Laser Focused Nov - Dec - 2023

NOV|DEC 2023
LIGHTBURN: HITTING
THE GROUND RUNNING
A GUIDE TO
ACRYLIC ADHESIVES
AWARDS CAN BE A
REWARDING BUSINESS
LBX: A WEEKEND
IN PICTURES
GETTING TO THE
POINT WITH FIBER
FOCUSING
Hope Yoder
Getting Beyond the Yet
IYKYK
EDITOR’S
NOTE
If You Know, You Know.
It’s a bit frustrating, isn’t it? Especially when it’s all about lasers, and I
don’t know!! LOL!
But here’s the beauty of the laser world – there’s always something new
to learn. Since the inception of Laser Focused, I’ve embarked on a jour-
ney of endless discovery. It’s like having a treasure trove of tools, skills,
tricks, and tips at our fingertips. And guess what? It just keeps growing!
Every day, I have the privilege of chatting with brilliant minds who are
crafting pure magic with their lasers. Their ideas, experiences, and bound-
less creativity inspire the incredible articles you find in our magazine.
It’s all because of one thing – curiosity! I’m always left wondering, “Who
else out there, besides me, absolutely needs to know more about... Light-
burn, or metals, or business, or who knows what?!?”
This Issue's
Advertisers So here’s a new acronym for you, Laser Friends – IYDKGC: If You Don’t
Know, Get Curious. It might not roll off the tongue as smoothly as IYKYK,
All Craft Adhesives
but it’s a ticket to expanding your world, one laser-focused adventure at
Builderall
Cohn Acrylics a time!
Glowforge
GS2 Awards Once again, I’d like to emphasize the importance of
Houston Acrylic supporting our advertisers. Their contributions
Johnsons Plastics Plus
are what make it possible for Laser Focused to
Shop Review Crew
Thunder Laser remain a free resource for all laser enthusi-
asts. These advertisers are not just business-
es; they are dedicated members of our laser
community. So, let’s show them some love
and gratitude for helping us keep the laser
magic alive!
As always, thanks for being here!

Laser On
Editor
Robin Roberts
Creative Director
Victor Havens
Copyright ©2023
Laser Focused Magazine
2 Laser Focused | www.LaserFocusedMagazine.com November/December 2023

Cover Story
Hope Yoder:
Getting Beyond the Yet.
She’s bubbly, and people call her the energizer bunny. It’s
8
easy to see why. When you get her on her own, the true
Hope reveals herself... as a ridiculously optimistic, driven,
idea-filled nerd.
IN THIS 5 Catching Up With the Covers
ISSUE 6 Tips & Tricks
12 LightBurn: Hitting the Ground Running

Tyler Raps - LightBurn
16 LBX - A Weekend in Pictures

Columns Robin Roberts
Acrylic - 22 18 A Guide to Acrylic Adhesives

By: Cathy Sutherland & Tracie Schwickrath, All-CraftUSA
Cast Acrylics & Laser Engrving
24 Selling on Etsy - Part 3 of 3

Johnson Plastics Plus
Jessica Trueblood - Shop Review Crew

Marketing - 30
26
Closing the Sale - Maximizing
Your Success at Vendor Events Awards Can Be a Rewarding Business
Nicki Piland - The Laser Chick Mark Collier - Big Blue Laser Designs
Wood - 32 39 Patreon Members Profile

Engraving 101
Braaden Todd, GS2 Awards
42 MakerRemix Marketplace
Matt Boddiford - Laser Everything
Business - 36
Keeping it Under Wraps
Navigating Trade Secret Law Step by Step Projects
45
Lindy Laurence, JD, LLM - Lumin Law
Boho Arch Coin Bank
Metal - 40 Bail Ansara - Just One More Project
Getting to the Point with
Fiber Focusing
Natt Boddiford, Laser Everything 49 Winter’s Embrace
Jamie Bowser - The Hands That Shape
November/December 2023 Laser Focused | www.LaserFocusedMagazine.com 3
Guest Become a guest contributor and showcase
Contributors
your expertise with Laser Focused readers.
Contact us HERE!
Braden Todd Tyler Raps Lindy Laurence Mark Collier Jamie Bowser
GS2 Awards LightBurn Lumin Law, LLC Big Blue Laser Design The Hands That Shape
Jessica Trueblood Matt Boddiford Bail Ansara Cathy Sutherland Nicki Piland
Shop Review Crew Laser Everything Just One More Project &Tracie Schwickrath The Laser Chick
All-CraftUSA
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and I help Etsy sellers build
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a m wh

Anuj & Sumita Patel
Catching Up
With the Covers
May/June 2023
It’s always a delight catching up with the

guests from our covers, and my recent conver-
sation with Sumita and Anuj of Home Bound
Custom Decor was no exception! As leading
figures in the laser industry, they’re perpetu-
ally on the move.
They recently had the pleasure of sharing

their expertise at September’s inaugural Laser
Craft Fest. Their workshop on engraving reci-
pe boards garnered enthusiastic reviews. Ad-
ditionally, they’ve just delivered a talk at LBX
(The Lightburn Experience10/27-29) about
Growing Your Laser Business, a subject they
are deeply passionate about. Known for freely
sharing their journey and wisdom, they’ve be-
come sought-after experts.
Their outreach doesn’t stop there. Sumita

and Anuj have also organized two successful
in-person meetups in the Atlanta area, collab- website HERE. NOTE: If you choose to sign up,
orating with The Laser Chick, Nicki Piland. The use the code LASERFOCUSED, and you will re-
events attracted attendees from various parts ceive a 10% discount on the fee.
of the United States, not just Atlanta. Sumita
remarks, “There’s a genuine hunger for these Adding to their arsenal of equipment, they’ve
gatherings, and we plan to host more!” They’re welcomed a fiber laser, enhancing their ca-
gearing up to hold quarterly day-long semi- pacity to fulfill leatherette patch orders more
nars in 2024, covering diverse aspects of the efficiently this holiday season. And on the
laser business and hosting warehouse tours. horizon, they’re preparing to incorporate a UV
printer, a move that will greatly benefit their
They have also begun to offer private men- corporate clientele.
toring. They will spend an hour with you, an-
swering whatever laser business questions True to form, Sumita and Anuj continue to
you have, and nothing is off-limits, including blaze a trail, demonstrating how to achieve
financials. They have a passion for helping both success and happiness in the ever-ex-
those driven to succeed in this business. Any- panding realm of laser possibilities.
one can make an appointment through their

&
When engraving on a Glowforge, If you are making duplicates of a

design, often by ‘pasting as a separate step’ versus just duplicating,
you can save time. The difference is the laser creates each step sep-
arately rather than doing the same part of all the designs for the
whole bed. For example, if you have something laid out horizon-
tally and only duplicating, the printer head runs across the whole
bed and back repeatedly, rather than finishing one and moving on
to the next. Less travel time means shorter production time.
For cleaning up the edges of your cut piec-

es, get Sharpie Oil-based paint pens and
paint them. https://amzn.to/46KTN15
Kim and Garret VanHuizen,
Kim and Garrett Make it
Have a Tip or Trick you want to share?

Let us know! Click Here!
Here!

Use masking tape with inches printed on it when
size and placement are critical. Just apply it to the
bed and place your material. You can find it here:
https://amzn.to/3SrSFeH
Bail Ansari, One More Project
Ever get surprised by the size of your piece once you have cut it? It
seemed bigger or smaller when you designed it? Make yourself refer-
ence pieces. Cut mdf sample sizes of 1”, 2”, and 5 “ circles and squares.
Keep them at your design station as a point of reference so you can get
an idea of the final size. Similarly, use a sample of hole sizes. You can
find the template - either inches or millimeters - at www.Cuttle.xyz. It is
available when you create your free account.
Frederico Tobon of Cuttle
When you do cut tests with your materials,

cut something more complex than a circle
or square, such as a star. That will give you a
better sense of how the laser will deal with
more intricate designs.
Ever pull out a baby wipe and get more

than one? For the soft-sided packages, put
a rubber band around it, about a third of
the way from the end. Now the wipes will
come out one at a time.
Don’t reinvent the wheel (or door knocker!) In your

design software, set up templates for the funda-
mentals of your popular items. This will save you
time as you begin new projects, as the basics are
already set up. You pull in the template to your
design space and go from there.

By Robin Roberts
She’s bubbly, and people call her the energizer bunny. It’s
easy to see why. When you get her on her own, the true
Hope reveals herself... as a ridiculously optimistic, driven,
Getting idea-filled nerd. She loves the tech stuff. She also loves
the business stuff and pulls it all together with the love of
teaching – or ‘edutaining,’ as she calls it.
Beyond But let’s start at the beginning – as a Navy kid born in
the Yet Hawaii, then moving every two years or so (including to

Spain, where she learned to speak fluent Spanish); Hope
became resilient. When she went on to college, she be-
came a dental hygienist – you can still see the evidence
with those beautiful pearly whites she flashes today. She
became interested in crafts and sewing during that period
of her life.

