Odd comment you brought up - Lasers are a phenomenal woodworking tool to add to a shop. I use mine regularly for building router jigs far more accurately than I could do with traditional machines. Circle cutting is quicker and more accurate - zero waste or dust! Cutting veneer is incredibly accurate with a much higher first pass success rate for the occasional marquetry applications. One technique I use to hold veneer in place is to apply blue painters tape to your veneer and to a flat base (glass, aluminum or sacrificial wood). Apply several small dots of cyanoacrylate glue to one taped surface, and spray the other taped surface with CA accelerator. Position and apply firm pressure for 5- 0 seconds. Machining will not dislodge the tape/CA/tape bond. Separating the tape from the work when complete is relatively easy - it is painters tape! I do try and avoid glue near very fragile lines to minimize risk. I use this often to secure work to router and CNC jigs, and hold small parts in place for shaping and sanding. Double back tape on steroids with no residue and easy release.
Yes, I hear frequently from die-hard woodworkers that laser aren’t woodworking tools. I don’t understand it since a laser is fundamentally a jig saw and router, but much more accurate than either of those. Your veneer holding process is a fine one. This is the process I always use for CNC work too.
Hey Steve, try this.... For VERY intricate inlays, make an inverted image for burning. On the back of the inlay material, (will be the front after installation), place a couple of layers of blue tape - edge to edge - no overlap, with the second layer at 90 degrees. For the final backing layer, use some aluminum AC duct tape that will prevent the laser from cutting all the way through the backing and the AC tape will not be cut, (you still need to dial in the power), to just burn through the thinner veneer just a bit . Since the AC tape sticks like hell, the blue tape should release easier and any remaining blue tape will be removed with a final sanding. Ideally, the inlay piece will be just a hair higher than the base when installed to make the final sanding the inlay to the base even, (if the inlay sits too low, there will be a lot more base material to remove vs the smaller material amount of the inlay piece)....
Great video again Steve. By sheer coincidence I received a small pack of veneers from Amazon this morning, with this very subject in mind. I'll bookmark this video in my Tuition folder for later reference. Cheers, Bob. here's a coffee for you. ☕
Laser and wood working seem to work well for me. From cutting out a box joint spacing templates for a table saw or router jig, corner radius templates for the router, stencils for painting - marking - carving, ect…. I have used and still use my Prusa printer to make more durable jigs, but the laser makes the prototype in mere minutes. If it something I know I will need in the future or want to share, I then make it with plastic on the printer. Some pieces are a blend of plastic and wood and much better and cheaper than what I can purchase. In the end, I know what I make works specifically with the tools I have like my table saws, routers, ect….
That’s the spirit. A laser is just an another woodworking tool (and other materials). The workshop is changing and it’s time to embrace new technologies
Thanks for sharing, you can use a 3M tape on the back side and it will save you time (no need to use clamps, I learned about this from “That Mom With A Laser”
Yes, just being able to visually see someone else making it happen, helps make it safer and showing a viable procedure without having to march through a series of mistakes before levelling up. Icandigit, gottalikeit. It's the Vulcan way.
Another good, useful video ... thanks Steve! My lasers are just a couple of the tools in my woodworking arsenal. The old-time woodworkers used the best tools they had available. If they had had access a hundred years ago to the tools we have today, does anybody think they would not have used them?
Great video! What an incredible workspace. Please drill down on your xTool enclosure. For a first video it looks like you’re well versed in all the things.
Thank you Steve! I was commenting on a previous video and I accidentally commented here out of context. I own the same S1 40W so I feel like a schmuck with my comment. However, I’m super thankful I goofed up and found your video. This was a great video and project. Have you added these inlays into a thicker piece of wood that’s been engraved to create the void the inlay sits in?
@@ScottKershawRX 😀Well you should see some of the mistakes I make if you want to talk about schmucks. The process with work pretty well for thicker plywood too. This will easily work with 1/4" plywood.
Haha, just thought of a inlay idea. Laser inlays on the guitar neck, but each inlay on the fretboard represents a song from the set list. My uncle carved up his bathroom floor by eye and did a very geometrical inlay that had 3d looking features yet being completely flat. I can only draw snoopy myself though, so I cheated and built a cnc machine, and recently picked up a sculpfun s30 ultra with a 33 watt diode laser. Thanx for the shared vulcan knowledge Dr Steve.
