Napkin ring made with technical cutting for bending applications

In this tutorial we will show you how to use the "Kerf Cut" process to make a napkin ring out of wood.

Inspirations for wooden napkin rings
Inspirations for wooden napkin rings

Here, we will show you how to use a 'kerf cut' to create a beautiful napkin ring out of wood.

Preparation

Required Material
Machine Used
  • Speedy 360, 120 Watt
  • 1.5" Lens
  • big and small nozzle
  • vacuum table with acrylic and honeycomb cutting tables

You can produce this design using any laser machine from the Trotec Laser Speedy series.

Tips

We used a 1.5" lens due to the detailed cuts of the design.

napkin-ring.zip

ZIP

Download now

Step by step

Step 1

Step 1: Design

Import our graphic and adapt it to your requrements. We have already tested cutting techniques for bending applications for you. In our Tips & Tricks "Kerf Cut" you'll find further examples of how you can use this application.

Print Settings:

Process mode Resolution Cut line
Vector Job 1000dpi No
Halftone Others
Color Optimized Geometries, Inner Geometries first
Step 2

Step 2: Laser processing the wood veneer

Place the honeycomb cutting table in your Trotec laser and attach the small nozzle to the laser head. Place the walnut plate in your laser and cover the remaining working surface. The parameters may vary depending on the laser machine used and available laser power.

Laser parameters:

Color Process Power (%) Speed (%) ppi/Hz
Red Cut CO2 100 1.2 1,000
Passes Air Assist Z-Offset Advanced
1 On 0mm -

We explain in our Tips & Tricks why you should choose the right nozzle for this application. How to choose the right nozzle.

Trotec print settings for Trolase Lights
Step 3

Step 3: Send the graphic

Send the graphic for the TroLase Foil decoration to your Trotec Laser machine using the following print settings:

Process mode Resolution Cut line
Vector Job 1000dpi No
Halftone Others
- Optimized Geormetries, Inner Geometries First
Step 4

Step 4: Laser process the TroLase Foil

Remove the honeycomb cutting table and install the acrylic grid cutting table and the large nozzle. Insert the TroLase Foil into the laser and cover the rest of the working area.

Laserparameter:

Color Process Power (%) Speed (%) ppi/Hz
Red Cut CO2 20 1.0 1000
Passes Air Assist Z-Offset Advanced
1 On 0mm -

Tip:

It is especially important to closely monitor the vacuum with the thin TroLase Foil to make sure a flat surface is maintained throughout the laser process.

Assembly wooden napkin ring
Step 5

Step 5: Cleaning and assembly

Clean the two separate parts with a damp cloth. It is also a good idea to clean the back of the wooding ring so that the napkin does not get dirty later.

Keep the wooden napkin ring flat and glue the TroLase Foil about half off.

To make sure that the overhanging half does not stick to the napkin, we scored and removed half of the adhesive foil on the back with a craft knife. To finish, form a ring around a cloth napkin and secure it with the circular connector.

Preparation

You Will Need
Machine Used
  • Speedy 360, 120W
  • 1.5" Lens
  • Big & small nozzle
  • Vacuum table with acrylic & honeycomb cutting table

You can produce this project with any machine from the Trotec Speedy series.

Tip

We decided to use a 1.5" lens to help with the detailed and intricate cuts.

napkin-ring.zip

ZIP

Download now

Step by step

Step 1

Step 1: Design

Import the graphic we have provided and adapt it, so it suits your requirements. We have already tested several cutting techniques for bending applications for you. In our Cutting Techniques for Material Flexibility webpage, you’ll be able to find more examples of ways you can use this nifty application.

Print Settings:

Process Mode Resolution Cut Line
Vector Job 1000dpi -
Halftone Others
Colour Optimised Geometries, Inner Geometries first
Step 2

Step 2: Laser Processing - Wood Veneer

Place the honeycomb cutting table inside your Trotec machine and attach the small nozzle to the laser head. Then, place your wood inside the laser and cover the rest of the engraving area with spare material. Remember, the parameters might vary depending on which laser machine you are using and its available laser power. 

Laser Parameters:

Colour Process Power (%) Speed (%) ppi/Hz
Red Cut CO2 100 1.2 1,000
Passes Air Assist Z-Offset Advanced
1 ON 0mm -

If you're still unsure, we have provided some information about different laser nozzles.

How to choose the right nozzle

Trotec print settings for Trolase Lights
Step 3

Step 3: Send the Graphic

Send the graphic for the TroLase Lights to your Trotec Laser machine using the following printer settings:

Process Mode Resolution Cut Line
Vector Job 1000dpi -
Halftone Others
- Optimised Geometries, Inner Geometries First
Step 4

Step 4: Laser Process - TroLase Lights

Remove the honeycomb cutting table from the laser machine and insert the acrylic cutting grid as well as the large nozzle. Then, place the sheet of TroLase Lights into the laser and cover the remaining working area.

Laser Parameters:

Colour Process Power (%) Speed (%) ppi/Hz
Red Cut CO2 20 1.0 1000
Passes Air Assist Z-Offset Advanced
1 ON 0mm -

Tip:

It is very important that you remember to closely monitor the vacuum at this stage of the project. You need to ensure the flat surface of the TroLase Lights is maintained throughout the laser process. Any bumps or creased will ruin the result.

Assembly wooden napkin ring
Step 5

Step 5: Cleaning & Assembly

Now it's time to clean off the two parts with a slightly dampened cloth. We would also recommend cleaning the backs of the wooden rings to avoid dirtying your napkins.

Once the parts are nice and clean, hold the wooden ring flat so you can glue the TroLase Lights halfway on. 

To ensure the overhanging part does not stick to the napkin every time you use it, we decided to score and remove half of the adhesive from the back of the material. To do this, we used a simple craft knife. To finish off your beautiful new creation, form a neat ring around a napkin and secure it with a circular connector.

Inspiration

You can always try using different kinds of veneered wood and different colours of TroLase Lights - whatever matches your kitchen and dining room better! Experiment with different colours, designs and styles.

You can even try designing an entire wedding table spread using your laser machine and Trotec materials. Be inspired by our other DIY Projects.

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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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