Now, her mother had sewn, but often behind
closed doors, uttering words young Hope wasn’t
to hear. But she thought that it was time for her to
try her hand at it. That first machine – perfect for
what Hope needed then – came from Sam’s Club.
As she struggled with it, not wanting to repeat her
mother’s experience, she became friends with a
woman from the dental practice who became her
sewing mentor. And she thrived.
Hope met her husband, Marv, at a College and

Career Church group. It was a big group, and they
hung out on weekends. She loved how kind he
was. He asked her out, but she was dating some-
one else. Undaunted, he told her he would wait
his turn, which got her attention! They married in
1989 and created a life together, including his son
from a previous marriage. After eight years, their
first child came along, Hannah, and she became
a stay-at-home mom. Not too far behind Hannah
came Olivia, completing their family.
While Hope loved being a mom, she ‘itched’ to do

something more. Hope had started taking sewing
classes from her local store to help build her skills.
She enjoyed them and wondered how anyone
could get such a cool job. The store owner coun-
seled her that all that was necessary was to get re-
ally good at something and then just do it. Hope
took the advice seriously, got certified as a sewing
teacher, and began her career in the sewing world.
Shortly after she began teaching, Hope heard

that Husqvarna Viking was taking submissions for
teaching a class at their upcoming conference.
And because she didn’t know she shouldn’t, she
applied to teach by submitting a beautiful organza
vest. She was shocked when they said yes!
When the day came and she taught that class, the
students wanted her books, patterns, and whatev-
er else she had for them. But she didn’t have any-
thing on that first outing! It was something she
HOPE YODER Continued on P 10

hadn’t foreseen. By listening to some very
successful people in the sewing world, Hope
quickly learned how to earn revenue by de-
veloping her own line, which grew to include
fabric, patterns, designs, and books. At the
height of this business, she traveled 15 out of
30 days a month, building a multi-six-figure
operation and a solid reputation in the Sew-
ing and Embroidery world.
Along the way, the sewing world went digital

with cutting machines for fabric. That’s when
Brother contacted her to help them as a beta
tester for their offering in this market. Hope
was in her element - the nerd in her came
out! After receiving the heavily redacted in-
struction book, she figured it out and fell in
love with the machine. She still uses the ma-
chine as one of her favorite fabric tools.
Today, part of her revenues still originate in

the sewing industry. It comes from not only
her various product lines but she is also in
demand as a Keynote speaker and freelance
content creator.
Enter the Glowforge... Her friend and busi-

ness partner, Kim, lived on the other side of
Florida and had gotten a Glowforge. At first,
Hope was puzzled, “When will you have time
to do that?” then she got the bug. She went
to her friend’s on many weekends and got ac-
quainted with the laser. Her first piece – and
one that still sparks joy to this day – was her
pink Apple watchband. She was hooked.
When she got her own Glowforge, the focus

was on the watchbands. She designed them
with sewing and embroidery themes, offer-
ing them to her existing client base for their
stores. And it took off.
At this point, walking away from a large

chunk of her sewing industry business be-
came necessary to protect her intellectual prop- as a production warehouse and a classroom. Ev-
erty. She was letting go of an assured six-figure ery quarter, she has in-person training at her loca-
income to grow a new business in the laser world. tion. Her workshops top out at 12 people and fill
She set out again with support from her husband, up quickly. She loves it but now finds that several
a lot of prayer, and the confidence that she could challenges have arisen. First, teaching the hands-
catch lightning in a bottle twice. on class shuts down her machines from pro-
duction, which stresses the production system,
Then came a bump in the road. She had produc- making for weekend and after-hours work – ‘no
tion problems, and going to Kim’s weekly to keep beuño’ as Hope says. Second, many people want
up with orders was not a workable solution. Hope the information, but the travel, time, or expense
began looking for her next machine, and after is prohibitive. She felt an additional solution was
much research, she ordered an Aeon. But, when needed.
she talked to her hubby about
getting one, he asked the fi- As always, Hope created an
nancially responsible ques- While you’re answer so students can get
tion about funding. Could she what they need. In May, going
pay for it outright? Nope, she building the out on a limb again, she hired
had half of it, and that’s all she a film crew and captured her
needed for a deposit. He sug- business, the life whole course on video. She
gested that she ‘find’ the rest
before committing. It lit a fire,
you want, don’t has been putting the finish-
ing touches on recreating
and in true Hope fashion, she
began rehoming some of her
forget about the the entire class as an online
course. The Laser Business
excess embroidery machines, people you Accelerator: 1.0 Digital Laser
turning them into cash. With- Retreat will be available very
in a few days, she had enough started with, soon, and you can preregister
to pay for her new laser out- by subscribing HERE.
right and then some. your family.
People who loved her course,
With a few more twists to the and even those who haven’t
story, eventually, Hope received a Mira 9. This been yet, have another way to link to Hope’s vast
upped her production capabilities significantly, experience and love of teaching. She has an on-
allowing her to expand her business. In the laser line membership – PLM – the Premier Laser Mem-
world, she has grown from producing products bership, where she produces a video every week
for end customers to becoming a powerhouse regarding something about lasering or the busi-
B2B (business-to-business) operation. She has ness of lasering.
three lasers now and keeps them fully employed.
She is currently the number 3 affiliate for Aeon in A thread that runs through all of Hope’s offerings
the nation. is the lessons on the business aspect of lasering.
So many folks see the possibilities of having these
Along the way, her love of teaching came into machines but need to gain the experience of cre-
play. Hope missed that aspect of her business but ating a sustainable business. Therefore, a great
couldn’t teach laser skills the same way (traveling deal of the content of her offerings covers how to
to teach.) So, she repurposed her physical facility be in business. HOPE YODER Continued on P 21

Hitting the
Ground Running
By Tyler Raps, LightBurn
If you’ve spent any time at all in the laser community, you’ve likely heard
of LightBurn. If you haven’t, here’s a quick rundown: LightBurn is layout,
editing, and control software compatible with a wide range of lasers, from
entry-level to production-grade machines.
Whether you’re looking for your first laser or have your

eye on a more powerful machine, there’s a strong
chance it works with LightBurn. The good news is
that LightBurn is user-friendly and feature-packed,
so you’ll be able to hit the ground running with your
new laser. Here are a few basics for beginners, as well
as some time-saving tips and tools for new users and
old hands alike.
Cut Settings
Mistakes are inevitable - catching them in the Preview
window saves time and lost material. You’ll also see an
estimated job time in the bottom right. As you tweak
settings, you can check the Preview estimate to see
which changes result in the greatest time savings.
Material Library
In LightBurn, the Cuts/Layers window and Cut Set-

tings Editor are where you apply settings that con-
trol your laser’s speed, power, and other important
parameters. Graphics are assigned to layers, and any
layer can be set to “Line” (for cuts or outlines), “Fill”
(for engraving), “Offset Fill” (a special “Fill” mode that
follows outlines of shapes), or “Image” (for engraving
dithered images). Speed isn’t the only setting that
Once you’ve found effective settings for a given ma-
makes a big difference in time - for “Fill” layers, slight
increases to the Line Interval setting can often lead to terial, you can save them to your Material Library in
huge time savings with no loss in quality. order to quickly reapply them in the future. Select a
layer whose settings you’d like to save, then go to the
Preview Material Library window and click “Create new from
The Preview window provides a simulation of your job, layer” - you’ll be prompted to give your entry a name,
a great way to check that your project set up properly. thickness or title, and LIGHTBURN Continued on P 14

LIGHTBURN Continued from P 13 dow, and each duplicate will advance according to the
short description. Later, you’ll be able to select that increment you’ve set.
entry and click “Assign” to apply the saved settings to
a new layer. Some laser manufacturers provide Ma- Optimization Settings
terial Libraries for their lasers that you can load into
LightBurn, reducing time spent having to test settings
yourself.
Job Positioning
LightBurn provides multiple “Start From” modes to
control the location of output to gantry-style lasers.
The simplest, “Absolute Coordinates,” outputs graphics
to your laser according to where they’re positioned in
your LightBurn workspace. “User Origin” and “Current
Position” allow you to define custom origin points,
providing greater versatility and the ability to set start-
ing positions relative to your material or a jig, often a Optimization Settings allow you to adjust the path and
much more efficient method for production work. Gal- sequence in which your laser will perform operations.
vo-style lasers work differently, and output is always You can run a job in layer order, by custom groups
positioned by “Absolute Coordinates.” you’ve collected your graphics into, or even by indi-
vidual priority set to discrete shapes. There are many
Grid Array other optimization settings available - among the most
helpful is “Remove Overlapping Lines.” When enabled,
lines shared by two shapes will be cut only once, result-
ing in quicker jobs. As always, you can use the Preview
window to check which optimizations result in the
greatest time savings.
Framing
Framing outlines the area where your project will out-
put, functioning as a helpful check for positioning and
fit on your material. LightBurn provides two framing
options: “Bounding Box” framing and “Rubber Band”
framing. “Bounding Box” framing traces the smallest
LightBurn’s Grid Array feature is a great way to quickly rectangle that can contain the shapes in your design,
lay out duplicate designs. Select the original graphic while “Rubber Band” framing traces the shortest path
you want to array, then select the Grid Array tool. A around the contours of your shapes, as if a rubber band
window will pop up where you can specify the amount were stretched around them. “Rubber Band” framing
of rows and columns of duplicates to create. You’ll also is particularly useful for making sure your job will fit
be able to to set the spacing between the duplicates, on irregularly shaped materials. For Galvo lasers, the
and shift rows or columns to help graphics nest to- “Bounds” and “Hull” options work similarly, but fram-
gether for the most efficient use of material. The Grid ing is done with a red dot pointer, and there’s an ad-
Array feature pairs perfectly with Variable Text - toggle ditional option, “Contour,” which outlines all shapes
on “Auto-increment variable text” in the setup win- individually.
Variable Text and different machines. Get started today with a 30-
Variable Text is a tool for incrementing jobs when you day free trial of LightBurn: https://lightburnsoftware.
need to cut or engrave multiples of the same design com/pages/download-trial
with different text in each. It can be formatted to incre-
ment time stamps, serial numbers, project settings, or Tyler Raps is a Support Agent, Copywriter, and one-man
to substitute in lines of text from a spreadsheet saved shipping department at LightBurn Software. For more
in CSV format. In the Variable Text window, you can set information on the above tools, and many more, visit
the text to auto-advance between jobs, meaning each our documentation at https://docs.lightburnsoftware.
time you run your job, the text will automatically move com/index.html or email us at support@lightburnsoft-
on to the next increment. For a serial number, the out- ware.com.
put will advance to the next number in the sequence
on the next job. When working with a spreadsheet, it
will advance to the next row of text.
IS YOUR ADVERTISING
Those are only a handful of the features available in
LightBurn to help you get the most out of your laser
and customize your workflow to suit your needs and
preferences. Since LightBurn works with many lasers,
your time investment in learning its ins and outs will be
rewarded as your workshop grows to incorporate new
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AllCraft_QuarterPageAd_3.75x5_r2.indd 1 9/29/23 7:00 PM
EXPERIENCE
A Weekend In Pictures
Jason Dorie & Joe Spanier, LightBurn
Hope Yoder Tyler Raps
Brian Agan and Nicki Piland Len, Lensdigital

Courtney & Chelsea, Houston Acrylic
Jason Rife, RotoBoss
Bail Ansara
Chris Lacasio, Thunder Laser Liz Rivers
Heather Lynn Laura Matthews Art, Laser-made Puppet

A Guide to
Acrylic
Adhesives
By: Cathy Sutherland and Tracie Schwickrath, All-CraftUSA