I imagine you could use a piece of glass underneath for thesame purpose. And what would happen if you tried to cut a piece sandwiched between glass? Would it still cut or would it make some kind of mess sense the fumes couldn't go anywhere? (only reason I'm wondering is sandwiching them would keep the veneer from cirling even on really small parts)
Interesting question. Certainly you could use glass as long as it’s clean - dirt wold make it heat up an possibly crack. I don’t think you could sandwich the veneer between glass or acrylic without it turning into a mess.
@@SteveMakesEverything I was concerned about if the reusable acrylic got any scratches or fingerprint oils/dirt, then it would react along with the laser hitting it. Justin mentions of using glass instead, both being clear and something that diode lasers completely overlook, glass not as easily scratched perhaps, though I would be careful about what might happen to glass if a super hot laser beam hits in say in a cold garage shop if the glass wasnt preconditioned to be warmer before the laser contacted it.
@@truetech4158 You can use glass or pretty much any clear rigid material. The laser isn't hot per se, but anything that absorbs the beam will get hot. Diode lasers pass through glass or acrylic, so they should be unaffected. Additionally, the power required to cut veneer is minimal, and the speed is usually fairly high, so there won't be much opportunity for heating anyway. '
Hey Steve, loved your video! I've seen your video about AlgoLaser Delta and I've been wondering if you're possibly going to make a video about AlgoLaser Alpha? Thanks!
Thanks Steve I always learn something new from you. I noticed the clamps on the honeycomb bed looked like they have a clamp lever. Does that expand the stem that is inserted into the bed?
These are the standard Xtool hold-downs. The wire is just a handle to pull them up. The shaft that fits into the honeycomb is a magnet. It’s really a smart idea.
Supersonic solar powered laser beam guitars. The song Spaceship Superstar. With a laser, durable lyric sheets can be produced that wont tear like paper. Laser technology, meets Flintstones technology! 102 uses for a diode laser, maybe even more.
Hi, Steve, I tried to ask at live event yesterday about eye protection. It may be already in videos, I'll search. I was just curious about it: what is damaging about lasers? Is it spectrum, or just power density, do those green shades make a difference?
@@RennoFun Well, I'm not sure it's ridiculous, and though it's unlikely, I've seen it happen. Just to try to sell anything with a current version of Mickey Mouse and see what happens. 😉 Disney regularly trolls Etsy, and I know people who have received take-down orders from them.
Because the typical diode laser spot size isn’t usually square, so you can into a situation where the width is right but the height isn’t perfect. You can usually get within 0.1mms though, but if it’s an issue, you can find a value for the kerf that is a balance between the height and width or you can look for a laser with a squarer beam spot - the AlgoLaser Delta is a good candidate for this. The xTool S1 is used is this video isn’t the best choice, but it seemed fine for this project
This is inspiring me to get my table top done. Have vision but didn't know how to make it happen without X-acto knife drudgery.
Sorry for making you work 😁
Odd comment you brought up - Lasers are a phenomenal woodworking tool to add to a shop. I use mine regularly for building router jigs far more accurately than I could do with traditional machines. Circle cutting is quicker and more accurate - zero waste or dust! Cutting veneer is incredibly accurate with a much higher first pass success rate for the occasional marquetry applications.
One technique I use to hold veneer in place is to apply blue painters tape to your veneer and to a flat base (glass, aluminum or sacrificial wood). Apply several small dots of cyanoacrylate glue to one taped surface, and spray the other taped surface with CA accelerator. Position and apply firm pressure for 5- 0 seconds. Machining will not dislodge the tape/CA/tape bond. Separating the tape from the work when complete is relatively easy - it is painters tape! I do try and avoid glue near very fragile lines to minimize risk. I use this often to secure work to router and CNC jigs, and hold small parts in place for shaping and sanding. Double back tape on steroids with no residue and easy release.
Yes, I hear frequently from die-hard woodworkers that laser aren’t woodworking tools. I don’t understand it since a laser is fundamentally a jig saw and router, but much more accurate than either of those.
Your veneer holding process is a fine one. This is the process I always use for CNC work too.
