Make an attractive rotating display table using TroGlass Mirror

Make this extraordinary rotating jewellery display from TroGlass Mirror - all you need is a little bit of fingertip skill.

lasercut display troglass mirror
lasercut display troglass mirror

Preparation

Required material
  • 1/2 sheet TroGlass Mirror in Rose Gold
  • 1/4 sheet MDF 6mm
  • 1/4 sheet TroGlass Clear 3mm
  • 1/4 sheet TroGlass Clear 8mm
  • 1 sheet LaserPaper Synthetic 300g
  • Ball bearing with 42mm outer diameter
  • Masking material for laser bed
Machine Used
  • Speedy 400 flexx, 120/50W
  • 2" lens & 2,85" flexx-lens
  • Vacuum Table with Honeycomb cutting grid and acrylic cutting grid

Feel free to try this pattern with any machine in the Speedy laser engraver series or SP laser cutter series.

Tips

The design is entirely scaleable! Don't hesitate to try it with different size items, adjusting the size of the display to suit!

Our TroGlass Mirror display is lit from the inside with battery powered LED lights. If you do not want to illuminate your display, you can also replace the TroGlass Clear materials with cheaper MDF.

Rotating Table

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Step by step

Trotec print settings mdf 6mm
Step 1

Step 1: Design

Import our graphics file and feel free to adapt them to your requirements. Once you're ready, send all four graphics to your Trotec laser.

Start with the two circular graphics for the MDF, for which we recommend the following settings:

Process mode Resolution Cut line
Cut Job 1000dpi none
Halftone Others
color Optimized geometries, inner geometries first

Info:

The small circle with the blue contour (the blue contour is only for a better overview) is used later, for attaching the cube to the ball bearing. The size of this circle is determined by the inner diameter of your ball bearing + 0.2mm kerf.

laser cutting mdf 6mm
Step 2

Step 2: Laser Process the MDF

Using the 2" lens, place the MDF on the honeycomb cutting pad and mask the remaining work surface to create a vacuum. We recommend the parameters below, although they may vary depending on the laser machine used and the laser power available

Laser Parameter Color Process Power % Speed % ppi/Hz
Cutting Black Cut Co2 5 1 1000
Cutting Red Cut Co2 100 0.6 1000
Cutting Blue Cut Co2 100 0.6 1000
Laser Parameter Passes Air Assist Z-Offset Advanced
Cutting (black) 1 On 0mm -
Cutting (red) 1 On 0mm -
Cutting (blue) 1 On 0mm -

Tip:

To cut even cleaner edges, try replacing your large nozzle with a smaller one. This is perfect for woodcuts.

Step 3

Step 3: Graphic TroGlass Clear 3mm

Next, we will be creating a transparent cube from our TroGlass Clear. When the cube is complete, position your (optional) LED lights inside to light the display, and attach it to the small MDF circle (Ø20.2mm) with acrylic adhesive, to let the cube rotate around the ball bearing. Send the individual parts of the cube to your Trotec laser with the following settings:

Process mode Resolution Cut Line
Cut Job 1000dpi None
Halftone Others
Color Optimized geometries, inner geometries first
laser cutting troglass mirror
Step 4

Step 4: Laser Process TroGlass Clear 3mm

Place the TroGlass 3mm on the honeycomb cutting table in your Trotec laser and mask the remaining working surface to create a vacuum. Again, although we recommend the parameters below, they may vary depending on the laser machine used and available laser power:

Laser Process Color Process Power % Speed % ppi/Hz
Cutting Black Cut CO2 8 1 1000
Cutting Red Cut CO2 80 0.5 5000

Laser Process
Passes Air-Assist Z-Offset Advanced
Cutting (Black) 1 On 0.5mm -
Cutting (Red) 1 On - -

 Info:

Since the TroGlass Clear parts are not visible in the final display, you can also cut them on a honeycomb cutting pad. The result will not look as polished on this cutting pad as on the acrylic lattice table.

The cube was created on makeabox.io. Enter 0.25mm as the kerf to keep the pieces strong when joined together.

trotec print settings troglass 8mm
Step 5

Step 5: Graphic TroGlass Clear 8mm

A disc of 8mm thick TroGlass acts as a side panel support to your display, and will eventually become the surface for decorative pices of TroGlass Mirror in a later step. Send the graphic with the following settings to your Trotec laser:

Process mode Resolution Cut line
Cut Job 1000dpi none
Halftone Others
Color Optimized geometries, inner geometries first
laser cutting troglass mirror 8mm
Step 6