As fellow makers and laser enthusiasts, we have been there too! Our Glowforge Pro laser cutter is our
trusted partner for bringing acrylic creations to life, but we have also learned that the key to achiev-
ing a successful outcome often lies in the choice of adhesive. That realization sparked our extensive
dive into the properties of various types of glues and ultimately resulted in our own small business.
Through trial and error (often many errors!), we have uncovered the pros and cons of different adhe-
sive options, including adhesive sheets, epoxy glues, and super glues. To hopefully spare you some
of your own trial and error, we’ll share with you what we’ve learned so that you can effectively stock
your supply closet with the proper adhesives to meet your varying needs.
Let’s Meet the Unsung Heroes

An often-overlooked aspect of creating with acrylic is the importance of having top-notch adhe-
sives at your fingertips. In most cases, adhesives do not get the accolades, but they are really the
unsung heroes of our projects, holding together the intricate patterns and designs we create with
precision. They are the trusted bonds that connect individual pieces into an inspirational whole and
help us love the projects we create. In all cases, the adhesive can be the difference between a val-
ued customer thrilled with their purchase and one who leaves the purchasing experience less than
satisfied.
Let’s dive into the pros and cons of three commonly used adhesive options for acrylic materials:
1. Adhesive Sheets
Double-sided adhesive sheets are laser-safe and can be applied to acrylic before cutting. They come
in various sheet sizes and can be applied fairly easily to your material. So, how do these sheets stack
up overall against their bottled alternatives?
Pros:
• Ease of Use: Adhesive sheets are simple to work with and can be applied before lasering. The
sheets adhere to your material easily with a flat edge. Once your acrylic is cut, removing the
paper backing may require a little patience.
• Clarity: They generally offer excellent clarity, ensuring the adhesive does not detract from
your project’s aesthetics. The adhesive will also extend to the end of your laser cut so you
won’t see a glue line.
• Low Odor: Adhesive sheets typically have a minimal odor, which is ideal when working on
large projects or in areas with limited ventilation.
Cons:
• Hazing: While they provide clarity, some adhesive sheets may cause slight hazing on the
acrylic surface, which can be noticeable under certain lighting conditions.
• Waste: Configuring your project to use as much of the adhesive sheet as possible can be chal-
lenging if you cut unique or intricate shapes, often resulting in wasted adhesive.
• Cost: The material cost can be expensive for larger project needs
• We’ve found that some of the ideal applications for adhesive sheets include large signs or
projects where you will have minimal material waste. They’re also ideal for projects where
the assembly is structured or doesn’t require the flexibility or time to position the elements
before they stick.
ADHESIVES Continued on P 20

ADHESIVES Continued from P 19
2. Epoxy Glues yet provide enough time to position elements in
Epoxy adhesives can feel a bit more “industrial” and place before sticking permanently.
typically require a resin and a hardener. Depending on • Minimal Odor: They generally have a less pungent
the brand and type, epoxies may need to be mixed by odor compared to some other adhesives, making
the user, requiring a bit more planning and care. Let’s application less noxious.
break down these types of adhesives. • Cost: Super glues typically require a very small
Pros: amount to achieve a strong hold. Their applica-
• Strong Bond: With the mixture of hardener and tion can go a long way, making them one of the
resin, epoxy glues create a chemical bond that most cost-effective options.
provides an extremely strong hold. Cons:
• Versatility: This type of adhesive works on a vari- • Brittleness: Super glue bonds can be relative-
ety of porous and non-porous materials and of- ly brittle, making them less suitable for projects
ten can be found marketed to specific material subject to significant stress.
types, like acrylic. • Potential for Clouding: Some super glues have
• Durability: Epoxies are very durable and water-re- polymers that may cause clouding or hazing on
sistant and can hold up against weather extremes acrylic surfaces, particularly with thicker materi-
like temperature, wind, and rain. als.
Cons: • Shelf Life: Once opened, air and moisture can seep
• Ease of Use: Epoxy glues are not the easiest to into the glue and cause it to harden even when
use given the two-part process. They require resealed with the cap. This can result in product
proper prep and cleaning of the project ahead loss if it’s not used quickly enough.
of application and also require a precise mixing • We’ve found that super glues are ideal for smaller
ratio to ensure an effective bond. projects that have intricate pieces or lettering re-
• Odor: Epoxy glues can have a strong odor, neces- quiring precise placement, such as cake toppers,
sitating proper ventilation during use. They also bag tags, or jewelry. They are also a smart choice
should not be applied prior to lasering as they when gluing different types of materials together,
can emit toxic fumes. such as acrylic and wood.
• Curing Time: A longer cure time is required, so
patience is key when using epoxy glues. What’s the end result?
• We’ve found that some of the ideal applications Each type of adhesive has its place in your craft room!
for epoxy glues are for projects such as outdoor Now that you understand the merits and drawbacks
signage, where you need that extra durable hold of each, you can carefully consider the specific needs
and weather resistance. of your projects and choose accordingly. And as pro-
fessional makers and laser enthusiasts, aren’t we al-
3. Super Glues (Cyanoacrylate Adhesives) ways experimenting to find new products that will
There are many cyanoacrylate (CA) glues – also known appeal to our customers? With the right adhesives in
as super glues – on the market today. These glues your supply closet, you’ll be ready to accomplish any
come in many forms and types (gel, precise, clear) but project that comes your way, ensuring that your cre-
essentially act as multi-functional glues for various ations continue to shine in the eyes of your customers
crafting needs. Let’s look at how they compare for the and fellow makers alike.
laser acrylic market.
Pros: Cathy Sutherland and Tracie Schwickrath are fellow la-
• Quick Bonding: Super glues offer rapid bonding, ser enthusiasts and co-owners of All-CraftUSA, maker of
ideal for projects where time is of the essence. All-Craft Multi Glue. You can reach them at info@allcraft-
Most glues grab and hold within 20 – 30 seconds products.com or visit their website at all-craftusa.com

HOPE YODER Continued from P 11
From networking to pricing to closing the deal,
she is laying it out there for those who are search-
ing. Hope says, “It does you no good to have amaz-
ing laser skills if nobody buys your products.”
Intentional networking is one of her favorite top-

ics and has become the bread and butter of her
laser business. She began by meeting with small-
er groups and organizations to get the word out
and did well. As she clarified her Business-to-Busi-
ness (B2B) model, it became time to try a more
structured, lead-generating option. Through her
experience, Hope has become a firm believer
in BNI (Business Network International), a very
on-purpose, intentional worldwide business net- significant others – without feeling the ‘pinch’ of
working organization. While some feel BNI is ex- financial worry. She keeps her eyes on these prizes
pensive, Hope broke it down into cost per week and powers through for the win.
for her chapter and found that it was a little over
$17 weekly. She noted, “You couldn’t pay some- Regarding the best business advice she has re-
one that small amount to create the know, like, ceived recently, Hope cites her mentor, Darin
and trust factor you get from belonging to such Kidd, “Don’t compare yourself to anyone else or
an organization.” It has been a game-changer for their journey. Put blinders on – just like a race-
her, and, as with everything she does, Hope has horse – keep your eyes forward on your path, your
jumped in 110%! [Find a local BNI to you HERE] journey. Every day, decide to be 1% better than
before, and in a year, you will find that you are 37
We turned to the topic of goals and motivation for times better than you were when you started.”
her business. And her advice is to know WHAT you
Also, she urges using the small but powerful
word, YET, when you find yourself with troubling
thoughts such as “I don’t have the business I want.”
- put YET at the end – “I don’t have the business
I want YET.” This leads you to the next thought,
“What do I need to do to get beyond the yet?” And
now you can move forward once again.
As for life advice, she credits Marv, her husband

want the money to achieve. A strictly monetary and best friend. He reminds her to continually
goal doesn’t keep the fire lit, like knowing what find balance. “While you’re building the business,
you want to do with the money you bring in. For the life you want, don’t forget about the people
Hope, it is being able to support a local non-prof- you started with, your family. At the end of the
it that fights human trafficking. She is looking day, that’s what matters most. Be intentional; be
forward to the day she writes a 5 figure check to present with them. Just like you make an appoint-
them without batting an eye. Another big motiva- ment, schedule time with those people that you
tor is to create opportunities for her family to trav- love, that encourage you. Create that balance and
el together – she, her husband, their children, and work to keep it.”

Acrylic
Cast Acrylics
and Laser
Engraving
By: Johnson Plastics Plus
By now, you know that acrylics are the plastic material of

choice to fabricate in your laser. Material manufacturers
have been producing laser-friendly acrylics for decades
and offer a wide range of colors, thicknesses, and finish-
es for any type of craft or signage project.
However, not all acrylics are the same. The two main
types of acrylics for laser engraving are extruded
sheet acrylics and cast acrylics. This article will focus
on what makes cast acrylic different from extruded
materials and some of the unique ways you can fab-
ricate cast acrylic in your laser.
Cast vs. extruded acrylic

Cast acrylic is made by pouring liquid acrylic into a
mold or frame and allowing the material to set. This
“casting” process differs from extruding acrylic, giv-
ing the finished product greater optical clarity than
its extruded counterpart.
Due to the hardness of the material, cast acrylic is ideal

for detailed laser engraving. The laser beam can easily
penetrate the material without distortion, resulting in
sharp, fine lines and intricate designs. When laser-en-
graving cast acrylic, there’s minimal residue or discolor-
ation left behind. This ensures that your engraved designs
remain crisp and clean, requiring little to no post-process-
ing.
The benefits of cast acrylic

Cast acrylic comes in a wide range of colors and thicknesses,
enabling creative freedom. It’s perfect for crafting signage, tro-
phies, jewelry, and other intricate decorative items. Along with
outstanding optical clarity, cast acrylic is very durable along with
being UV-stable, and outdoor weatherable.

