Disco Heart Earrings
Instruction
These earrings are made from 3mm basswood. They have been sublimated to get that hot pink checker print on them! The pair on the right has a circle shape cut out of hot pink acrylic. This project can be done with a diode laser, but if you want to add acrylic accents you’ll need a CO2, like the P2 or P2s.
I find it easier to sublimate the wood board before processing. It saves loads of time. If you don’t have a sublimation printer at home, no worries, you can always paint or stain your shapes after processing.
Process your shapes. The shapes I’ve provided have 1.53 mm holes in them. I’ve found that is the best size that works for earring/jewelry findings. Feel free to adjust to your preference. Also, on the open heart shapes, I’ve included holes on the inner hearts. Those can also be deleted by editing the vector. I just like to get the most out of my boards & the smaller shapes can be used to make other jewelry items.
Important: Read next step before beginning if you want engraving on both sides.
If you want the disco ball engraving on both sides, you’ll need to set up your canvas to make it easy to keep your engraving lined up.
1. Put a 1mm circle on each side of your shapes, on the same Y axis point. Make them a layer color that is not being used. Set that layer to cut at the settings you’ve found work best for your laser with the materials you choose.
2. Change the red cut layers to the lowest power and highest speed. They will not cut, but that’s what you want!
3. Process the front side of your board.
4. Once that is finished, you’ll flip your board, horizontally. Line the laser point up with the 1mm cut holes. You’ll likely have to adjust your board on one side to make sure that the get across the board evenly.
5. On your canvas, highlight everything except your 1mm circles, and do a horizontal flip.
6. Highlight everything, again, and align one of the 1mm holes to the laser point. You want to get it as close to the center as possible, or your engraving will be off from the back.
7. Once your canvas is aligned & your board on the laser, change the red cut layers, to the settings that work best for your laser & materials. Change the layer of your 1mm holes to the lowest power & highest speed.
If you didn’t sublimate your board in the beginning, paint, stain, or decorate your shapes how you’d like them to be.
Use your favorite jewelry making materials to make them into earrings, necklaces, keychains, whatever you’d like.