Hey Steve, try this.... For VERY intricate inlays, make an inverted image for burning. On the back of the inlay material, (will be the front after installation), place a couple of layers of blue tape - edge to edge - no overlap, with the second layer at 90 degrees. For the final backing layer, use some aluminum AC duct tape that will prevent the laser from cutting all the way through the backing and the AC tape will not be cut, (you still need to dial in the power), to just burn through the thinner veneer just a bit . Since the AC tape sticks like hell, the blue tape should release easier and any remaining blue tape will be removed with a final sanding. Ideally, the inlay piece will be just a hair higher than the base when installed to make the final sanding the inlay to the base even, (if the inlay sits too low, there will be a lot more base material to remove vs the smaller material amount of the inlay piece)....
I’ll have to try this.
Great video again Steve. By sheer coincidence I received a small pack of veneers from Amazon this morning, with this very subject in mind. I'll bookmark this video in my Tuition folder for later reference. Cheers, Bob. here's a coffee for you. ☕
These inlay projects can be a lot of fun, so enjoy
I wonder about shaving off strips of veneer using a table saw and cheap timbers. Never tried it yet but for some jobs, it might be ideal on demand.
beautiful . yes anything added is great
Laser and wood working seem to work well for me. From cutting out a box joint spacing templates for a table saw or router jig, corner radius templates for the router, stencils for painting - marking - carving, ect…. I have used and still use my Prusa printer to make more durable jigs, but the laser makes the prototype in mere minutes. If it something I know I will need in the future or want to share, I then make it with plastic on the printer. Some pieces are a blend of plastic and wood and much better and cheaper than what I can purchase. In the end, I know what I make works specifically with the tools I have like my table saws, routers, ect….
That’s the spirit. A laser is just an another woodworking tool (and other materials). The workshop is changing and it’s time to embrace new technologies
Thanks for sharing, you can use a 3M tape on the back side and it will save you time (no need to use clamps, I learned about this from “That Mom With A Laser”
Yes, use what works. 3M tape will hold it forever
Very cool.
Thanks
Great Video and tutorial 💜 Thanks for sharing
Thanks!
Very nice, thanks for sharing, it's made it look approachable. Thank you 😀
My pleasure 😊
Yes, just being able to visually see someone else making it happen, helps make it safer and showing a viable procedure without having to march through a series of mistakes before levelling up. Icandigit, gottalikeit. It's the Vulcan way.
Another good, useful video ... thanks Steve! My lasers are just a couple of the tools in my woodworking arsenal. The old-time woodworkers used the best tools they had available. If they had had access a hundred years ago to the tools we have today, does anybody think they would not have used them?
I definitely agree. They were certainly not like some of the woodworking purists we have today. Lasers are great woodworking tools
Thanks
Thanks!
Cool project video Steve!
Glad you enjoyed it
wow so smart I'm going to give this a go very soon thanks for sharing
The true inlay folks usually have well-honed processes for this, but the laser helps greatly with getting things cut
Great video! What an incredible workspace. Please drill down on your xTool enclosure. For a first video it looks like you’re well versed in all the things.
Welcome! The xTool enclosure is an Xtool S1 laser.
Thank you Steve! I was commenting on a previous video and I accidentally commented here out of context. I own the same S1 40W so I feel like a schmuck with my comment. However, I’m super thankful I goofed up and found your video. This was a great video and project. Have you added these inlays into a thicker piece of wood that’s been engraved to create the void the inlay sits in?
@@ScottKershawRX 😀Well you should see some of the mistakes I make if you want to talk about schmucks.
The process with work pretty well for thicker plywood too. This will easily work with 1/4" plywood.
Nice video thank you
Welcome 😊
Haha, just thought of a inlay idea.
Laser inlays on the guitar neck, but each inlay on the fretboard represents a song from the set list.
My uncle carved up his bathroom floor by eye and did a very geometrical inlay that had 3d looking features yet being completely flat.
I can only draw snoopy myself though, so I cheated and built a cnc machine, and recently picked up a sculpfun s30 ultra with a 33 watt diode laser.
Thanx for the shared vulcan knowledge Dr Steve.
I struggle with straight lines myself. Lasers and CNC tool hide many of my mistakes
I imagine you could use a piece of glass underneath for thesame purpose.
And what would happen if you tried to cut a piece sandwiched between glass?
Would it still cut or would it make some kind of mess sense the fumes couldn't go anywhere?
