Laser
- Create your design of what you want laser engraved/cutout on the computers
- Get your image onto the computer via usb drive
- Get your image to be the one on the screen
- Click settings
- "Materials Database"
- "Plastic"
- "Acrylic"
- "Extruded acrylic"
- Measure the thickness of your material and put it into the computer
- Click "apply"
- Move your image into a place on the computer where it fits the material in the laser
- The click "relocate"
- Ready to print then click the green play button
Vinyl Decal
- Once you image is done, take over to the black mat to cut it to a smaller piece
- Start to peel the backing off at a 45 degree angle, keeping the rest flat
- Use a pick tool to help you incase your product starts to stick to the vinyl
- Once your product is clear of the vinyl, take the clear tape and apply it onto your product
- Use the squeegee to make sure it is on it very tightly. Use can use it as hard as it takes it will survive
- Use the razor to cut off the excess tape to make it to a decal that you can apply at any time
- When you're ready to apply peel away the backing of the vinyl to get the letters and the tape only. Again peel away at a 45 degree angle while keeping the rest flat
- When you finish that take the tape that has your product on it and apply it to the board
- Use the squeegee again to make sure that it is fully applied
- Peel the tape away at a 45 degree angle, move slowly. Using the pick if necessary
- The vinyl is applied to where you wanted now
Summary
Illustrator is a useful software to create things that you can cut out and use. It is only 2D but it is still a useful software to use. The laser engraver was a very interesting machine. It is crazy that a single laser can cut or engrave something onto a object of your choice. The vinyl cutter was interesting also. It seemed simple enough to use that I would like to come back and make a decal that I can put onto something of my choice when I think of something instead of spending a lot more money on it. Also I can then say that I made it on my own.