FAQ
How do I get my own images etched onto an enamel mug?
If you are looking to get your own design etched onto an enamel mug then it should be provided as a black and white jpeg at 300dpi or above. Ideally your image would already be scaled to the correct size (aprox 55x55mm for a mug) if your image is larger than that then we can resize it to fit that space.
What is the maximum size you can cut?
The 'bed' of the laser-cutter is 800 x 450 mm so that is the largest area that can be cut or etched...BUT...It is possible to fit up to A1 (841 x 594 mm) in the machine.
What materials can you work with?
Our laser cutter is capable of etching onto most materials including; wood, plastic fabric, leather, glass slate and steel.
If you need a material to be cut all the way through then it can cut through certain timbers up to 9 mm thick, Acrylic up to 10 mm as well as softer materials like leather, card, fabric or paper etc...
How much does it cost?
This is a tricky one as there are lots of variables involved in the process. Using a the laser cutter costs per minuet to run and different materials cut/etch at different speeds. The easiest thing to do is email a design over and we'll run it through the machine for a quote. When making your enquiry it would be helpful if you could include as much information as possible, specifically;
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What material are you working with?
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How big is it?
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How many do you need?
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When do you need it?
What file formats do you need to work from?
We usually work with .Ai, EPS (Adobe Illustrator files) .DXF .PDF or .JPEG files but you might need to be aware of the different types of lines used for cutting/etching.
What are the different types of laser-cutting?
The laser-cutter is programmed by colour so the colours in your design are important (remember that this is not like normal printing colour, we fire a powerful light that cuts or burns a material). A red vector line is a cut line that will pass all the way through a material, a blue vector line is an etch line that will score into the surface without passing through - in both of these cases the laser with follow the path of your line in one continues pass. The final type of cut is used to etch solid areas of black fill, this is called Raster engraving..
How do I prepare my drawing for you to cut?
The laser is programmed by colour so it is important that your document is set to RGB in document set-up or properties.
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Cut lines will need to be RGB red (255,0,0) with a stroke weight of 0.1
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Etch lines will need to be RGB blue (0,0,255) with a stroke of 0.1
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Raster engraving is intended for any line/area wider than 0.25mm and these should appear as a black fill (RGB 0,0,0).
It is also important that any text in your file is "converted to paths". These means that our drawing software will see your text as a line and not requires us to have your typeface on file...we don't have them all installed!
Can I send you a file and you cut it for me?
Absolutely, if you simply want your artwork cut/etched then make sure you have followed the guidelines on preparing your file (above) and attach it here or email to info@fromehardware.com.
Can you create a CAD file for me?
Yes, If you are not familiar with any drawing software then we will be happy to put the design together for you. You will need to provide a clear 2D sketch of what you want cut with any relevant dimensions and materials. The cost of this service varies depending on the amount of time but usually starts from £30.00.
What drawing software should I use to create my design?
Inkscape is a free piece of software that saves an .SVG file which we can cut directly from, if you are new to computer aided design then this is a good starting point and there are plenty of YouTube tutorials on how to use it.
Illustrator, AutoCad, CorelDRAW, Affinity or SerifDraw are all common to us.