I’d like to make a clock out of a wine barrel stave and engrave a 12 on one end and a 6 on the other. How would one go about setting that up?
2 Likes
If it’s short enough to fit the bed, because of the curvature I think you will need to prop one end up in order to get the other end “flat” on the bed (to do the inside of the stave). I did some curved clothes hangers that required me to do that.
If the material is more than 1/2" thick you will need to remove the crumb tray.
BTW, Welcome to the community! 
7 Likes
As they are typically at least 36" long and 1" thick, there is no practical way to engrave on one. There is information about how to operate the machine with the front lower door open, but that is ill-advised.
9 Likes
The 1" thick isn’t a problem.
The 36" would be the issue.
If OP has a GF Pro, then use the pass-thru.
If OP has a GF Basic, then get a couple of magnets so you can run the GF with the front bottom door open. (There are informal tutorials for how to do this. I do it often for long pieces of material.) You can do half of the board (with the other half hanging out the opening) and then flip it. You may need a custom jig if there are alignment requirements.
This won’t work, the passthrough is only rated to 0.25" thick materials. You might be able to shove something slightly thicker than 0.25" through,[1] but definitely not 1". You’re back to intentionally disabling the safety interlocks with magnets.
I don’t know the actual upper limit, I’ve never tried to push it. ↩︎
5 Likes
Yup. Passthru slots are just barely over 1/4", and the silicone wiper makes it hard enough to get 1/4" material in.
3 Likes
I’d cut the number shapes out of a different color wood veneer and stick 'em on the stave.
3 Likes
that kinda kills the point of using a stave, tho. it could just be veneer on any old piece of wood.
1 Like
I’d have no issue working with these, but I consider myself somewhat experienced in the capabilties and potential hazards of breaching the safety mechanisms built-in to the Glowforge.
I may have done something similar in the past, but I won’t share how here.
3 Likes
That I do not follow. It’s still a stave whether it’s marked by engraving or another method.
You can put stickers on anything. It’s not really the same…
because the surface of the barrel stave has character to it. veneer has no aging character.
3 Likes
I’ve done these before and used numbers cut from old license plates but I was hoping to engrave something. Not interested in bypassing safety systems…yet ;-). I’ll try cutting out some acrylic and attaching with stand offs.
…said “lefty” the cyclops.
3 Likes