LaserPecker 2 Trial Engraves

I experimented with the LaserPecker 2 at Quelab hackerspace on May 14th, 2022, with the ultimate aim of making prints.  I wrote up my first experience on May 11th (end of this blog post).

First I translated "Quelab" into Mayan glyphs:

"Quelab" translated into Mayan glyphs

and arranged on two levels

Then I converted the image into a vector file using "Free SVG Converter" online.  I had to clean it up in Inkscape, and ultimately convert it into a raster PNG file to get the Laserpecker 2 to accept it. 

The first singing of newsprint went fast:

Singing newsprint

with the LaserPecker 2

Exhaust suction vent

at Quelab

kept the smoke down

Engraving linoleum: "~90 x ~70mm" image, Material "wood," Power "100%," Depth "10," Passes "3," Time "13:02"

This cut deep enough to print

these Mayan glyphs

Update (May 15):  The next day we printed the Mayan lasered linocut with a Skateboard Press at the Albuquerque Sunday Rail Yard market:

Ethan using a hacked skateboard

to make a print

The final print on 8x8 inch paper

(the red foam is not part of the print)

The print looked nicer 

after it was cut down

Cutting newsprint paper:  "~90 x ~70mm" image, Power "100%," Depth "10," Passes "1," Time "4:21"

The LaserPecker 2 

cut through about three sheets of newsprint

The ultimate idea of cutting newsprint is to use the shapes as masks in the silk screening process.

Note:  I first tried to cut newsprint with a depth of "20," but that burned the paper too much

Rehashed Print

I took a photo of one of my prints and altered it slightly in Photoshop Element 2021 -- Filter>Distort>Liquify... -- and then laser engraved it into linoleum:

May 3, 2022

SLIGHT IMPROVMENT

Top: the original scan,

Bottom: slightly altered in Photoshop Elements

Inverted --

in order that the cut black areas would not print

The engraved image in the  app --

which is sent to the LaserPecker 2 by Bluetooth

I trimmed the 6x6 inch engraved linoleum square

 with heavy duty scissors

Linoleum:  Area "100x100mm" (about 4x4 inches), Material "Wood," Power "100," Depth "10," Passes "3", Time "34:04"

After a half hour

the LaserPecker 2 engraved the linoleum 

deep enough to print

(linoleum trimmed above to about 4x4 inches)

The next day I printed this 4x4 inch image

with the Tortilla Press on 8x8 inch paper

I also translated the image using the "G Code" in the app and it cut differently:

Top: G Code version

Bottom: Regular raster version

G Code version into linoleum:  Material "wood", Power "100%," Depth "10," Passes "3", Time "17:28"

G Code version

probably will not print well

Conclusion:  The LaserPecker 2 works pretty well.  It will engrave linoleum deep enough to print on the Tortilla Press, with 3 passes in about a half hour. It only cuts 4x4 inches (instead of the ideal 6x6 inches).  I just place the orange cone over the linoleum and that "focuses" the laser automatically.  So it is easy to use.

Ventilation is important as it does smoke up when engraving linoleum.  However the ventilation exhaust fan worked well enough in the annex of Quelab.  We smoked out the small sewing room earlier in the week, as there was no ventilation back there.

It also looks like I should be able to laser cut newsprint to use as mask for silk screening.  I probably want to cut larger contours rather than the smaller six Mayan glyph example at the top of this blog post.