Use vinyl transfer paper as masking for non-proofgrade materials

Beyond the Manual
46

This cracks me up…I remember making my own animated gifs way back in early 2000 something. I believe the first ones were invented back in the late 80s

Now its all the rage…kids today think they invented it…lmao

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47

When I was a kid, we made flip books by drawing in the corners of our note pads. A primitive GIF.

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48

I did those too…lol.

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50

My avatar is actually an animated gif. Discourse doesn’t display it that way. My son made it for me almost 20 years ago :grinning: The juggler is riding a unicycle back & forth. Except here.

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51

Thanks for the Vinyl transfer tape idea. I’ve been looking for a material that would be somewhat adhesive, yet easy to peel off. I plan to use it as a one time mask/stencil for light blasting or glass etching. Has anyone tried this with any success?

I received my Glowforge email today, so I haven’t had a chance to play with the materials yet.

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52

Why wouldn’t you want to use the polypropylene transfer tape?

I’d think it’d cut easily and consistently (more consistent than an organic, such as paper). Or?

53

The plastic stuff has a tendency to melt into the lasered surface, especially for engraves.

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54

Thanks! Do you have one you use?

Is there one that would be suitable for both plastics and organics (wood, etc)?

55

You’re looking for the 582U and/or 592U. It’s paper based.

Don’t use the clear 1310 and/or 1320.

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56

@paulw hit the nail on the head: PP is melty (and therefore messy). It actually cuts okay on its own, but putting a layer of it on another material would likely give you a sticky mess.

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57

With shipping to Colorado, that 582U is $51 and change, roughly $52. If i did my math right, that’s… ~1.7 pennies a square foot?

58

The TransferRite works very well, btw.

I have been using it to cut some very delicate details on paper (see my thread about paper experiments in the Made on Glowforge category) and the 582u comes off cleanly. I would warn that the “medium” tack is actually very low, on paper even with pressing it down firmly can come up a little during the cut. For harder, not-so-easily-tearable materials I would recommend the higher tack version.

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59

I think it’s 17 pennies, not 1.7 pennies… but I ain’t gonna say nuthin bad about your math, cause I don’t trust my own math, so I’ll lay it out here and wait to be told if’n I’m doin it wrong.

Ok,
12 in = 1 ft.,
12 in x 12 in = 1 sq ft.,
12 in x 1 ft = 1 sq ft.,
and
1 yard = 3 ft.
Pretty comfortable with that.

so

12 in x 100 yards = 12 in x 300 ft = 300 sq ft. (…right?)

300 sq ft costs ~ $51.

51 / 300 = 0.17

Then check it in reverse:

300 Sq Ft @ $0.17 per sq ft: $51

So, if my math is right, it is 17 pennies, not 1.7 pennies.

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60

Oh yeah, yup. You’re correct :woman_facepalming:
There’s a reason I went to art school rather than math school :wink:

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61

I english way more gooder than I math.

(btw: I found your comics and lost much time there. nice!)

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62

Thank you :smiley:

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63

I have a roll of Con-Tact brand paper left over from when I masked stuff with my CNC so I could paint it afterwards. I also have some clear transfer tape from my Curio. Anyone know offhand if that stuff is laser-safe?

Unfortunately that stuff is named vaguely enough where Google isn’t my friend on this one. I guess I should order up something like TransferRite just to be safe.

64

Con-Tact paper often (always?) has vinyl which = :frowning_face::glowforge:

65

That’s what I figured. It really does feel like my Curio’s vinyl.

66

clear transfer tape is also almost always vinyl based, I’m afraid.

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