Extruded acrylic tends to be slightly less expen- different secondary processes to create fully cus-
sive than cast acrylic, but that cost savings for the tomized pieces with your laser.
extruded version comes at the expense of the
optical clarity and rigidity found in cast acrylic. One application is to reverse engrave a cast
acrylic material with a laserable foil on the back
Lasering cast acrylic and backlight the finished product. Doing so will
Now that we’ve talked about the differences be- allow the light to shine through the clear, en-
tween cast and extruded acrylic and highlighted graved area while the remaining foil blocks out
why cast acrylic is a great choice for laser engrav- the extra light. The result is a project that looks
ing, let’s look at some of the unique applications like the engraved area is lit while the rest of the
and uses for cast acrylic. piece is not. Because of the optical clarity of the
Cast acrylic is available in several different forms. cast acrylic and depending on how the piece is
The three most popular for laser engraving are being backlit, it may be necessary to use a thin
as follows: sheet of clear extruded acrylic as a diffuser panel
• A single, clear sheet of plastic. between the light source and the piece.
• A sheet of plastic with dye added, giving a
colored tint to the clear acrylic. Back painting is another application to use with
• Cast acrylic with a colored, laserable foil add- a reverse, laser-engraved cast acrylic. The en-
ed to the BACK of the sheet. graved area can be filled with acrylic paint pur-
chased from a hobby or hardware store. This al-
Laser engraving the front or back of traditional lows you to use a custom color to contrast the
cast acrylic can give you several different looks color of the foil to match whatever your design
depending on the speed and power of your la- calls for. This process can be used to create sig-
ser. You can either get a clean, almost transpar- nage that matches a particular Pantone color for
ent mark or a slightly frosted look. Either of these a customer to maintain their branding and color
options can look great when creating signs with themes.
edge lighting or when you want a finished prod- One thing to keep in mind when reverse laser
uct that mimics the look of glass. engraving is to “flip” or “mirror” your artwork so
that appears correctly through the front of the
Cast acrylic products with a laserable foil on the material.
back offers you a unique range of possible proj-
ects you can create. To engrave these types of Conclusion
cast acrylics, we’ll be using the “reverse engrav- Laser engraving with cast acrylic is a game-chang-
ing” process. er in the world of creative expression. From out-
standing clarity and precision to a versatile range
With traditional front engravable products, the of color options, cast acrylic delivers great results
colored cap (top layer) sits on top of a clear or for any project. Its ability to maintain optical clar-
colored core (base layer). When laser engraving ity during engraving, minimal residue, and resis-
through the top layer, you reveal the base layer, tance to heat make it a top choice for intricate
creating a contrasting mark. With reverse en- designs.
gravable products, the colored foil layer is on the
back of the material with clear cast acrylic on top. Whether you’re crafting personalized jewelry,
signage, or home décor projects, cast acrylic of-
Reverse engraving is exactly what it sounds like. fers a world of possibilities. It’s the material of
Instead of engraving on the front of the mate- choice for those who seek to bring their artistic
rial, you’ll be lasering through the foil surface visions to life with precision and elegance. Dive
on the back. The lasered area will appear clear into the world of cast acrylic and elevate your la-
when viewed from the front. Reverse engraving ser engraving projects to new heights of creativ-
through cast acrylic allows you to use several ity and craftsmanship.

Jessica Trueblood is an Etsy
coach and strategist. She is
the owner of Shop Review
Crew, founder of the Etsy
Underachievers group on
Facebook, which provides
free resources to Etsy
sellers. She teaches using
only Etsy best practices to
ensure her students get the
best information possible!
She lives in Colorado with
her husband, son and her
Glowforge, Maxine. You
can connect with her at
www.shopreviewcrew.com

How Product Photography
Can Enhance Your Etsy Shop
By Jessica Trueblood, Shop Review Crew
In the previous seg- • Boost Credibility: They help in establishing
SELLING ment, we learned

all about the impor-
trust and assurance that the product is as de-
scribed.
ON ETSY:
tance of Etsy SEO and • Enhance Visibility: Better images can help your
matching your listings product listings rank higher in search results.
to buyers when they
What you need search! The next most
to know in 2023 important thing you Unlocking Your Smartphone’s
Third in a Three-Part Series can do for your Etsy Potential
shop is to have great Most modern smartphones come
listing photos! If your equipped with camera s that can
titles and tags bring the buyers to your listings rival traditional DSLRs. Here’s how
when they search, you want your photos to stand you can harness their power:
OUT among other listings. Here are some tips on • Know Your Camera App: Famil-
making your listing photos clickable! iarize yourself with your phone’s
camera settings. Learn about
Not only can high-quality images elevate your the different modes, especial-
shop, but they can also increase sales and trust- ly the ‘Pro’ or ‘Manual’ mode if
worthiness among buyers. Thankfully, achieving available. This will allow you to adjust settings
professional-grade photos doesn’t require ex- like ISO, shutter speed, and focus.
pensive equipment. In this article, we’ll delve into • Use Natural Light: Whenever possible, use nat-
how you can leverage the power of product pho- ural light. It casts a softer glow on products and
tography using just your smartphone and a few reduces harsh shadows. Shooting during the
inexpensive tools! ‘golden hour’ – right after sunrise or just before
sunset – can produce especially appealing re-
The Importance of Product Photography: sults. Avoiding direct sunlight is also helpful, as
A Quick Overview it can show glare or distort colors!
An image speaks a thousand words, and in the • Avoid Using Flash: On-camera flash can create
world of e-commerce, it could very well be the unflattering shadows and overexpose images.
deciding factor in a purchase. When buyers can’t If natural light is not an option for you, invest in
touch or try out products in person, they rely a lightbox or use diffusers like white bedsheets
heavily on images to gauge an item’s quality, size, to soften the light. Amazon has many inexpen-
and aesthetics. Stellar photos: sive options. You can also try your local camera
• Convey Professionalism: High-quality images store!
indicate that you take your business seriously. ETSY Continued on P 29

If
you’ve talked to me about lasers for
any length of time, chances are good
that I’ve mentioned selling awards. If
you’re not offering awards to your customers
yet, you are missing out on a great repeating
income stream! So, if you’re not already mak-
ing awards, read on (and bookmark this ar-
ticle). I’ll tell you why awards are great, who
you can sell them to, what you can sell them
for, tips for finding those customers, and even
a few tips for design and assembly as well.
“OK, why are awards so great, Mark?”

(Thank you for asking!)
AWARDS
No matter where you live, you’re surrounded
by businesses and organizations who love to
recognize and reward their team, their vol-
unteers, and their high performers. From car
dealerships to restaurants, churches to sports
Can Be a
teams, schools to non-profits - your city is full
of potential customers who would love to
have a trusted place to return to each month,
season, or year to celebrate their people!
rewarding That’s right. I said, “return.” Not only do they

often need awards on a recurring basis, but
each time they return, that gives you oppor-
business
tunities to show them other things you can
provide as well.
Awards are something millions of businesses

By: Mark Collier, BigBlueLaserDesigns and organizations around the country need,
and they’re something you can provide - and
at a good price and a quick turnaround that
makes you an invaluable partner.
And maybe one of the best things about

providing awards? Most of your business
customers have budgets set aside to reward
their people, so they’re already prepared to
spend, and their budgets are typically higher
than the money individuals would normally
spend.

“Where can I find those organizations that a coach, so you could ask them if they give out
need awards?” player awards.
They’re all around you! Here’s a list of just 10 to get The first thing you’re trying to do is to find out if
your brain going: they’ve already rewarded their people in the past.
• Churches (Volunteers of the Month/Year) If they have, ask them what kinds of things they’ve
• Car Dealerships (Top Salesperson - Month/Year/ given out. Then you can say that you love making
Promotion) awards with your laser and would enjoy making
• Schools - Teachers (Department Awards, Teach- one for them so they could see the possibilities!
er of the Year) You could even make a photo album on your
• Schools - Sports, Clubs, and Team Awards phone full of laser cut awards that you’ve made or
• Community Sports Teams (Team Awards + that you’ve seen and show them a bunch just to
Tournaments) get their creative brains going.
• Business + Personal Growth Organizations
(Completion Awards, Milestone Awards) Since these are people you already have a relation-
• Restaurants (Team Member of the Month, Sales ship with, you’ll find these conversations easy be-
Goals, etc.) cause they’ll usually be quite interested in talking
• Non-Profits (Annual Dinners, Quarterly Accom- about their organization as well as how you could
plishments, etc.) help them.
• Gyms - Sports and Tournaments they host
• Chamber of Commerce - they’re FULL of busi- I’ve also had good success with making an award
nesses who need awards! and surprising them with it! You can make one
with their logo and name on it, and the occasion
Once you start looking, you’ll quickly realize that of the award can be silly, serious, or completely
opportunities really *are* everywhere! And you’re made up. That part doesn’t matter. But when you
not just limited to customers in your city. If you show up at their business with a free award in
include awards on your website or Etsy Store, you your hand that you made for them, they almost
can 100x your customer base! sell themselves!
“So, how do I approach them?” Once you’ve talked to a few people you already
know, talking to ones you don’t will become eas-
Start with the business people and leaders you ier.
already know. Friends, family, people you know
at church, through your job, in your community. Your next step might be to choose five on your list
I guarantee that you know dozens of people who who you don’t know and make an award for each
lead somewhere, play somewhere, or serve some- of them. Then, you can stop by with the gift you
where. Start brainstorming a list! made and one of your business cards.
Then circle at least five on that list who you know “My name is Mark and I love making awards for local
well and are comfortable talking to and start businesses, so I made a sample for you. If you ever
with them. You can start a conversation with easy need to reward your people, I’d love to make some-
questions like, “Do you give rewards or bonuses to thing cool for you to give to them. Shoot me a mes-
people where you work?” Or “Do you host things sage if you ever need anything!” Then you can leave
like volunteer dinners each year?” Maybe they are - but chances are that many will ask at least one
AWARDS Continued on P 38

All you need to
make remarkable things
Our most powerful printer

powers over 1000 businesses.
Introducing
Craft Laser ™
Explore the future of making with #Glowforge. Visit us at glowforge.com →

