[WWI] Laser substitute for photo-etch brass?

[Magnus Berggren]

Personally, I would love to see "p-e"-type sets in styrene. It would be 
wonderful to work with. If you can make some of these, I would think that 
they could be great sellers.
As I mentioned in another posting, there are already a company that makes 
lozenge masks, but as usual, it´s as always a question of price and quality 
that decides who you buy from.

/M

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Allan Wright" <aew at unh.edu>
To: "wwi" <wwi at wwi-models.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2007 4:15 PM
Subject: [WWI] Laser substitute for photo-etch brass?


> OK, it looks like I may have a VERY good chance at finally getting my
> own laser cutter/engraver for my R/C business. I'm also considering
> plastic modeling uses for it - particularly in the area of merchandise I
> could sell to modelers. One thing that came to mind was short-run detail
> parts.
>
> The question is what materials would be acceptable to plastic modelers
> that a laser could cut? Metal is pretty much out of the question for a
> low-wattage laser. Paper, card stock, acetate sheet, and possibly thin
> styrene (have to research if styrene has PVC in it if so it's a no-no)
> are all possibilities.
>
> I'm also considering doing masks for lozenge. I could potentially do
> them from masking tape for 1-use applications, or from more durable
> materials if I can find any that don't contain PVC.
>
> Anyways, I'm looking towards you, the experts, on what materials would
> be acceptable, and then I'll start looking at what items might be in
> demand.
>
> More when I actually get the laser.
> Al