So before I took the plunge and pre-ordered the machine I put in a question twice if the machine would be able to create rubber stamps…I have seen others post this same question and have seen where the question was answered YES…which I was excited to see…BUT I just got a response back today stating this:
That’s a fascinating challenge for our laser, and I’ve never seen a case like it before. I don’t want to mislead you that we know for sure that it would work. Unfortunately we’re not staffed right now to run samples or experiments for potential customers, so I’m afraid I can’t give you a definitive answer. If there is a local makerspace or shop that has a CO2 laser with a power of about 45 watts, you can test it there - if it works, it will work on a Glowforge. Right now, though, I’m afraid we just won’t know the answer.
SO WILL IT BE ABLE TO OR NOT…this is the main reason I purchased the machine…I would LOVE to see a sample done…I want to be able to draw something and then to it into a rubber stamp like at the link this picture
At the end of the day if you strip down all the awesome features that make the GlowForge unique it’s a 40-45w CO2 laser. What this means for you is that if you want to find out if a material or technique will be possible, and that does not depend on any of the novel functionality of the Glowforge and fits within the basic working envelope, you can search on google to see what others are doing with 40-45w CO2 lasers.
Here is one article on laser cutting rubber stamps:
This should totally be possible, and I can’t think of any reason it would not work as it’s already being done on lasers that are less powerful and far less awesome than the Glowforge.
I purchased custom rubber stamps from shops who used laser cutters. I don’t see why the Glowforge isn’t capable. Just make sure you buy the right material made for stamping
@dan has already said yes it will have a “rubber stamp mode”, hopefully that will be at launch but they have a lot to do so who knows this may come a bit later, but due to the power of the cloud it will magically be made available to you hopefully sooner rather than later. They have a lot of features they want to add and only a small team, so this will come, but there is no date on when.
You will be able to make basic stamps quite easily without any special settings/software from GF, but what they want to add is a chamfer/bevelled edge to your design to make the stamping work best with your lovely detail from your designs.
I wouldn’t worry plenty of us want this(me included)
The hardest part might me if you have to make the stamp image yourself instead of having the software automatically invert a raster image to get an inverse. But still not insurmountable.
I have not received my Glowforge. I’m interested in rubber stamping and with that also working with using linoleum block on a letterpress. Has anyone have any ideals in laser cutting linoleum.
Thanks
I believe there have been some tests on linoleum. Any tests would be in the Beyond the Manual Category if you want to do a search for linoleum, but here is one that I remembered:
