About Me
I bought my 100 watt C02 Laser 3 years ago and have been using non stop ever since. It is amazing what can be done with these machines. Since then, I have retired, got 2 dogs and still have a Honey-do as long as your arm.
I have been active in the Community Market at the old Seabeck School Site since it started. It has been fun and really nice to meet my neighbors and make friends in and around the area.
While I do enjoy making stuff, the workload for making finished items for the market has become more than what I expected. This has been great and I really appreciate all the people who bought items from me.
I retired so I could lessen my workload, not shift it to another area. For me the Seabeck Market represents a workload of almost 40 hours a week to make and prepare stuff for the next one, not to mention all the custom jobs.
So on that note, this year I will attending fewer Markets. I am also shifting my focus to making DYI unfinished kits. That way you can paint, stain or do whatever you wish with it.
Cutting out shapes is what the Laser excels at. Making kits available with complex (and Custom) cuts for the user to finish to their own taste is the direction I am going to go. I will have some finished items for show and tell and to sell, but I would rather sell the item in kit form. It will be cheaper for you. All I am going to charge is material and laser time.
This applies for almost everything I make. Clocks, Thermometers Cribbage Boards, plaques, etc.
Alan...
I bought my 100 watt C02 Laser 3 years ago and have been using non stop ever since. It is amazing what can be done with these machines. Since then, I have retired, got 2 dogs and still have a Honey-do as long as your arm.
I have been active in the Community Market at the old Seabeck School Site since it started. It has been fun and really nice to meet my neighbors and make friends in and around the area.
While I do enjoy making stuff, the workload for making finished items for the market has become more than what I expected. This has been great and I really appreciate all the people who bought items from me.
I retired so I could lessen my workload, not shift it to another area. For me the Seabeck Market represents a workload of almost 40 hours a week to make and prepare stuff for the next one, not to mention all the custom jobs.
So on that note, this year I will attending fewer Markets. I am also shifting my focus to making DYI unfinished kits. That way you can paint, stain or do whatever you wish with it.
Cutting out shapes is what the Laser excels at. Making kits available with complex (and Custom) cuts for the user to finish to their own taste is the direction I am going to go. I will have some finished items for show and tell and to sell, but I would rather sell the item in kit form. It will be cheaper for you. All I am going to charge is material and laser time.
Custom Work - A few comments about Custom Work.
Everything I do is Custom.
While I do enjoy it, it does present some challenges. Communications are key, I cannot see in your mind to what you want or the spelling you are expecting. I generally try to do a workup of the project to show you before I cut or etch anything. Some times I will do a smaller version of the project, so I can look at details.
Communications
Most Custom jobs start of with a conversation or email. Email seems to work best for me. At some point I might ask you to call me or vice versa. Talking in person helps focus on the details.
Layers
Sometimes to achieve the look wanted, we need to think about the end project built in layers. Layers add depth to the finished project.
Materials - Wood and Acrylic
These are the 2 materials I most use in making things.
Wood
The wood I use is a 5mm plywood. I can do other woods, but I choose to keep the prices low. A big part of the cost of a project is Laser Time. Engraving takes more time, than cutting. This wood cuts clean and can be lightly sanded and takes stain and paint well.
Acrylic
The Acrylic I use is 5mm Cast Sign Grade Acrylic. I have mostly white.
One note about Acrylic projects. Acrylic can be brittle after cut into delicate shapes. Something to consider while designing.
