What to do with scrap

OMG! I must have one! :grinning:

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And now, there is only one left - whoever else wants it - better grab it. :smile:

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I had one and misplaced it so I may have two if the other shows up

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Even the small stuff can be used for dialing in settings and testing. I much prefer to test fit up and stuff on the actual material I intend to build with. Funny, because I spent a year gathering and cutting down cardboard… And have used maybe 3 pieces.
I have found those present name tags with names engraved on them are very nice gifts for neighbors and friends/acquaintances.

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I got a new use…
I just made a mistake cut and showed it to The Boss. She’s an Etsy seller. Her reply to seeing my mistake: “If you make a second one, I can turn them into earrings!”

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The laser is great for earrings. One needs to be the mirror of the other. In cast gold jewelry make two wax models. With a laser, it’s mirror the design in the software and push a button!

Now that I think of it, the ability to mirror a copy in the UI could be a handy feature.

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When one has an Etsy shop, even the smallest scraps can be turned into useful stuff! Tags and other packaging, freebies, earrings, etc.

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If you cut the end off a plastic soda or water bottle and run it through the lacemaker (being careful not to let it curve out) you can get a long run of very interesting “lacing” that is very strong and transparent, though hard to fasten and a bit sharp-edged, it begs for ideas to put it to use.

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Just got mine in…might have to perform a little surgery on a straw. (Good practice before tackling the leather too.) :smile:

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The 2-liter soda bottles work best.

Don’t have any! :neutral_face: (Oh wait, we might have a small Gatorade bottle or two out in the garage fridge - might have to raid hub’s stash.)

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You want them with smooth sides. Which is why soda bottles work best. if the contents are under pressure and usually store brands as straight sides are cheaper to produce.

“Smart Water” also comes in straight-sided containers, but you have to look. Some of the cheaper water bottles are extremely thin which is not all bad, and clear is usually better than green which the clear soda ususlly comes in (go figure)

Ahhh! Okay, next grocery run I’ll have to pick up a couple liters of something then drink it. (The suffering for my art!) ROFL! :wink:

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Even just one 2 liter bottle will produce tons of lacing, more than it will take you a while to use: that is of course unless you are doing this

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I received my 'forge yesterday, cut the ruler out in maple, and asked myself the same question…what to do with scraps. I’m going to experiment with keeping un-laserable hardwood scraps in a separate bin and then pasteurize it for use as a substrate/adjunct to grow oyster mushrooms on.

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I tried mushroom growing years ago and it did not work out well. Perhabs baking it wiuld have improved the odds?

contamination is the biggest issue (usually by more prevalent fungi), so cleanliness is key. you want to pasteurize your substrate and sterilize tools and containers, then inoculate with enough spawn to ensure rapid proliferation and dominance of the mycelium of choice. it’s a lot like homebrewing, but less forgiving. i have been experimenting with using spent grain from beer brewing as a growing medium, as well. i think a mixture of spent grain and hardwood bits would be a good combo.

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Something more to do with the lacing you get from cutting up scrap Leather. I made these to sell to local leathercrafters many years ago. I got so I could make one in 5-10 minutes. This is not how I made them but the result is very similar. the basic Chinese button knot can be doubled or even tripled to make very nice buttons for your Glowforge cut out leather work.

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That was cool. (Don’t have the patience for it, but it was cool.) :smile:

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