Beta beta_project: First impression

I need a Love button for this one. Although I don’t have a real letterpress, I do have a fake one (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002XHC6Y6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_H4fkybB56NKAR) as well as an embossing machine (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0033PNIHG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_v6fkybH1N3RR3) so I really want to try this. Your sample is so inspiring!

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If your belt walks at low or high speed you need to check the alignment of the motor and pulley on the shaft that turns the belt. Just a fraction off at that size difference would make the belt walk pretty significantly.
Edit: love the project and my wife is extremely jealous, she loves embossing

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That is spectacular! (And embossing was not a use for lasers that I would have thought of…but I’ve got a CuttleBug and a BigShot, and the cartridges for them are too blinking expensive…)

You just expanded the laserable universe. :smiley::squeeee:

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I’ll have to try something like this on my pizza press! Good job. Thanks for sharing.

Monkey-Otter for the win!

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This whole post and the photos was fascinating to me. I loved reading the step-by-step in addition to seeing the final product. Thank you.

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Sweet. In general, when you start printing real stuff you may find that the corners and edges of your printed area make a deeper impression than the center. The press I worked in kept a supply of several thicknesses of really thin paper for makeready to even the impression out (we were also working with type that had seen a lot of use). You might also be able to do a graded engrave to compensate for that.

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I probably would have missed this use case as well, as i don’t have any press experience but it circles around to what I said in some way back post. If you can’t make what you want directly, drop back and ask can I make a jig or templet with this tool to do it in two steps.

I’m REALY hope certain people stay as active after we are up and running as they are now. @jkopel is one of them for his deep engineering insights.

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Great professional result!
My guess would be either the shieve alignment or the old belt is distorted.

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Thanks all. The belt problem is two fold, first it is too narrow, and second it is slightly misaligned. I am trying to track down a local source for wide leather belting and once I get one made I can tackle the alignment.

In the mean time we are negotiating the appropriate hourly rate for spinning her wheel.
:wink: :arrows_clockwise:

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That is pretty durn cool!

That turned out really well. That embossing looks crisp.

Agreed it looks Diresta cool!

some days I think this forum is going to make my head literally explode with too many ideas! I wonder if my insurance will cover that :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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Another way to utilize your pizza press.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/24pcs-6packages-Blank-Square-Glass-Coaster-Coffee-Cup-Mat-Sublimation-Press-/201605576490?hash=item2ef0a0f72a:g:Bl8AAOxyrUZRy-4B

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From the image of etch, it looks like edges are a bit jagged.

Does anyone know if there is a setting for smoother edges, like how 3D Printers create a first layer, with an outline and then a fill? Like this example:

Just a note, that one was a low resolution test piece to show the designer.

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Aside from that being a low-res example, as @jkopel said,… yes you can create a vector line around an area of engraving (just exactly like the outline on a 3D printed object) and completely eliminate that rough edges effect.

Does that answer the question? :slight_smile:

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Have you read through this topic? It’s very comprehensive about this issue when it comes to engraving rather than vectors. It isn’t settled in the topic, but having read through everything else, resolution is going to astound us. There is a topic that treats vector outlining also, not sure if it is a main topic or part of a bigger discussion. Will look for it and then update this.

This one addresses resolution in several ways. At the moment I am working on a drawing that would use this technique specifically. Vectored outline but engraved deep between the outlines. It calls for some very fine engraving and vectors. So I’d like to see some more examples of this and how it works with the software. Someday.

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thanks for the link. I have skimmed through that post, but probably not as thorough as I could have.

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Ok. Just posted another link. I’m pretty sure there are some photos of this done on a Glowforge. Will keep hunting.

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