Can you set GF to engrave 2mm deep to insert a recessed tiny magnet?
Thx,
Cindi
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No, because the depth of the engrave is going to change depending on the material being used. It requires running a few tests on a scrap of the material.
To go deeper, increase the LPI. It will take longer but cut deeper. You can also use multiple passes.
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Thx for your quick reply! You are saying No, but that it might be possible? I testing on mdf, but might be moving to PG or other 3mm plywood.
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You can definitely engrave 2 mm deep. You just need to run some tests. Do you have a good set of calipers?
(One thing that happens in deep engraves though, you will get a buildup of resin along the front side of the hole from the air assist blowing it forward…you’ll want to either make the hole slightly larger than the magnet, or use a pick to clean out the hole after.)
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Yes I have calipers. I only need the recess to fit a 6mm in diameter by 2mm magnet.
Thx, I’ll do a test!
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I think you just have to know that you likely aren’t going to get 2mm exactly. Plan to go deeper than 2mm and then you can use filler/glue to make the magnet flush.
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Thank You - Off to experiment!
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Tbh I usually cut two layers and glue them up. It’s quite a bit faster than trying to engrave a pocket and it’s much more predictable with depth.
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Whenever I have done recessed magnets I will guess at the settings, engrave it then measure without moving the part. If it needs to go deeper just make adjustments to the engrave setting if needed and run again. Don’t move anything even if it looks like it will engrave off. As long as you haven’t moved your material it will engrave in the exact same spot.
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This isn’t an answer to what you asked, but if you’re doing a lot of these, scoring an outline for placement and then using a countersink bit on a drill might be a good solution.
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It’s trivial to engrave a small pocket 2 mm deep. Just do some tests. What I would do is make a coupon (trial piece) that is cut out of the material that you can take out and measure multiple times and then put back in to do a second engrave, using the material as a jig to replace the coupon for multiple jobs. Just don’t move the image in the GFUI. Once you have it dialed in, you should be ok for the real job.
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I’ve done it with medium proofgrade ply. 50 “Save the Date” notices and engraved a pocket for the round magnet so it would stick to a fridge.
Just use a scrap of the actual material and dial it in. A couple of hundredths under the diameter and I used Vice grips like these to press it in.
It could be tapped in with a hammer.
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I have found that a flat-based drill/CNC bit in a drill press to do a better job as it can be very precise and for me (3x1 mm) can even come from the side, where the laser cannot go.
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I’ve used this technique for embedding magnets, see the Ancillary Mode Dial. I got the best results when following the engrave with a low-powered cut or score to finish the edges. Glue is also recommended to help keep the magnets seated over time.
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One point I’ll make is you’ll probably get more repeatable results with manufactured material (like draftboard/MDF) or Medium PG plywood than you will with hardwood.
A deep pocket engrave will be impacted by material density. Hardwood has lots of variation so you might not get a uniform depth. MDF/Draftboard is much more consistent and Medium PG ply has a thin veneer over a draftboard(MDF) core.
I’ve cut pockets like this instead of holes/slots for tabs. I’m not a fan of the tab/slot look. It worked really well once I’d dialed in the settings, although all of my tabs were shorter than the pocket to account for variation in depth. In the case of a magnet pocket, I don’t think it would hurt if it sat a little proud?
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I’ve done this with success but you will need to make test cuts. Take notes! And yes, you need glue too.
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