ETSY Continued from P 25
Composition and Background Matter phone on a stable surface to avoid blurry im-
• Keep it Simple: Use a neutral background color ages. Many affordable smartphone tripods are
to ensure that the product remains the focal available in the market.
point. You can invest in a roll of seamless paper • Edit, But Don’t Overdo: Apps like Snapseed,
or use a plain wall. Another idea is to browse VSCO, or Lightroom Mobile can enhance your
your local craft store to look for stick and peel photos. However, ensure your edits remain
tile or contact paper. The photo below shows true to the actual product to avoid misleading
two pieces of foam core with peel and stick customers.
materials.
Think Beyond the Product
While showcasing your product is primary, don’t
forget to show it in use. Lifestyle shots, where your
product is seen in real-life settings or being used
by people, can help potential buyers visualize it in
their own lives. This creates a connection and can
drive sales.
Consistency is Key
Maintain a consistent look across all product pho-
• Try Different Angles: Don’t just stick to one tos. This includes using the same lighting, back-
perspective. Shoot your product from multi- ground, and editing style. Consistency not only
ple angles to give customers a comprehensive looks professional but also builds a recognizable
view. brand image. For example, if your brand is rus-
tic, then choose rustic-themed backgrounds, or
Here are some ideas for your 10 photo slots: use more natural colors for your background and
• Photo from a distance props. If you use mockups, the same rules can ap-
• Photo up close, showing texture and color ply: find mockups that match in layout, color, etc.
• Photo of item with a prop for size reference or
context (including a pen alongside a journal Your product images are often the first and some-
that is for sale) times the only chance to grab a buyer’s attention.
• Lifestyle photo of the item being used With smartphones increasingly becoming pow-
• Photo collage of the color/style/shape options erhouses of photography, you no longer need a
• Video of the item so the buyer can see every- hefty investment to produce striking images. Re-
thing about it member, the devil is in the details. Invest time in
understanding your smartphone’s capabilities, ex-
You might be wondering, is using all 10 photo periment with different setups, and keep refining.
slots necessary Etsy doesn’t have a stance on this, With patience and practice, your Etsy shop can
so the best advice is to use as many as you can! It shine brighter than ever before.
can’t hurt you, and buyers love to see photos!
If you’ve enjoyed this Etsy series, join the Facebook
Pay Attention to Details group Etsy Underachievers (https://www.facebook.
• Clean Your Lens: An often overlooked step! A com/groups/etsyunderachievers) for more tips and
clean lens ensures sharp, clear images. tricks! See you there!
• Stabilize Your Phone: Use a tripod or rest your

Marketing
Closing The
SALE
Maximizing Your Success
Here are some tips on how to
at Vendor Events
close a sale at vendor events.
1
By Nicki Piland, The Laser Chick Prepare and set goals: Before attend-
ing a vendor event, it’s important to
have a clear understanding of your
goals. Determine what you hope to achieve
at the event, whether it’s selling a certain
Vendor events can be a great op- number of products or generating leads. By
setting goals, you can focus your efforts and
portunity for businesses to show- develop a strategy to achieve them.
case their products or services and
2
Engage with attendees: One of the
connect with potential customers. key aspects of closing a sale at a ven-
However, closing a sale at these dor event is engaging with attendees.
events can be challenging. With Don’t wait for them to approach your booth;
be proactive and initiate conversations. Ask
the right approach and strategies, open-ended questions to understand their
you can increase your chances needs and interests. Show genuine interest
in their responses and listen actively, which
of closing a deal and maximizing will help you establish a connection and
your success at vendor events. build rapport with potential customers.
30 Laser Focused | www.LaserFocusedMagazine.com September/October 2023

3
Demonstrate the value of your product make phone calls to express your appreciation for
or service: Highlight the unique selling their interest and offer any additional assistance
points of your product or service and ex- they may need.
plain how it can solve the customer’s problems or
fulfill their needs. Use engaging visuals, demon- QUALITY OF CONNECTION
strations, or samples to showcase the benefits and When it comes to vendor events, many business-
features of your offering. Demonstrating value can es focus on attracting as many potential custom-
convince attendees that your product or service is ers as possible. However, the key to succeeding at
worth investing in. vendor events is not just about quantity but also
the quality of interactions with attendees. By fo-
4
Offer incentives or discounts: People cusing on building meaningful connections, you
love incentives and discounts, so consid- can increase your chances of closing the sale and
er offering special promotions or exclu- establishing long-term relationships with custom-
sive deals to attendees. This can create a sense of ers.
urgency and encourage them to purchase at the
event. Make sure to clearly communicate the lim- Quality interactions allow you to understand po-
ited time or quantity of the offer to develop an un- tential customers’ needs and wants. When you
derstanding of scarcity and drive action. take the time to engage in meaningful conversa-
tions, you can gather valuable insights about their
5
Overcome objections: It’s common for preferences, pain points, and specific require-
potential customers to have objections or ments. This information is crucial in tailoring your
concerns before making a purchase. An- products or services to meet their expectations,
ticipate these objections and prepare responses increasing the likelihood of a successful sale.
to address them effectively. By addressing their
concerns and providing solutions, you can instill In addition, quality interactions help to build trust
confidence in the customer and increase the like- and rapport with potential customers. You estab-
lihood of closing the sale. lish a personal connection beyond a mere sales
pitch by demonstrating genuine interest in their
6
Provide excellent customer service: needs and actively listening to their concerns.
good customer service goes a long way Trust plays a significant role in the decision-mak-
in closing a sale. Be attentive, friendly, and ing process, and customers are more likely to buy
knowledgeable when interacting with attendees. from someone they trust and feel a connection
Answer their questions promptly and provide any with.
additional information they may need. By provid-
ing a positive customer experience, you can build Moreover, focusing on a quality connection al-
trust and increase the chances of converting a po- lows you to showcase the unique value proposi-
tential customer into a buyer. tion of your products or services. Instead of bom-
barding attendees with generic information, take
7
Follow up after the event: Closing a sale the time to understand their specific challenges
doesn’t always happen immediately at a and position your offerings as the ideal solution.
vendor event. Many potential customers By highlighting the benefits and addressing their
may need more time to decide or gather more in- concerns directly, you can effectively demonstrate
formation. Following up with leads after the event why your product or service stands out from the
is essential to maintain communication and nur- competition.
ture the relationship. Send personalized emails or VENDOR Continued on P 32
September/October 2023 Laser Focused | www.LaserFocusedMagazine.com 31

VENDOR Continued from P 31
Furthermore, quality interactions enable you to
provide personalized recommendations and solu-
tions. By actively listening to the needs of poten-
tial customers, you can offer tailored suggestions
that align with their requirements. This custom-
ized approach demonstrates your expertise and
ensures that customers feel seen and understood.
This level of attention and customization sets you
apart from other vendors and increases the chanc-
es of closing the sale.
Most importantly, focusing on your customers al-

lows you to establish long-term customer relation-
ships. Vendor events provide an excellent oppor-
tunity to build a strong network of loyal customers
who will make repeat purchases and refer your
business to others. By prioritizing them, you can
leave a lasting impression and create a positive as-
sociation with your brand.
Focusing on building meaningful connections,

understanding customer needs, establishing trust,
showcasing unique value propositions, providing
personalized recommendations, and setting the
foundation for long-term relationships can signifi-
cantly increase your chances of their buying your
pieces and you achieving success. Remember, it’s
not just about reaching as many people as possi-
ble; it’s about reaching the right people and mak-
ing a lasting impact.
Making the sale requires a combination of prepa-

ration, engagement, persuasion, and excellent
customer service. By implementing these strat-
egies and making genuine connections, you can
increase your chances of success and achieve your
goals at your events. Remember, each interaction
is an opportunity to make a lasting impression, so
make the most of it!
Nicki Piland, also known as The Laser Chick, is a graphic

designer and laser community influencer. She shares
her knowledge and experiences with others through
various platforms, including social media, workshops,
and tutori- als. You can follow her here. https://linktr.ee/
thelaserchick

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and unlock a world of
exclusive benefits with
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Wood
Engraving 101
Choosing the Right Wood
Makes All the Diﬀerence
By: Braden Todd, GS2 Awards, www.gs2awards.com
Ever have a wood engraving that came out too light? No matter what
settings you tried, no matter what design you tried, it was just always
light and not enough contrast? Good news, we’ve all been there, and
it’s not anything you did wrong or something wrong with your laser!
The truth is, not all wood engraves are the same, and some sheets can
engrave slightly differently based on the tree the wood came from! So
how do you know what wood to choose for your project? We have over
14+ years of laser experience with wood and will give you a good ex-
planation of what you can expect from the most popular species when
laser engraving!

Maple - This wood species is a great light-colored out of focus, this helps to give a little extra burn to the
species with a pleasing and light grain pattern. When mark.
engraved, Maple results in a lighter contrast that can
have some extra light tan hues to the engraving. If So what does knowing the engraving characteris-
doing a genuine 3D engraving, Maple is our go-to tics do to help with projects?
because it engraves down so smoothly. Because the
wood is lighter to begin with, the mark does stand out
well against the natural wood coloring but is on the
lighter side.
Cherry - This wood species has varied tones through-

out the wood, ranging from a reddish brown with light
pink hues to a darker brown color. When exposed to
light/sunlight, the wood will darken quickly and ap- We now know which wood species can give lighter re-
pear darker brown and have a golden luster. When sults, dark results, and contrast that falls in the middle.
laser engraving Cherry, you can expect great contrast Knowing these characteristics will help you to decide
and dark marks! Cherry is one of our favorites to laser which wood to use and when you can simply choose
engrave because the wood is beautiful, and the en- one because the grain color is more desirable, i.e.
gravings have always stood out well with a consistent Cherry vs Alder.
contrast.
We took this knowledge a step further and developed
Alder - This wood species is very similar in color to LaserLumber™, which is a solid hardwood that has
Cherry, ranging from a tan to reddish brown color. Al- been selected and expertly stained based on the final
der seems to be lesser known compared to Cherry, but engraving result. The final product is a sheet that shows
very similar and difficult to tell apart from Cherry. This the unique wood grain of each species and then cap-
wood species laser engraves with excellent contrast, italizes on the species’ reaction to laser engraving! A
and really shines when engraving photographs! The Red Stained Maple is a gorgeous red color that, when
grain is generally straight and fine in texture which engraved, results in a two-tone effect because Maple
leads to less distractions to the eye when viewing an generally engraves lighter/whiter in color! Remember
engraved photograph. how dark Walnut engraves? The Whitewash Walnut is
a white sheet that results in almost a black engraving
Walnut - This wood species ranges in color from a pale mark! Knowing and understanding the intricacies of
brown to a deep dark brown. The result when engrav- how wood reacts to the laser engraving process has
ing is a very nice, dark mark. Since Walnut is so dark allowed us to develop some market-changing oppor-
to begin with, your engraving will show as more of a tunities!
tone-on-tone effect. We love to use Walnut as a backer
with a lighter colored wood layered on top for a dra- There are other options available for a colored sheet
matic effect! too. Rowmark has their line of stained Birch Plywood-
ColorShop® Wood. This is also a great option when
Mahogany/Sapele - Both species are very close in you need larger-sized sheets that are more difficult to
appearance and have beautiful reddish, pinkish col- produce in solid hardwood. The only downside is that
ors that deepen to reds and browns. Mahogany and every color is on Birch Plywood, so the grain you see
Sapele are a great choice for projects that need to and the engraving result will all look the same and not
stand out with a premium wood species. When en- play on how other wood species react to laser engrav-
graved, Mahogany and Sapele have great contrast ing and blend with the stain colors selected.
with the reddish wood grains. If we want a piece to
stand out and impress, Mahogany/Sapele is our go-to! Always remember that if you need to darken an en-
graving and choose to paint-fill the engraving, seal
Baltic Birch - This wood species has probably given the engraved area before applying paint to avoid
the most “why isn’t my engraving dark enough” com- bleeding and losing your hard work!
ments! When it works, it’s great and has a nice contrast,
but sometimes it can also leave a lighter mark. One I hope this helps everyone to better select the wood
tip to achieve a darker engraving is to engrave slightly needed for your next projects!

