Laser Cutting

[Deere-est]

After getting stuck into the forum for the first time in ages, year or two at least, It's got me thinking up a new diorama. Only thinking at this stage, as work has rocketed for me since becoming a new dad and thus, a single working parent household. 

I've come across a variety of ways to put any ideas into model form, some quicker than others. On the quicker side, laser cutting seems the big thing in the model industry. A lot of professional model makers use it for building scale buildings for planning consultations, landscaping models, complete housing estates in miniature. 

Does anybody have any of their own experience at this or works in this industry? Or how about outsourcing designs to be cut and sent back to you by a third party? What about software or costs even?

I've seen the Masons Attic stuff but that isn't really what I'm looking at, good as it is, I have other ideas.

[Stabliofarmer]

I have been dabbling with laser cuttiing for a year or so now and have found it an essential tool for getting that perfect shape, it is ofcourse also much faster.

I lost access to the cutter I was using at the start of summer after finishing college and did look into outsourcing it the info which I found will probably be the sort of things you want to know.

Theres a number of compaines that have sprung up that offer laser cutting services where you send them a drawing and they cut it out. Cutlasetcut.com were the main site I looked at.

So what do you need to start? In order to use these services you'll need to be able to create vector drawings. To do this you'll need an appropriate computer program which is the pricey part. Expect to be paying £100+ for something useful. The two that seemed to be recomended most where Adobe Illustrator, also useful for many other graphics applications if you were looking to get your moneys worth, and CorelDRAW which can be used directly with a laser cutter if you were to buy a machine, ie the program and the cutter would be able to speak to each other.

Now you've got your program you can get cracking drawing. Youd draw them out just as you would a set of paper plans for a model or shed. Infact alot of the time when building trucks I would draw up a paper plan, scan it into the computer, open it in the drawing software, adjust it to the right size and then trace around it in the drawing software. Once your drawings done you save it and email it off.

This is where my knowledge is a little hazy as Ive never actually sent anything off. As far as I can tell someone at the company will look over the drawings and tell you how much it will cost based on what you've told them. It will cost a different amount dependent on the material you ask them to cut, 3mm MDF would cost less than 3mm acrylic as it is cheaper to buy and faster to cut so isnt taking up machine time. Some companies also "fix" a drawing so their cutters can read it properly and therefore cut it out correctly. Once all that is done they cut it and post it too you. Simples!

So say you were making a shed, you draw all the sides, get them cut and then glue them all together once you get them back. As long as you got your drawings correct and all the parts fit together.

Hopefully that is of some help, and I will gladly try and answer any other questions

[Deere-est]

Excellent, James. Opens my eyes a bit more and clears a few questions I had. That's a great site, cutlasercut. Very informative and simple to understand....which is key for me 

[IH885XLMAN]

Welcome back tris its been a long time mate how you doing 

always wanted to see more products on the lazer side even CNC and 3D printing  for the farm model hobbies

in 1/32 1/16  don't be a stranger mate   see much of Marcus much mate

[Deere-est]

It seems to be the next big thing and quite the norm in many other crafts, e specially home decorations and shabby chic stuff. 

See Marcus now and then as we pass in the lorries but we chat on the phone often. He's now running containers for a Somerset based company, out of ports all round the country.

[IH885XLMAN]

Nice to catch up with u again tris im still working niggts shuttleing meat and cheese around west midlands i miss africa hope i go back there one day so hard getting my projects up and running these days but i always come back on here i miss the old banter it used to have who knows it might return again ha