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:




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
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:

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:

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 QuelabWe 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.


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