I have been using punches and tin snips for cutting out shapes of aluminum soda cans for projects. Can I use a laser to cut flattened aluminum? Painted or plain side up?
2 Likes
Our laser cutters aren’t able to cut soda cans, or any other metal. A fiber laser will, but we don’t have one (yet?).
5 Likes
Not with that attitude. 
2 Likes
We do, however, have disc cutter (punches) in Jewelry that can cut round circles out of thin metal.
2 Likes
Also the turret punch in Machine shop for metal too thick for Jewelry.
2 Likes
Nope, but you can cut out a template from acrylic and use an x-acto knife to score your designs.
Also, I also work with soda cans. Check out my website, aluminoids.com
6 Likes
Check with the chair. Last I heard it was a hard pass on aluminum with JSM tools
Side question: How did you print a photo on metal?
I checked. It isn’t a problem. Brass is harder than aluminum.
1 Like
I didn’t. Sometimes, the images you see are part of the can’s design.
But you can do it if you’re not printing on metal – rather, you’re printing on the plastic epoxy. I’ve cut a can into a flat sheet and then used dye-sub (but you’ll need a white background).
But if you’re talking about the images in the center of the pinwheels, those are paper cut-outs.
1 Like
An empty soda can wouldn’t withstand the pressure needed for dye sub. We have had interesting, but not wonderful results with dye sub on the interior side of aluminum cut from cans and laid flat on the heat press.
The interior side doesn’t surprise me as they have a protective film/coating applied to them.