(only reason I'm wondering is sandwiching them would keep the veneer from cirling even on really small parts)
Interesting question. Certainly you could use glass as long as it’s clean - dirt wold make it heat up an possibly crack. I don’t think you could sandwich the veneer between glass or acrylic without it turning into a mess.
@@SteveMakesEverything I was concerned about if the reusable acrylic got any scratches or fingerprint oils/dirt, then it would react along with the laser hitting it.
Justin mentions of using glass instead, both being clear and something that diode lasers completely overlook, glass not as easily scratched perhaps, though I would be careful about what might happen to glass if a super hot laser beam hits in say in a cold garage shop if the glass wasnt preconditioned to be warmer before the laser contacted it.
@@truetech4158 You can use glass or pretty much any clear rigid material. The laser isn't hot per se, but anything that absorbs the beam will get hot. Diode lasers pass through glass or acrylic, so they should be unaffected. Additionally, the power required to cut veneer is minimal, and the speed is usually fairly high, so there won't be much opportunity for heating anyway.
'
Hey Steve, loved your video! I've seen your video about AlgoLaser Delta and I've been wondering if you're possibly going to make a video about AlgoLaser Alpha? Thanks!
I don’t have plans to review that Alpha
Thanks Steve I always learn something new from you. I noticed the clamps on the honeycomb bed looked like they have a clamp lever. Does that expand the stem that is inserted into the bed?
These are the standard Xtool hold-downs. The wire is just a handle to pull them up. The shaft that fits into the honeycomb is a magnet. It’s really a smart idea.
Supersonic solar powered laser beam guitars.
The song Spaceship Superstar.
With a laser, durable lyric sheets can be produced that wont tear like paper.
Laser technology, meets Flintstones technology!
102 uses for a diode laser, maybe even more.
Lots of fun!🤪
I really need a laser. I want to make a "picture" of my wife's dog that passed last year and she was very sad. Wanted to make her a neat memorial.
An excellent project to make
What software do you typically use with a project like this?
This is entirely Lightburn
Very nice, would this work with .250 material as well?
Yes, this will work with any material you can cut with you laser
where do you buy your 3mm Baltic birch plywood?
I mostly just use birch plywood from Home Depot. It’s cheap and readily available
Hi, Steve, I tried to ask at live event yesterday about eye protection. It may be already in videos, I'll search. I was just curious about it: what is damaging about lasers? Is it spectrum, or just power density, do those green shades make a difference?
I did a video a few months ago talking about laser glasses. Give that a watch.
I NEVER know where to start with these. Can I use my 60 watt C02?
Sure, but be aware that a CO2 laser has a much larger beam spot size so you will need to adjust your kerf accordingly
In the future you can use Rit dye to stain your wood in any color.
Yes this will work. I’ve also used dyes in the past but didn’t have a color I liked for this project
Thanx for the heads up on tint considerations. That dye might be the affordable way to build up a various color supply.
@@truetech4158 YOu could use wood dyes. In this case, I just used some good old-fashioned paint.
Time for a veneer press and you'll be off and running.
That would be nice, but you use what you have 😉
A vice made from a couple yard sale irons?
Hmm...🤔
Not an inlay, that’s a puzzle piece.
😁 at a 1/2mm thick, it’s a pretty thing puzzle
1:50 one can be sued for using a 5y.o. drawing of a bird. This is the pathetic world we live in...
Better safe than sorry. Odds are reasonable that it would never happen but who knows
@@SteveMakesEverything my point is that this is possible and this is ridiculous.
@@RennoFun Well, I'm not sure it's ridiculous, and though it's unlikely, I've seen it happen. Just to try to sell anything with a current version of Mickey Mouse and see what happens. 😉
Disney regularly trolls Etsy, and I know people who have received take-down orders from them.
if you have any issues with bits fitting, check your laser level and kerfing settings, it might not seem like much but .1mm can make a big difference
Because the typical diode laser spot size isn’t usually square, so you can into a situation where the width is right but the height isn’t perfect. You can usually get within 0.1mms though, but if it’s an issue, you can find a value for the kerf that is a balance between the height and width or you can look for a laser with a squarer beam spot - the AlgoLaser Delta is a good candidate for this. The xTool S1 is used is this video isn’t the best choice, but it seemed fine for this project