Business
Keeping it
Under Wraps:
Navigating Trade Secret Law
By: Lindy Laurence, Lumin Law
36 Laser Focused | www.LaserFocusedMagazine.com September/October 2023

Trade Secret Law ough due diligence and establish contractual
Trade secret law refers to the legal framework that obligations to ensure their compliance with
governs the protection and enforcement of valuable maintaining confidentiality.
business information known as trade secrets. These
5. Mark Confidential Information: Clearly mark
intellectual property assets can include formulas, pro-
or identify documents, files, or materials con-
cesses, techniques, methods, or any confidential infor-
taining trade secrets as “Confidential” or “Trade
mation that provides a competitive advantage to its
Secret.”
owner.
6. Physical Security Measures: Safeguard phys-
Definition of Trade Secrets ical copies of trade secrets by implementing
A trade secret is generally recognized as any non-pub- access control, video surveillance, and secure
lic, commercially valuable information that derives its storage systems.
value from being kept secret. This confidential knowl-
edge may range from customer lists and marketing 7. Enforceable Contracts: Ensure that your
strategies to manufacturing processes and software employment contracts and non-disclosure
algorithms. Unlike other forms of intellectual property agreements contain enforceable provisions
such as patents, copyrights, or trademarks, trade se- regarding trade secrets, outlining prohibited
crets do not need to be registered with any govern- disclosures and potential legal consequences
ment agency. in case of breaches.
Protection of Trade Secrets Remember, maintaining the confidentiality of trade

To safeguard trade secrets, it is essential to implement secrets is crucial to their protection. Therefore, it is ad-
robust measures within your business. Here are some visable to consult with an experienced attorney who is
recommended actions you can take: well-versed in trade secret law. They can help you de-
1. Identify: Determine which information con- velop a comprehensive strategy that is tailored to your
stitutes a trade secret. Classify and document specific business needs. By seeking legal guidance,
all trade secrets within your business. Identify you can ensure that you are taking the necessary steps
proper handling or processes for disclosing to safeguard your valuable trade secrets and minimize
this information in protected ways. the risk of unauthorized disclosure or use. An attorney
2. Confidentiality Agreements: Require all em- can provide expert advice on identifying and classify-
ployees, contractors, and business partners to ing your trade secrets, implementing appropriate se-
sign confidentiality or non-disclosure agree- curity measures, drafting non-disclosure agreements,
ments (NDAs). Establish clear guidelines on the and pursuing legal remedies in case of misappropria-
handling and protection of trade secrets. tion. With their expertise, you can navigate the com-
plex landscape of trade secret law and protect your
3. Restricted Access: Limit access to trade secrets competitive advantage. So, don’t hesitate to reach out
only to people who require such information to a knowledgeable attorney to safeguard your trade
for legitimate reasons. Implement secure phys- secrets and secure your business’s future.
ical and digital measures to restrict unautho-
rized access, such as encryption and password Lindy Laurence is an attorney and found-
protection. er of Lumin Law (www.lumin.law). She’s
laser focused on serving the legal needs of
4. Vendor and Partner Management: Exer- mission-driven entrepreneurs and small
cise caution when sharing trade secrets with business owners. Reach out and say hello
at lindy@lumin.law.
third-party vendors or partners. Conduct thor-
September/October 2023 Laser Focused | www.LaserFocusedMagazine.com 37

If you’re not
offering awards to
your customers yet,
you are missing
out on a great
repeating
income stream!
AWARDS Continued from P 27

question, and you might get an order right then, • 3M adhesive can make assembly even faster
so be ready with at least a ballpark price! than glue and cleaner as well.
• When using a customer logo, ALWAYS see the
“What should I sell these awards for?” logo file before committing to a project be-
The most common size of award that I have made cause it may not be in great condition, the
is around 6”-8” tall, and if I’m using Glowforge-sized wrong format, etc. for engraving.
sheets of material (12” x 20”), I can usually get 4-6 • You can take almost any basic award shape and
awards from a single sheet. If I’m using 1/4” acrylic, make it feel custom with a large logo, great
a sheet typically costs $12-$15, making material fonts for text, and a shape cut out of the award
costs less than $4 per award on average. or a dimensional piece glued on top of it. Don’t
feel like the overall shape has to be unique.
I charge $25-$30 each for an award that size, so • Need ideas for shipping or transporting awards
my profit is quite good and that leaves me a bit safely? I have a video on my YouTube chan-
of room to discount for quantity or for a special if nel called “How to Ship Awards Securely” that
I want. And it’s not uncommon for me to charge might help.
$40-$50 for a larger custom award.
Hopefully, I’ve convinced you to add awards to
“What are some quick tips for making great your list of products. They’re perfect for connect-
awards?” ing with businesses and organizations in your
• Use 1/4” material. It looks and feels more sub- community (as well as online), and they can keep
stantial and valuable in the hands. you busy with recurring revenue as well!
• Layers are your friend. I make bases with multi-
ple layers because they look great, and I often Mark Collier is the owner of BigBlueLaserDesigns, and
use a translucent or clear layer sandwiched be- he loves helping beginning and busy laser owners cre-
tween two opaque layers to give me places to ate great things faster. You can connect with him at
hide glue. mark@BigBlueLaserDesigns.com and visit his website at
• Vertical layers can also be used to add dimen- www.BigBlueLaserDesigns.com
sion, thickness, and weight (and again to hide
glue).
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Laser Focused Patreon Member Profile

Jamie Bowser Anthony Tucci Katie Mullinax
The Hands That Shape Whispering Mountain Monarch Pine Craft Supply
Category: Files, Finished Products Category: Files, Finished Products Category: Findings
Are You A Laser Focused Patreon Member Yet?

Metal
Getting
to the Point
with Fiber
Focusing
By: Matt Boddiford, Laser Everything
Fiber lasers have gained significant popularity for put received from the motor from the controller.
their ability to produce precise and high-quality Finally, the beam is focused through a lens and
marks on various materials, but people buy them finds its way to the substrate to mark or engrave.
specifically for metal marking. Maintaining the
correct focal point is one critical aspect of achiev- All of this is happening at neck-breaking speeds,
ing successful laser marking. If a fiber laser is out with the mirrors being able to direct the beam
of focus, it may fail to mark the material effective- at rated surface speeds, sometimes 4000 mm/s.
ly or not even touch the material. That speed, of course, will depend on the mate-
rial, the power of the laser, and the type of mark
Galvo fiber lasers operate by first having the fiber you want to create.
laser source create an amplified photon that then
gets hurled into a fiber optic cable. Here it gets So now that we know how a fiber source creates
bounced around at incredible speeds through the laser beam and sends it all the way to the ma-
a very thin piece of fiber optic cable, using the terial, how does focus affect the ability to mark?
cable to naturally contain and reflect the beam Well, let’s look at the three most important, but
inward, which will carry that intense power to not the only, factors of focusing a fiber laser:
where it exits the cable through the emitter. The • Lens size on a fiber laser is what determines
pulse is then released and reflects off a set of mir- the size of your marking field where the la-
rors mounted on galvanometric motors that di- ser will effectively mark if it has been cali-
rect the laser beam. brated correctly with the most efficiency.
So a 300mm lens will give you a 300x300
These motors transform electrical voltage into (12 inch) field vs a 70x70 (~3 inch) field.
angular movement. The mirrors mounted per-
pendicularly on the motor’s shaft move the laser • The lens size will determine your focal dis-
beam along the X and Y axes according to the in- tance, which is how much distance needs to
The HOW-TO
be between the scan head and the
substrate so that marking can be pre- Don’t be alarmed by all of this information in the article,
cise and accurate. A larger lens will even though it can seem overwhelming from a scientific
have a much greater focal distance vs standpoint. Laser Everything has great resources to help
a smaller lens that will have a much you get marking quickly with videos such as the Galvo
shorter focal distance (see diagram). Crash Course for Lightburn and free settings found at la-
sereverything.net/freelasersettings - because application
• Finally, the last major factor is the of this technique is far simpler than comprehension of the
amount of Power it will take to send science behind it!
the laser beam down the correct dis-
Here is what all of that information
tance with enough strength to mark/
looks like in practice:
engrave the surface due to the focal
distance. Step 1: Download Lightburn’s 30-day free trial or grab a
subscription
Keep in mind that this is just how to find Step 2: Head over to lasereverything.net and grab the
the focus so that your machine will mark settings
a substrate. Now you also have to con- Step 3: Put a piece of metal, steel or aluminum, down
sider frequency and speed to get the on your breadboard and raise the galvo head up higher
proper settings for each type of metal, depending on your lens size (see diagram for approxi-
then, on top of that, there are different mations) Step 4: In Lightburn, create a small box and set
settings to mark the same metals differ- it to run continuously and input the settings for the sub-
ently by eliciting colors, depth, finishes, strate, determinant upon your laser power and lens that
and more. you are using, (“steel engrave” or “aluminum engrave”
depending on what you are using.
Maintaining the correct focus is essen- Step 5: PUT ON YOUR SAFETY GLASSES!
tial in fiber laser marking because it Step 6: Hit start again to have the laser beam begin
directly affects the precision, energy marking and slowly lower the galvo head until the laser
density, and consistency of the marking comes into focus as you traverse the galvo head down-
process. When the laser is out of focus, wards
it may not deliver the necessary energy Step 7: Watch and listen because the focal point is par-
to the material’s surface, resulting in in- abolic on a fiber laser, like an hourglass, you’ll start to
effective marking and could ruin your hear and see the laser marking, but it will get louder and
product. So take the time to accurately brighter until, at a certain point, it will begin to fade away
find and measure because proper fo- until it is no longer marking.
cus control and calibration are critical Step 8: Raise the galvo head back up to the optimal focal
for achieving high-quality and reliable distance to where the laser beam hitting the substrate is
laser markings on a wide range of ma- the brightest and loudest it can be while engraving.
terials. Step 9: Write that down and keep it somewhere safe so
you can make a focal stick so you can quickly and repeat-
Matt Boddiford is one of the Laser Every- edly mark materials with this lens in the future.
thing team. If you’re still struggling to get
consistent markings, then head over to Congrats! You now have your proper focal distance for a
the Laser Everything’s discord community lens and are ready to find the next one if your laser comes
or the Laser Master Academy at masters. with multiple lenses. Make sure you take your time and
lasereverything.net where you can get the measure accurately because it will save you more in the
help you need to get you focused! long run!
A Supportive and Inspiring Environment
MakerRemix Marketplace
for Laser Enthusiasts
By: Matt Boddiford, Laser Everything
Two years ago, Alexander Sellite from the YouTube channel Laser Ev-
erything had an idea to create an online marketplace for laser users.
With the encouragement of his wife Miranda, he started the process
that is just now coming to fruition, and he believes it is a game chang-
er for the maker space.
For the most part, laser users and other makers have faced similar is-
sues in the past: finding out where to buy blanks without an EIN, trying
to remember which Facebook group had “that one item” they forgot to
screenshot, looking for reliable files for their lasers on Etsy that end up
having tons of issues in lightburn, or wanting to buy that new piece of
machinery direct from China on a budget but not knowing who is legit
or has quality machinery for highly variable prices. None of those are
ideal for people with jobs, a small business/side hustle, and a family to
juggle.
The MakerRemix Marketplace offers an alternative as a new maker-fac-

