Bevel joints with a laser cutter?

[dpgibbons]

I'm pondering a circular test track formed from 12 identical portable baseboards. Ideally I'd get these laser cut, but certain joints would require tabs and slots cut at a 30 degree angle rather than the usual 90 degrees to the cutting surface.

 

I have seen mitred joints laser-cut for hobby projects using a jig, but is this something a commercial laser cutting shop would be able to do?

 

NB I'm in Australia so I'm unable to use the specialist UK laser baseboard makers.

Edited April 9, 2023 by dpgibbons

[Hibelroad]

A quick bit of googling suggests it is unlikely as the cutting head is mounted on a fixed xy movement frame. I could only suggest looking for laser cutting firms within Australia and asking what they can offer, but being a traditional sawdust and shavings man myself I’m no expert. 

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

Cutting it square and then running it through a router table might be the best answer.

 

Mike.

[simonmcp]

This might do what you want:-

 

https://www.laserpecker.net/products/laserpecker-2-pro-engraving-machine-super-fast-handheld-laser-engraver-cutter-versatile-electric-rollerP

[Gordon A]

Tim Horn baseboards?  Look up on Facebook.

 

[ikcdab]

Any tablesaw or handheld  circular saw can tilt the cutting blade by 30 degrees. Requires accuracy, but if you're are cutting 6mm ply, it should be pretty straightforward. 

Ian

[kipford]

As far as I am aware (I was involved with commercial laser cutting up until 5 years ago) the X-Y table style of laser cutter used for cutting sheet product, the laser head is fixed and cannot be angled. In these situations with baseboards I just extend the width of the slot to accommodate the angle and use plenty of glue.

[DGO]

I re read this after I typed a long reply and realised that there are three ways or reading this 

 

So if I've read it as everyone else 

 

As Dave says above lasers are normally only able to move along the x and y axis giving you right angle cuts only, in theory (and practice) you can however alter the angle of the laser bed, if the parts are narrow then you could add a bevel, but if the parts have any sort of length they would end up sticking up above the head of the laser or down into the base of the laser. 

 

Me I would cut the parts off square but slightly over length and use the laser to mark the exact spot where the end was, then I'd use a jig to set the correct bevel angle I wanted and use a sanding disk or belt to put on the final correct bevel

 

But then it occured to me that maybe you meant that you wanted to cut the table like a pizza in which case yes no problems at all with that

 

Finally it occured to me that maybe you were trying to cut a complex joint, in that case the answer is almost certainly No, though it might be possible to 3d print such a joint.

 

Essentially Lasers are great for cutting any flat shape but lousy for cutting a 3d shape. So if you can cut out a version from a flat sheet of paper you can cut it on a laser otherwise the answer is probably not

 

David