type of equipment do you have?
- ULS VersaLaser 4.60 - 50W, 24x18" cutting area
- ULS X660 Superspeed - 2x60W, 32x18" cutting area
- MacBook Pro, MacBook, aged PC
- Martin Yale AutoFolder
- Martin Yale stack cutter (7000E)
Last Updated: Apr 13, 2011 4:16:25 AM
Can you cut metal? (No.)
No. Cutting metal requires a laser with a shorter wavelength and much higher power.Last Updated: Apr 11, 2011 9:58:21 AM
Can you cut a stack of paper? (No.)
No. There are a few issues surrounding cutting multiple sheets of paper at a time. First, two sheets are next to each other the smoke gets trapped between them and adheres to the paper. This discoloration is very noticeable on lighter colors of paper. Second, the laser beam has a limited focal range. Each sheets in a stack of paper will be at a different focal length, causing inconsistency between the sheets and a loss of sharpness to the cut. Lastly, because of the trapped heat and the focus issues there is a greater chance of fire. In my testing it didn't take many sheets before the top one would show glowing embers and eventually burst into flame. There are a few exceptions. I will let you know if this is an option in your quote.Last Updated: Apr 18, 2011 5:17:13 AM
How thin can the lines in my design be?
For paper you can have elements as thin as 0.015" in your design. These will cut to a very fragile hairwidth. Structural stability is improved around 0.03" and 0.05" is quite strong. Don't forget about gravity; if you have thin connections or long unsupported horizontal elements they may bend or break. If your design has thin elements you should offset the path by 0.003" to account for the laser's kerf. I can help you with intricate or fine art to ensure that the cut product matches the original design as closely as possible.
In general, the thicker the material the thicker the lines should be.
Last Updated: Apr 18, 2011 5:04:43 AM
How closely can elements be placed together?
For paper, use an offset of 0.1" between your elements. For wood and acrylic go up to 0.2" to ensure one element's heat affected zone (HAZ) isn't interfering with its neighbor's.Last Updated: Apr 9, 2011 3:33:33 PM
What's the smallest diameter of hole that can be cut?
It depends how much time you want to invest cleaning up the cut piece. If the width of the "negative space" elements are at least thick as the paper, they will generally fall freely from the sheet when it's lifted from the laser bed. Standard cardstock tops out around 0.17" so this is a safe bet. Thinner cuts may act as little plugs; you can remove them by tapping or blowing on the paper or using a pin to push them out.Last Updated: Apr 9, 2011 3:34:01 PM
What file types do you accept?
For the fastest quote and turnaround, submit your design to scale in a vector file format (Illustrator ai, svg, pdf, AutoCAD dxf or dwg). You can also submit raster images (jpg, png) preferably at least 300dpi, photographs, or scans of physical cutouts or line drawings. Note the dimensions. Creating an estimate often involves working for free (lucky you!) since I have to create a rough vector mockup for machine estimation.Last Updated: Apr 18, 2011 4:03:58 AM
How do I indicate etching, cutting, or scoring?
Use different colors to indicate different laser settings. To save on setup time you are welcome to make your file laser ready. Make sure that it is set to RGB and not CMYK.
All lines should be set to 0.01".
- Etching - Black fill (no stroke): 0 0 0
- Precise cutting - Magenta line: 255 0 255
- Fast cutting (straight lines only please) - Cyan line: 0 255 255
- Scoring (mountain fold) - Red line: 255 0 0
- Dotted line (valley fold) - Green line: 0 255 0
- Notes/unlaserables - Orange: 255 102 0
If you use Illustrator CS4+ you may also be interested in these graphic styles.
Last Updated: Apr 20, 2011 9:31:59 AM
How much would it cost to buy my own laser?
Purchasing a laser requires an investment of time, money, and space. Expect to spend 10-30k for the most well-regarded manufacturers (including Universal (ULS), Epilog, Trotec and LaserPro/GCC).
There are several lower-cost options as well, with a range of reliability and customer support. Make sure to do your research and compare samples cut from your materials or material specification from your files. Every manufacturer will provide "showcase" samples that may not be representative of the type of work you plan to do.
For a thorough discussion search the archives of sawmillcreek.org. There are many posts ranging from the uninformed "what laser should I buy" to discussions based on well-researched needs and specific model comparisons.
Last Updated: Apr 18, 2011 4:34:54 AM
How does laser cutting compare to die cutting?
Die-cutting uses a tool of bent steel embedded in a block to cut or score materials. Complex dies are priced accordingly to the manual skill needed to create them. Once the die is created, it can be used many times before it dulls. Die cutting is fairly fast and often automated (sheet or roller fed). Laser-cutting is computer controlled; it is fast to iterate on designs and physical prototypes. The time to cut is related to the complexity of the design.
Laser cutting is often more affordable than die-cutting for low-volume runs. It offers design opportunities not possible with a physical die.
Laser-cutting:
- No tooling cost
- Incredible detail and precision
- Non-contact
- Good for prototyping
- "On demand" cutting possible
Die-cutting:
- Automation widely available
- No heat affected zone
- True scoring
- Stack cutting possible
Last Updated: Apr 18, 2011 5:17:45 AM
Why not use a Cricut/Silhouette/CraftRobo?
Cricut, Silhouette, CraftRobo and competitors are cutting machines targeted at the hobby market, particularly scrapbooking. They are also computer-controlled but use a blade to cut material instead of a laser beam. These machines are fine for low volume, low detail work. You may be tempted to purchase one of these machines instead of paying to have a job laser cut. Here are a few points to consider:
- How much is your time worth? Using one of these hobby machines is labor intensive. They only accept small sheets of material. Most materials require the use of a "sticky mat" which can make your design slow or remove or even impossible to remove without tearing.
- The laser allows more design flexibility; you can create more detailed art and have tolerances that wouldn't be possible with a physical blade.
- The laser can cut much thicker papers and offers other material choices not available to a hobby cutting machine.
- Material costs are lower on the laser since space can be more efficiently used on a larger bed.
Last Updated: Apr 18, 2011 5:18:59 AM
How long will my order take? Can it be rushed?
Orders take a day to several weeks. Most custom orders are shipped within 1-2 weeks. There are several variables that affect the time. If you have a hard deadline (wedding, client contract etc) please note it in the estimate details or order notes.
- Material - is the material in stock, or does it need to be shipped or special ordered? In general, add a week for special material orders.
- Time to cut - orders for hundreds of pieces can take several days to cut.
- File readiness - does your file require a lot of prep?
- Research & design - if you are open-ended with your design or material choices I need to explore different options and test materials.
- Communication - are you fast to reply to emails?
- Shipping - where do you live? Orders are shipped with tracking numbers via USPS or UPS. Orders outside the country may be delayed at customs.
Rush orders can be processed for an additional fee. Order time begins after material arrives and mock-ups are approved. Expedited shipping for materials or delivery are in addition to rush fees. Rush orders may not always be possible; please contact me for confirmation.
- 24 hours, add 50% or $50, whichever is higher
- 2-day, add add 20% or $20, whichever is higher
Last Updated: Nov 14, 2011 3:52:49 PM
How does the custom order process work?
- Send your artwork and master plan (number of pieces, paper requirements etc) to . We'll reply with an estimate, any changes that may be required, and a time frame for completing the work.
- Paper tests are performed if necessary, and paper is ordered.
- A prototype is created, photographed and emailed.
- After you approve the prototype, we begin production.
If you're not sure if your project is possible or you have any other question, just contact us. We're here to help!
Last Updated: Apr 20, 2011 11:23:17 AM