What's KERF? How to control it in Lightburn on your Diode Laser for PERFECT fitting Jigsaw Puzzles

Understanding what Kerf is and how to control it, will ultimately give you better outcomes on your Laser projects.
I run through the example of how to create a perfect fitting jigsaw with a couple of extra steps, and I talk about how kerf applies to other types of projects and how you can set yourself apart form the competition.
Software link - ImagR - www.imag-r.com/

[@vikingwind25]

That was the best demonstration of kerf I have seen. Clear and direct. Thank you

[@mrcraftsmith]

Thanks for the feedback- glad you found it helpful

[@lukesworld1]

you can do this all in lightburn without the need for the other programme , import a well defined picture of a puzzle template off google images,- tools- trace image-select everything (if not automatically selected)- ungroup selection (top toolbar that looks like a human head) then disassemble your puzzle and adjust kerf to suit in lightburn by double clicking the cut you applied to the parts

[@mrcraftsmith]

Hey Luke - yep plenty of ways to achieve the same result.

[@thecarweewoodworker8629]

Interesting Darren, thank you.

[@mrcraftsmith]

Thanks for watching :)

[@jcdeaton42]

Great video Darren. I’d like to see a video on the coaster box that you mentioned. Keep up the good work. You’ve got another subscriber :)

[@mrcraftsmith]

Unfortunately I've had some down time from the channel of late due to my day to day business being flat out - so still on the list of videos to do -- Thanks for watching JC

[@HenryFeild]

This is a super helpful comparison, thanks! You asked if we'd like a video on how you align an image over the separated pieces-I'd love to see your process if you have a chance.

[@mrcraftsmith]

Hi Henry - glad you found it helpful - I’ll hopefully get around to showing the next step in the coming weeks

[@damanakumindhammer7241]

​@mrcraftsmith that would be nice.

[@joeo4697]

@@mrcraftsmithDid you ever post this video ?

[@martijnheinsius7612]

Thanks very much, very helpful. And yes, I would love to see how to adjust a photo in illustrator when it would be glued onto the wood before cutting individual pieces..

[@mrcraftsmith]

Thanks Martijn, unfortunately this project is no longer on my RUclips to do list, sorry

[@georgechambers3197]

I'd like too see your take on Midjourney and the way you're making boxes for your costers. Thanks for the video!

[@mrcraftsmith]

Thanks for the feedback George - I’ll take it onboard - Midjourney is such a powerful tool if you can come to terms with engineering good prompts

[@toddshepard3592]

Thank you

[@mrcraftsmith]

You're welcome Todd

[@joeo4697]

Can the kerf compensation be applied to the puzzle without making all individual pieces ?

[@mrcraftsmith]

Hi Joe, no that is not possible - each cut by a laser is going to "vaporise" a certain amount of wood hence creating the cut, there is no way to offset that in a single pass for multi-piece puzzles to get a tighter fit

[@joeo4697]

@@mrcraftsmith I understand that the pieces need to be cut individually, but I am cutting a picture glued to board. I wish there was a way to get the picture onto the individual pictures. any thoughts?

[@gilbertboyer9936]

A very good and thorough tutorial, but just a little bit of waffling. Please keep making more tutorial.

[@mrcraftsmith]

Thanks Gilbert - surely a little bit of waffle is OK 😀

[@addohm]

Got a link for the other video you mentioned?

[@mrcraftsmith]

Which video do I mention, sorry?

[@davekolp4552]

Sorry I'm not buying adobie.

[@mrcraftsmith]

No need to apologise Dave 😀

[@tomcatmeow69]

I've been hunting around on youtube to see what limitations there are on the number of puzzle pieces you can break a photo glued onto wood into. I've seen 30 pieces and maybe a few slightly higher. I'm wanting to do large puzzles of 30 x 50 inches for example that are 1000 pieces to start and even more pieces if possible. Do you have any input as to what you think could be made properly so a customer would be satisfied with a puzzle and putting it together?

[@mrcraftsmith]

Hi Tom - with my limited understanding, if you are looking at a puzzle that big with that many cuts with each piece being roughly 1.5" square - along either axis (X or Y) the amount of material vaporised due to cutting (kerf) would lead to significant compounded sloppiness of the pieces, particularly if cutting on a CO2 laser with a wider beam, which you would want to be doing as a diode would take forever - test it with a single row puzzle of say 10 pieces long, based off of that test you can then estimate the additional kerf loss with roughly 30 odd pieces along each axis. Probably not much help, I have watched a few videos on die cut jigsaws and I suspect that they do them that way for a reason :)

[@tomcatmeow69]

@@mrcraftsmith yes I have seen the die cut jigsaws and the cost to make such a die is very prohibitive for a single person with a low volume maker . I have access to 4 laser engraver/cutters at my maker space I belong to in my town so I am going to give it a go to see how I can make jigsaws likely with study cardboard and a photo glued on. My daughter in law is a photographer and takes these really beautiful landscape shots as she travels across Canada each year so we are thinking of making jigsaws of them. I'd like a minimum of 1000 pieces but that may not be possible. I'm not sure how fast a diode laser of 10 Watts would work but time isn't at this moment an issue.

[@mrcraftsmith]

For sure Tom - I understand the cost prohibitiveness of a die cut setup and was never intended to suggest that route, I can't remember if I mention it in the video but if you were to create a border for the jigsaw to sit within and make it a mm or two undersize from the main jigsaw that would account for a little bit of the kerf differential. Best bet is to play around and do some testing...let me know how you go :)