Cutting Jigsaw Puzzle with Roomark Laser Engraver

Contents

Idea

This idea came about as a gift idea. I wanted to make a couple of jigsaw puzzles that would encapsulate the beauty of our cats.

Mango

Luna

Koori

There was also a miscellaneous puzzle we made with an old family image. This served to test the jigsaw puzzle before we tried on the real images.

Surface Preparation

Although we did not prepare the surface due to shortage of time, it is a crucial step. Without the incredibly strong glue we had, our picture would have fallen right off the wood without sanding the wood with at least 100grit sand paper.

For this project, we utilized 1/8 inch (0.125in) MDF plywood due to its soft nature and finish after laser cutting. As you read on, pay attention to the finish on the edges of the puzzle pieces.

I had to get 0.125in thick MDF plywood, use adhesive on the surface, let dry for 1-2 minutes until sticky (test with fingers), then put image on wood and apply pressure evenly until image is stuck in place. Then, place masking tape on the image to prevent burn spots. Quickly remove masking tape after cutting is done. Finally, set dimensions on LaserGRBL and cut piece. Remove masking tape and we are done. Cutting is done at 5 passes with 300mm/min speed at 100% M3 constant laser mode.

Preparing Surface

Sanding the surface with 100 grit sand paper or equivalent material is important as it ensures picture sticks to the wood. If you want to skip this step, it is possible by using a very strong glue like Gorilla Glue.

Glueing With Spray-on Adhesive

Note: for this step, ensure that the glue is applied at a consistant distance 4-6 inches away from the wood, and applied evenly throughout all spots. It's important to allow the glue to dry for about 1-2 minutes before applying the picture so that it becomes very sticky. Skipping this step will likely result in the picture falling off.

Masking Tape

Placing masking tape on the picture, preferably cheap paper carpenter's tape (for ease of removal) is extremely important. For instance, here is one of the tests we performed with and without masking tape:

Note that the edges of several puzzle pieces atop of the image are burnt on the edges. This is caused by fumes created when the laser destroys material. Half of this image contained masking tape, which prevented these fumes and debris from damaging the picture. Thus, the bottom half of the image is undamaged.

The slightly overlapping patterns actually serve a purpose. They allow you to rip off the tape much faster and accurately when finishing the last step of the jigsaw puzzle. This prevents mistaking the image for the tape and accidentally destroying a puzzle piece.

Cautionary Note About Masking Tape

Masking tape is created to be quickly removed from the surface of application. This means that leaving masking tape for an extended period of time on the image will bond the two materials and cause damage upon removal. If you do this, ensure that you apply masking tape immediately before cutting, and remove the tape immediately after. This is a crucial step.

Results

I was very happy with these results, as they were much better than I was expecting. Keep in mind this is a 5W laser engraver, not necessarily designed for cutting. The fact that we were able to get very neat and precise pieces was a delightful surprise.

Resulting Puzzles

Picture 1 - Koori and Mango

Picture 2 - Mango

Picture 3 - Luna and Mango

Testing Cutting Power

To be honest, I was very skeptical about this 5W laser being able to cut 0.125in wood. And, according to this reddit post, it is an unworthy endeavour meant for high-powered lasers starting at 10W. But, surprisingly our 5W laser cut through two 0.125in MDF pieces like nothing, leading me to believe these claims are inaccurate.

We started with a couple of cutting tests to test whether this idea was even possible on a 5W laser.

Test 1

Test 2

Test 3

Test 4

Cutting test outline

Result of real cutting

After the surprising results of the wood actually being cut, I was pleasantly surprised at the accuracy of the cuts. There was barely any material left, and the edges were a nice dark color. This was the perfect setup for cutting the jigsaw puzzle.

Cutting the Puzzle

Here is some footage of the actual puzzle cutting. Please note that if you do this, you should have ample ventilation in the room as MDF is made up of mostly glue and can cause respiratory conditions if inhaled in excess amounts. Further, use the provided safety glasses as the laser can damage the eye.

Configuration

  • Border speed: 300 mm/min
  • Passes: 5
  • Laser Strength: 1000 (100%)
  • Mode: M3 Constant Power

Working Environment

Conclusions

Overall, I felt this project was a lot of fun. I would definitely come back to making small pieces like these in the future. I have ideas planned on what to do next with this laser, but those will have to stay in secret for now.

This started as a small gift making project, and turned into yet another hobby! And although I was first skeptical about this little 5W laser, I am eager to keep pushing it to its limits.

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