Step 6: Laser Process TroGlass Clear 8mm

Place the TroGlass 8mm plate in your Trotec laser, and mask the rest of your working surface completely. This will create a stronger vacuum and reduce the risk of fire. We recommend the parameters below, although the ideal may vary, depending on the laser machine used and available laser power:

Laser Parameter Colour Process Power % Speed % ppi/Hz
Cutting Black Cut CO2 8 1 1000
Cutting Red Cut CO2 95 0.25 20000
Laser Parameter Passes Air Assist Z-Offset Advanced
Cutting (Black) 1 On 0mm -
Cutting (Red) 1 On - 2mm -
trotec print settings troglass mirror
Step 7

Step 7: Graphic TroGlass Mirror

Finally, let's tackle the decorative and most important parts of the display, made from TroGlass Mirror. Send the graphics for the rectangular side panels and the engraved circular panel individually, but with identical settings. This will help you better position the two jobs later.

Process mode Resolution Cut line
Standard Job 500dpi none
Halftone Others
color Optimized geometries, inner geometries first
laser process acrylics troglass mirror
Step 8

Step 8: Laser Process TroGlass Mirror

To best process the TroGlass Mirror material, add the 2.85" flexx lens to your Trotec laser and do the same in JobControl®.

Once that's done, add double-sided tape to the back of your TroGlass Mirror and place it in your Speedy Laser Engraver. Position the graphic for your rectangular panels, ensuring that they are cut from the section with the double-sided tape. The graphic also contains a green border; this is to suggest a long rectangle of scrap paper that will aid in affixing them to your display. After cutting your mirror, remove the film from the tape on each panel and adhere them to your scrap paper, using the graphic as a template, to ensure optimum spacing between each one. 

Similarly, position the circular graphic on your TroGlass Mirror, this time ensuring that it is cut from a section free of double-sided tape.

When processing your material, we recommend the parameters below. However, they may vary depending on the laser machine used and available laser power.

Laser Process Color Process Power % Speed % ppi/Hz
Engraving Black Engrave FLP 25 30 30000
Cutting Red Cut CO2 15 1.5 5000
Cutting Blue Cut CO2 35 0.4 5000
Position Green Positioning - - -
Laser Process Passes Air-Assist Z-Offset Advanced
Engraving (Black) 1 On 0mm High Quality
Cutting (Red) 1 On 2mm -
Cutting (Blue) 1 On 0 -
Positioning (Green) - - - -

Info:

We engraved our TroGlass Mirror using the fiber laser source, as it only engraves the mirror layer, and not the TroGlass itself. This technique gives the very best result when engraving this material. 

Tip: 

The length of your scrap paper strip (circumference of the TroGlass Mirror circle) should be 610mm, with a height of 105mm.

Assemble rotating acrylic display
Step 9

Step 9: Assemble the Display

Take the large circle of MDF (194mm diameter) and insert the ball bearing into its middle recess. Once that's done, glue the smaller MDF circle (160mm diameter) to the underside. This serves as a pedestal and gives the display a floating effect.

Assemble the TroGlass cube, and glue the smallest circle of MDF (20,2mm diameter) onto the X-marked center point with acrylic glue. After the glue has fully dried, insert the cube into the ball bearing. Stick the disc onto the cube using adhesive dots or acrylic glue. Again, an X marks the center point, so as to be sure its positioning is perfect.

Next, attach your strip of scrap paper, covered in the rectangular cuts of TroGlass Mirror. To do this, turn the display upside down, remove the adhesive strip from your TroGlass disc and carefully adhere your paper strip. Do not stick the strip in place if you want to illuminate the display, in order that you can still access to the lights inside. In our example piece, we created a closing mechanism that uses a magnetic fastener. Feel free to be creative!

Finally, glue the cover plate made of TroGlass Mirror onto the transparent pane using adhesive dots. You've now completed this extraordinary display, which is certain to attract all kinds of attention!

Why Are Trotec Engraving Materials Ideal for this Application?

Diversity. Colour. Highlight.

These words perfectly describe the Trotec acrylic range. Specially developed for laser processing, TroGlass acrylics strive to deliver the best possible finishes and effects across all laser applications.

Create unique applications with a product from the TroGlass series and test our latest release: TroGlass Mirror.

TroGlass Mirror is an extruded acrylic glass, which has a reflective surface and is the perfect alternative to real glass mirrors!

Inspiration

  • The display looks great on your sales counter to showcase exceptional or special merchandise such as perfume, watches or cakes or chocolates.
  • As a simplified version, you can also build the display without lighting and without ball bearings.
  • With a few technical adaptations, you can also use the display upside down as a funky lamp - why not try it today!

Speedy series
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Questions about applications or settings?
We're happy to advise you from A for Air assist to Z for z-offset.

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