Outsourcing a laser cutting project to China?

[Aloha]

I had posted the mustache bottle opener

Mustache Bottle Opener - I Drink and I Know Things

Happy 2021 New Year everyone! [image] [image] [image] For the new year please make this DIY Bottle opener that I made from my own drawing / mirrored. (And post a picture!) It will need a small screw, and a few metal washers. you can change the hole size depending on the washers you have. [image] [image] [Screen Shot 2020-12-31 at 3.39.27 PM] [Screen Shot 2020-12-31 at 4.31.51 PM] I used 1/8 inch plywood for the front and back panels, and 1/4 inch plywood for the middle plain h…

and my sister thought a variation of this design with a hasher foot would be fun for her running club and wanted 50…

I don’t really love the unpredictability of cutting through 1/4 in baltic, nor do I want to stress out old Treebeard, so I was wondering if anyone here had any laser contacts that I could send a design like this to and get the parts mailed to me for a reasonable price?

Thanks!!!

[evansd2]

@Aloha

cutting through 1/4 in baltic

Just do 2 layers of 1/8"? It can’t be that simple or you would have already considered it?

[jbmanning5]

I don’t know if this would necessarily be the kind of job size to outsource it to China. It’s a reasonably small run, so can’t see how it would be worth their while for the quantity involved.

[Aloha]

@evansd2 and @jbmanning5 I considered more layers of 1/8 inch, which at that point would require some alignment pegs, I was just trying to think of ways of getting this done without putting the machine through it’s paces. and my sister could order more if she needed them, (without my involvement.)
I really enjoy the designing and prototyping, failing and eventually getting it right, but not so much producing.

[jbmanning5]

I could probably cut these for you, but not really interested in assembling lol. I just set your other mustache holder up to do 54 of them, and it looks like for the two 1/8” cuts with the engraved text, and then the 1/4” cuts, would be about a 30-35 minute job.

[Aloha]

That sounds amazing. My sister could definitely assemble. Is this with the glowforge or with your other laser?

[raymondking32]

GF had that Ponoko partnership, you could see if this option is viable (or if said partnership is still a thing). August 2018 Update

It’s fairly early on in that update.

@Aloha

I considered more layers of 1/8 inch, which at that point would require some alignment pegs

Or just a jig to drop in the two pieces

[evansd2]

@jbmanning5

but not really interested in assembling lol

Big Brain Moment^tm – Make them as a kit.

People feel more connected to the thing if they have a hand in making it.

[Aloha]

That’s very true! This would be a very easy kit.

[Aloha]

I hadn’t thought about a jig….

[jbmanning5]

That’s with the Trotec; 54 of them fit on the bed, so it’s basically just loading up the three sheets of material.