ing market where small business and private buyers are welcome to
purchase directly from small business dealers within our community
with all the items you need in one location. You no longer need to
sift through a slurry of private messages or the anxiety of being sent
through back channels to buy lasers from resellers. The MakerRemix
Marketplace has laser machine prices clearly defined, direct dealings
with laser distributors and manufacturers, and a secure purchasing
method of PayPal or credit card.
More than that, it offers an opportunity for makers like you and me to
have a place where we can grow our business by being a vendor our-
selves by offering all of our marketable skills. The Marketplace is made
by the people, for the people. The Marketplace is now in full swing, and
it’s important to understand why it’s so valuable to us, the everyday
laser users, and how it can help raise the level of our businesses. The
significance of having most of the vendors in an online laser market-
place be everyday laser users from all different communities cannot be
overstated.
So here are the top reasons this is so impactful to the maker communi-
ty: In-depth Product Knowledge: Everyday laser users have hands-on
experience with the products they sell. People like Anthony Montez
of the “Beam It Up Laserworks” storefront have first-hand knowledge
that enables him to provide valuable insights, technical details, and
practical advice to potential buyers. This level of expertise builds trust
and confidence in the Marketplace, as customers can make informed
decisions based on their real-life experience and knowledge of the
machines they have versus buying blanks from a massive distributor
who most likely has never actually used the product in the first place.
Anthony’s expertise spreads across diode, CO2, fiber, and now UV!

Innovation and Feedback: Everyday laser users are
at the forefront of innovation. As they explore the po-
tential of laser technology in their daily lives, they of-
ten develop creative uses and applications. By having
these users as vendors, the Marketplace can also be a
place for innovation, encouraging the development of
new laser products and solutions like Andrew Farmer
of “Beth’s Creations” storefront, who saw the need for
other users to improve their Shopify websites and got
an immediate response from a handful of people. By
looking at what other laser users needed and taking
their feedback, he saw an opportunity for innovation
and created his success by bolstering the websites of
other makers like myself, Alisha Pate, and Josh Evans.
Authentic Recommendations: Vendors like Robert Community Building: When vendors are laser en-
Phillips of the “Advanced Racing Technologies” store- thusiasts themselves, the Marketplace becomes more
front, who are regular users of laser products, are more than just a place to buy and sell products. It becomes
likely to offer genuine recommendations of the differ- a community where people share their passion for la-
ent focusing tools he creates for CO2 gantry and fiber sers, exchange ideas, and support one another. This
lasers. He created the products and understands their sense of belonging fosters a collaborative and friend-
strengths and limitations, helping buyers find the per- ly environment that LaserEverything prides itself on
fect match for their specific uses and needs. maintaining and attracting more laser enthusiasts to
join and contribute. Not only is MakerRemix a mar-
Realistic Expectations: With everyday laser users as ketplace, it’s also a website with a ton of spaces for
vendors, like Josh Evans of the “LoneStar Adhesive” like-minded individuals to create groups, discussion
storefront, there is a higher chance of setting realistic boards, and even resell old equipment and extra ma-
expectations for customers. He can accurately convey terials, whether they are laser makers, printmakers or
the learning curve, required maintenance, and poten- any other kind of creative person.
tial safety precautions associated with the laser, his
blanks, and the products he makes and sells. By direct- With its mix of everyday laser users, manufacturers,
ly helping his clients with helpful explanations, cus- and vendors in an online laser marketplace, it cre-
tomers are more likely to find success and less likely ates a place where you can purchase products, files,
to have to guess what will work and what won’t work. and lasers free from the anxiety and stress of some
other venues all in one location. Its goal is to create
Continual Improvement: Having direct access to the a thriving and customer-focused community where
people behind the product is not something you get knowledge, experience, authenticity, and passion for
everywhere, but at the Marketplace, every vendor is lasers contribute to a marketplace that not only offers
a laser user with a vested interest in its success. They high-quality products but also fosters a supportive
are more likely to actively participate in improving the and inspiring environment for laser enthusiasts and
platform, suggesting new features, and implementing makers of all kinds. The MakerRemix Marketplace
customer feedback. This level of engagement leads to is open to join as a vendor or customer at market.
a continuously evolving and customer-centric mar- makreremix.com, so go take a look and become a part
ketplace. For example, Matthew Blackwell of “Black- of the community of makers!
well Engineering” storefront provided feedback for
the shipping parameters that made the most sense Matt Boddiford is one of the Laser Everything team. If
for his mixture of heavy XL fixture plates and smaller you’re still struggling to get consistent markings, then
products, which he mills from aluminum billet himself head over to the Laser Everything’s discord community
so his customers got the best deal he could offer them or the Laser Master Academy at masters.lasereverything.
on shipping. He advocated for his customers, and it net where you can get the help you need to get you fo-
was remedied with a patch in a few days, which bene- cused!
fitted everyone.

proje c t s
Boho Arch
Coin Bank
By Bail Ansara
Just One More Project
Winter’s Embrace
Snowman & Poinsettia
By Jamie Bowser
The Hands That Shape
Download the Step By Step Projects Here.

Boho Arch Coin Bank
For this step by step, I’m thrilled to share one of my favorite
projects to put together. There is a little of everything in this
one. You’re going to learn how to cut and assemble your very
own boho arch coin bank. This bank is one of my favorites to
give to kids who want their very first “piggy bank”. This isn’t
your average coin bank as it looks more like a decor piece. This
is why I love it so much!
Before you begin, make sure you have everything you need.
For my project, I used white acrylic for the base and white
acrylic the backer piece. This is the piece engraved with the
boho floral pattern. You’ll need to choose a contrasting col-
or to fill this engraved pattern with (I chose green.) You will
also need to choose any color of your choice for the borders
and the name. Make sure this colored piece is 3M backed (you
can also use an adhesive of your choice instead.) Finally, you’ll
need some clear acrylic for the coin bank front panel, and an-
other color of your choice on the opposite arch piece (I used
frosted acrylic!) Let’s get started!
Materials:
• ⅛ inch 3M Backed Colored Acrylic (any color)
• ⅛ inch White Acrylic for backer and base
• ⅛ inch Clear Acrylic
• ⅛ Frosted Acrylic (or other if desired)
• Acrylic Paint Pens in color of your choice (I used Posco)
• Adhesive of your choice if not using 3M backed acrylic
Step 1:
Begin by cutting all the pieces of
the design out and lay them out
as seen here. Remove the masking
from all of the pieces except the
engraved pattern piece. (Leave this
masking on as this is necessary
step for painting)

Step 2:
Begin by stacking both pieces of the
base together. Apply an adhesive of
your choice between the pieces. Be
sure to match up the slots when stack-
ing them.
Step 3:
Use an acrylic paint pen in the color
of your choice and carefully fill the
engraved pattern with the paint. Be
sure to thoroughly flood the engraved
grooves with paint to ensure that all
parts of the pattern are filled with
paint.
Step 4:
Once painted, set aside to dry and
begin assembling the arch pieces.

Step 5:
Insert the right arch into the slot
(Frosted Acrylic piece) This is the piece
that is slightly shorter than the others.
Insert this piece into the right slot in
the base. This is the slot closest to the
front and less wider than the other.
Step 6:
Adhere the name/text to this piece
using adhesive of your choice. I used
3M backed material.
Step 7:
Remove masking from engraved piece

Step 8:
Assemble the left arch pieces
Step 9:
Make sure all the pieces are aligned
with the top of the arch. The clear
acrylic piece should be slightly longer
than the other pieces.
Step 10:
Insert the clear acrylic piece into the
remaining slot on the base.

