Estimated time to cut a design

I know this is a bit vague, as it will obviously depend on the design, but I’d like to figure out how long it would take to cut 12 roughly 1/4" holes through .093" acrylic sheet. Anyone have a general idea on that?

This is my intended material:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/OPTIX-11-in-x-14-in-x-093-in-Acrylic-Sheet-MC-27/202090111

My usual hammer, the PlasmaCAM, would make short work of this (perhaps 15 seconds), but it doesn’t cut acrylic. :’( :smiley:

Guess the time, win a prize! I’m going to say 25 seconds.

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I agree with James. Well under a minute on any of the Thunders. Zing is a different issue.

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When in doubt, RFWorks has a simulator that will estimate time. Sometimes it is spot on. Others, not so much.

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Some folks on Talk have said to turn off air assist when cutting acrylic. YMMV, be ready with the CO2 gun :smiley:

The out-of-date class materials suggest even the Zing (at the top of its game, one presumes) wouldn’t really even struggle with .093" acrylic…
image

Ugh. Let’s not blanket encourage this. Doesn’t pertain to all acrylic in all situations. Technique, correct materials, and choosing the Zing over the Thunders is the better way to go.

The Zing is all cowbell. At $8,000 new, its price rivals the Thunder Nova 35s.
Incredible resolution at 1200dpi vs a Thunder’s 1000dpi if you swap out its head.
Stamp making features.
3D engraving.
Easy to learn .pdf interface.
We are fortunate to own one. Am told a Chair acquired it used at a steep discount. I’ve heard $2000???

Honestly, as a committee offering classes, we haven’t begun to tap its potential.

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not so out of date. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

slide a thin sheet of metal over the acrylic? ouch.

yes. It is cutting sharply.

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I’ve seen beautiful work out of the Zing from Samantha Strickland @samrdye, so all must be well. How long before @talkers trains her to instruct our Laser 102 Zing Basics class?

Just basing that on the “soon to be retired” memo on their entry for the TOC, which was added on 15 May 2018…
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We have new documentation in the works.
Team effort.

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It will take one dollar’s worth of time :slight_smile:

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Winner winner chicken dinner.

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I’m genuinely curious is RFworks a different program or did you mean RDworks?

Big fingers. Tiny phone keyboard. F and D dangerously close to each other. sigh

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No problem, I am really far behind on the learning curve of all the software that the 101 classes tend to gloss over so I was just double checking

we offer Inkscape 101 Beginners and Inkscape 102 Image Prep, usually taught by @pinewoodnut.
Office Hours is great for RDWorks help.

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