First and Last Day of School Milestone Board for Kids

Start with personalizing the name.

Typically a 0.25" offset works well (my person preference). Use the “Edit Compound” function to remove any cut inside the offset around the lettering.

On the ¼" Birch/Basswood cut the following items (also shown in the image):

1. Name Backboard
2. Name lettering
3. "First Day of" Piece
4. “Last Day of” Piece
5. Main Display Board - the round holes are engrave twice at 30%/300 mm/s to ensure enough depth for 10mm x 1mm magnet (linked below from amazon) - Minimum of 10 magnets needed per board (4 magnets/display board, 2/last day of piece, 2/"first day of" piece, 2/Name backboard). Velcro can be used as an alternate but magnets give more professional look.

BEST CHOICE MAGNETS Small Magnets, 150 Pack Refrigerator Magnet 10x1mm

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CCXYQZM2?ref=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_6P0RNSJH1GCT8DCYSFJD&ref_=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_6P0RNSJH1GCT8DCYSFJD&social_share=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_6P0RNSJH1GCT8DCYSFJD&rsd=efs3q%2BjqPTZyeTfdi5vrup%2B12SOGBq71Jnqk%2F4on3RQW%2F7KIxd26nnHfqjhWfaa09QoDMrDSeUzgAkDlipyeC9fS7ZVTVimyHIzHCXZ7xjdX7MXv%2BPzL&edk=AQIDAHi1lw%2FM8UbbSMD9ScOOFEmBMHMthHeEhqDaQYPJUAX3jQHwF4Lg%2F1qQoVxG7vPzFP%2FJAAAAfjB8BgkqhkiG9w0BBwagbzBtAgEAMGgGCSqGSIb3DQEHATAeBglghkgBZQMEAS4wEQQMvQWn%2BNIS5Ht422T7AgEQgDtRuSdAq75%2FOPksZxFEKJ8e%2FY6ysmUmv2uO6R5BBXmXmgs%2BOf7KfxS4AFq1NnHNN0BzPVk4FTpleOzwDg%3D%3D&th=1

Center the Name lettering and backboard on the display board - the point of this step is to place the engrave circles for the magnets in a correct position (this will change from name to name)

Back-checks

• Name backboard should be centered on the display board
• ensure engraving circles are far enough from the edges of the backboard
• Ensure backboard has space between bottom of lettering and the top of the “First day of”/"last day of" piece location

Once the placement is selected, copy the name backboard, lettering and engrave holes to a new location. 

Use the "Reflect horizontally" - Shift-H function and delete the lettering.  This will be used in the next step.

Place the cut Name backboard & “First day of”/"last day of" pieces on the machine face down (so the machine camera can see the back).

Use the “Close Shot” function at two different points to line up the outer edges with the outlines in the program. This may require rotating the outline and engraving marks to closely line up.

Once lined up, *DELETE THE OUTLINES*, only the engraved circle for the magnet is required (double check that the correct settings are used for the engraving)

Cut acrylic pieces

White Acrylic is best, but painted transparent acrylic can also be used (ensure paint is fully dry before adding glue to the back)

Settings: 90% Power & 8 mm/s

Glue acrylic pieces and magnets to display board.  Use the scored squares as  “go-by” for placement of the acrylic pieces.

*TIP* - clean out the double engraved hole for the magnets before gluing with a flat head screw driver or a damp cloth to allow better adhesion of glue to the board and magnet. 

Glue magnets in the back of the Name backboard and Fist day of"/ "last Day of" pieces.

Paint the Name lettering and allow time per paint instructions to dry before gluing to the Name backboard. Additional time should be considered to allow time for the glue for the magnets to dry on the back before gluing the lettering.

*TIP* - clean out the double engraved hole for the magnets before gluing with a flat head screw driver or a damp cloth to allow better adhesion of glue to the board and magnet.

*ENSURE THE MAGNETS ARE FACED CORRECTLY BEFORE GLUING*