Winter’s Embrace Snowman & Poinsettia
Wood Prep:
I like to paint or stain and then clear coat the wood with polyurethane
before lasering. Pre-finishing the wood prior to cutting allows
for any smoke residue to be easily wiped away with isopropyl
alcohol. There are also many other ways to prep the materials for
processing. Other options include using a masking tape to protect
the surface to cutting all of the pieces and then painting each piece
or even clear coating after final assembly. There are many different
options for material prep, depending on your situation, some will
work better than others.
Cutting:
After the materials are prepped,
each file can be cut for each
wood species / color of wood
using settings appropriate for
the material and your setup. The
files are designed / orientated to
be cut with the “good” / finished
Materials side facing up. Import / open the
Finished Size: 16”x16” -76 pieces file of choice into your preferred
laser program. Each file contains a
1”x1” reference square that can be
Wood/Color (Size Needed)
checked to confirm the file is still sized as intended. Before cutting,
Walnut – 1⁄4” (9” x 4.25”) verify the “square” is still at 1”x1”, if so, proceed with cutting. If the
Cedar – 1⁄4” (7.25” x 5.75”) dimensions aren’t correct, try opening / importing a different file
Mahogan y – 1⁄4” (9.75” x 8”) format. Some file formats may work better for your setup. I like to
Cherry – 1⁄4” (5.5” x 3.25”) use plastic baskets for each wood type / color to keep all of the
Poplar – 1⁄4” (13.25” x 7”) pieces separate to make assembly easier. For each color / type, I
Red Oak – 1⁄4” (5.5” x 5.5”) give the approximate size of the cutting area to make it easier to
White Oak – 1⁄4” (5.5” x 2.5”) use scrap pieces from previous projects that may still have some
Birch – 1⁄4” (18.5” x 9.5” ) useable space on the boards.
*Dimensions rounded up to nearest 1⁄4”
Assembly:
Useful Tools for Assembly: I like to use a large framing square
• Framing Square in one of the corners to act as a
• Tape Measure square reference for when I’m
• Tweezers placing all of the parts. For the
• Straight Edge Winter’s Embrace: Snowman and
• Trim Saw Poinsettia piece I started laying
• Masking Tape out the pieces for the sky first
and then worked my way into
• Wood Glue
the snowman and poinsettias,
• Paint Brushes
placing the larger pieces first and
• Clamps / Weights then filling in with the small pieces
as the shape developed. Print out a copy of the color and assembly
guide to reference when placing all of the pieces. For the smaller

pieces I like to use tweezers to help with the placement Taping the Pieces
of them. For pieces that have similarly shaped sides, Together:
try rotating it 180 degrees to verify the orientation fits The easiest way
as intended. Check out our YouTube channel (https:// I’ve found to glue
www.youtube.com/@thehandsthatshape) for a video all of the pieces to
of us assembling this art piece. a backer board is
to tape all of the
Piece Alignment / pieces together to
Review: create a single item
After all of the pieces that can then be
are set in place, do glued to the backer.
a once over on the I use an off the shelf
art piece looking painters masking tape for the process. Ensure the
for any small pieces tape is placed on the “good” side. I start in areas that
that may have been are “problematic”; areas that may have many smaller
misplaced and will pieces or a slight bow to the wood. The entire surface
need to be recut. doesn’t need to be covered in tape, you’re really just
Also, look at the trying to get enough tape on the surface to hold all
colors and grain of the pieces together to allow the whole art piece
patterns that were used for each piece. Do they all to be picked up and transferred to the glue covered
“fit”? Sometimes I’ve found that the grain pattern I backer. Many of the wood types being used will likely
used for one piece doesn’t exactly fit in the location have small differences in thickness, spending a couple
it’s in and I need to recut it with a better match or the additional minutes making sure the tape has good
color I chose would work better as a different color. contact to as many pieces as possible will save some
reworking time in the future. This can be done by
Once everything is as it should be, I like to do a final running your hands / fingers over the taped surface
alignment of the pieces. This involves using another allowing your fingers to follow the topology of the
straight edge to push the edges into the square, various woods pushing the tape into contact with the
straightening up the sides and also snugging the wood pieces.
pieces together for a tighter fit.
Gluing:
Backer Creation: Before adding glue,
In order to create a finished product a backer board ensure any markings,
needs to be cut out for all of the pieces to be glued to. logos or other items
I generally use a 1/4” sheet of quality plywood to act as on the back side of
my backer. The plywood can be cut down using a table the backer board
saw, laser or other cutting options depending on your are in the correct
preference and situation. Some stores will cut down orientation and on
whole sheets of plywood to useful sizes for those the appropriate
that are not able to cut their own backer. For the 16” side. I prefer to
Winter’s Embrace: Snowman and Poinsettia showpiece place the glue over
I cut the backer board at 16”x16”. I like to always take the entire surface
a double check measurement of the laid out pieces of the backer. Use a paint brush or other spreading
before cutting the backer. Depending on the laser, method to coat the entire surface of the backer with
the number of passes and materials used the overall your chosen glue. I prefer to use a standard off-the-
dimensions may be slightly smaller than the nominal shelf- wood glue. Once the glue is sufficiently spread
16”x16”. Depending on your laser size, you may also out, carefully lift the taped art piece and place it
be able to add a laser logo or other markings to the onto the backer. Don’t fret if some pieces fall off the
back of the art piece on the backside of the backer. bottom during the transfer, they can easily be glued
in after the tape is removed. Depending on the glue

used you’ll have varying amounts of time to get the Frames:
art pieces aligned to the backer. Adjust the art piece There are a lot of options for frames. Some pieces look
to the backer by “floating” the art pieces on the glue very good without a frame, especially with some edge
spread of the backer. Ultimately, you’re trying to get cleanup. Other options involve buying stock boards
the taped art piece to be well aligned to the edges of and cutting / routing them to create the right frame for
the backer board. If you notice some random pieces the art piece. Another option is to take the art piece to
sticking out slightly beyond the others you can trim a professional frame shop. Depending on the framing
them flush later or rely on a rabbeted frame with method used, you may want to trim off any pieces that
sufficient coverage to hide them. shifted during the taping or gluing step and stick out
beyond the backer. This can be accomplished with a
Clamping: multitude of finish saw blades,including handheld
When clamping you want to have even weight manual saws (or sanded) to remove the small amount
spread over the entire surface to allow all of the of edge overlap. If needed, the trimmed section can
pieces to be held down. This can be accomplished by be edge stained with a dark stain / marker to allow it
using other boards on top of the art piece to evenly to match the surrounding laser burned edges.
distribute the weight. The weight can be generated by
sandbags, water jugs, workout weights, books, bricks, Hangers:
a clamping station or any other heavy item. Allow the As with frames there are a lot of options available for
piece to rest in the weighted clamping station for the hanging the art piece. Depending on the size and
recommended set time for the glue that was used. weight of the finished art piece nailed in sawtooth
hanger(s) can be used or D-ring hangers or even a
Tape Removal: wire hanger.
I like to start in one
corner and slowly Feel free to reach out with any questions JBowser@
peel the masking TheHandsThatShape.com. If you really like the file,
tape off the surface please consider leaving a review on my website
of the art piece. https://www.thehandsthatshape.com.
As I’m peeling I
like to keep one PLEASE TAG @thehandsthatshape if you share pictures
hand on the glued of your physical items on social media. I love seeing
pieces to not put what people create with my designs. Thanks for all
unnecessary strain your support!
on the adhesive. It’s
not uncommon to have some edge pieces or other
pieces within the body of the art lift up and come
off. These can easily be re-glued and reapplied to
the art piece. This sometimes happens if a piece was
excessively bowed or a slightly different thickness p roje c t s
when compared to the pieces surrounding it. In either
case, it’s an easy fix. For pieces that don’t fully release
Do You Have
and are still partially attached, you can use a tiny paint A Project You Would
brush or other glue application method to place glue
under the released section to try and adhere it.
Like Featured in
Laser Focused Magazine?
Note: After removing all of the tape I like to flip the
piece over and lightly tap around the backer to see
if any of the other pieces are loose. If so, I glue them Send us an email at
back in along with any other pieces that may have project@LaserFocusedMagazine.com
come out. with your project idea!

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NOV|DEC 2023

As always, thanks for being here!

2 Laser Focused | www.LaserFocusedMagazine.com November/December 2023

IN THIS 5 Catching Up With the Covers

ISSUE 6 Tips & Tricks

12 LightBurn: Hitting the Ground Running

16 LBX - A Weekend in Pictures

Acrylic - 22 18 A Guide to Acrylic Adhesives

24 Selling on Etsy - Part 3 of 3

Jessica Trueblood - Shop Review Crew

Wood - 32 39 Patreon Members Profile

4 Laser Focused | www.LaserFocusedMagazine.com November/December 2023

It’s always a delight catching up with the

They recently had the pleasure of sharing

Their outreach doesn’t stop there. Sumita

November/December 2023 Laser Focused | www.LaserFocusedMagazine.com 5

When engraving on a Glowforge, If you are making duplicates of a

For cleaning up the edges of your cut piec-

Have a Tip or Trick you want to share?

6 Laser Focused | www.LaserFocusedMagazine.com November/December 2023

When you do cut tests with your materials,

Ever pull out a baby wipe and get more

Don’t reinvent the wheel (or door knocker!) In your

November/December 2023 Laser Focused | www.LaserFocusedMagazine.com 7

the Yet Hawaii, then moving every two years or so (including to

8 Laser Focused | www.LaserFocusedMagazine.com November/December 2023

Hope met her husband, Marv, at a College and

While Hope loved being a mom, she ‘itched’ to do

Shortly after she began teaching, Hope heard

November/December 2023 Laser Focused | www.LaserFocusedMagazine.com 9

Along the way, the sewing world went digital

Today, part of her revenues still originate in

Enter the Glowforge... Her friend and busi-

When she got her own Glowforge, the focus

At this point, walking away from a large

November/December 2023 Laser Focused | www.LaserFocusedMagazine.com 11

Whether you’re looking for your first laser or have your

In LightBurn, the Cuts/Layers window and Cut Set-

November/December 2023 Laser Focused | www.LaserFocusedMagazine.com 13

PVC Free & Laser Safe

Use code LASERFOCUSED10

Try the glue specifically formulated to help you

November/December 2023 Laser Focused | www.LaserFocusedMagazine.com 15

Jason Dorie & Joe Spanier, LightBurn

Hope Yoder Tyler Raps

Brian Agan and Nicki Piland Len, Lensdigital

16 Laser Focused | www.LaserFocusedMagazine.com November/December 2023

Jason Rife, RotoBoss

Chris Lacasio, Thunder Laser Liz Rivers

Heather Lynn Laura Matthews Art, Laser-made Puppet

November/December 2023 Laser Focused | www.LaserFocusedMagazine.com 17

18 Laser Focused | www.LaserFocusedMagazine.com November/December 2023

Let’s Meet the Unsung Heroes

November/December 2023 Laser Focused | www.LaserFocusedMagazine.com 19

20 Laser Focused | www.LaserFocusedMagazine.com November/December 2023

Intentional networking is one of her favorite top-

As for life advice, she credits Marv, her husband

November/December 2023 Laser Focused | www.LaserFocusedMagazine.com 21

By now, you know that acrylics are the plastic material of