I used to do that prior to being able to save custom settings in the GFUI (I hope it never loses them!)
One of my favorite sayings… “Kaka happens.” Maybe I’m just old enough to remember system crashes.
For those still interested in the topic of cork, here are some experiments I made using cork sheeting. I had done coasters in the past and had various levels of success and but also a lot of charring. After much trial and error (and the help of this thread) I was able to get optimal settings for engraving (1000/9 for light and 1000/12 for outlines and details)
This time around, my intention is to be able to use the cork for creating decorative acoustic panels for sound absorption. So I need to work in large format with an 8mm (0.31 inch) thickness. I am using a GlowforgePro.
What I found was, as many of you stated, that cutting through often ends in charring, even if trying a second pass at higher speed. So, I opted for getting as deep as I could without charring (225/Full), then doing the finish with a blade. This worked out very nicely. I used a scalpel, which is very effective when you can lift a bit to expose the uncut piece. Just be very careful, very easy to poke yourself.
Yes! So easy to stab yourself
I ended up going with scoring the cut line and then cutting the whole thing because the half black/half not was bugging me in a way that just a tiny bit of black at the top didn’t.
That leaf is beautiful! As acoustics are these decorative on top of a flat background, or is the entire wall made up of pieces linked together?
I am thinking I will marker or paint the sides brown to avoid the light on bottom where cut. They will be placed directly on the wall in a pattern. We looked at factory made acoustic tiling and I just didn’t love the designs. Given that we live in Languedoc, we decided to just go for it with wine leaves. That said, I am really struggling with the cork in the passthrough, as it doesn’t lay flat (and therefore consistently misaligns. I may have to modify my plans of using larger leaves.
There’s something to be said for aligning cuts along lines already in the design so they blend when you mount them next to each other.
Or as cork has that mottled surface it means another jagged line would likely disappear in the overall pattern.
Thanks for sharing! I have a sheet of cork that’s been sitting in my drawer waiting to be used.
mahalo for the settings / trial and error. the coasters I made came out amazing.
lol Your reply to this reminded me that I STILL have that sheet of cork in the drawer. lol
do it! so fun!
I need some inspiration!
Cool! These were made from a sheet of cork? Did you use anything else (like layer with the cork)?
Cork can be difficult to cut reliably, and it chars like crazy. If I were doing it I would buy precut cork rounds and engrave them.
Like:
or any number of cork providers on aliexpress:
30 rounds for a dollar.
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807135504718.html
Granted those are barebones, but the labor saving alone is worth it.
More refined, 10/$0.99:
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806147910728.html
More refined, like the ones I used in that project, 6 for a buck:
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806079529732.html
Maybe you want square? 50 for about 5 bucks:
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256808320340262.html
Granted, all of these prices are probably introductory rates, but cheap is cheap.
They were given to me with text on the other side already, I measured them, created a sheet of wooden ones, left the template in, turned off the cut line, and used that as the jig to line them up to make 100. Worked amazingly. Didn’t cut.
I need to buy some of these cork coasters!!! Great tip @evansd2
Maybe consider using an edge jig next time, or a reusable one. Cutting up a whole sheet of wood for something like this isn’t necessary, Even cardboard would probably be a preferable option.
If you’ve never seen it, I describe creating an edge jig in method number four on this post:
That is a great idea. I was honestly worried that I wouldn’t have enough time to get it done, so I decided to make them a wooden set and just keep using the jig. Now I have a coaster jig and ordered a bunch of the coasters that you posted.
I like the edge jig concept! That is cool and I hadn’t seen it before.
Awesome!
I almost exclusively use edge and corner jigs — they’re quick, use very little material, and accurate enough for almost everything.