Giraffe.

It all went in for the trial run and the technician emailed me a few days later to say the file was far too detailed that A. it would ruin the card and B. it was crashing the computer when he loaded it.

Fair enough. I'd half expected it.

So I simplify the files down, stripping lines of detail out of the more detailed pieces. A second look at them made me realise it was right.

I had an email on Wednesday to say they were ready and I headed to collect them.

I'd say half the files had successfully cut.
Some of the lines had shown up grey and hadn't cut (assigned colours in Ethos??????)
Some of the finer pieces has jumped around after their cut so when the laser returned for more detail it lasered the wrong area.

And generally the card was fairly butchered.

He explained that as the laser cut the card bowed upwards so he had to set the focus as a mid point to account for this. Fair play (I remember the textile technician told us to set it at the highest point of the material but nevermind)


What do I do?

I looked on the mountboard I had cut in the summer, beautiful clean lines. I looked at the detail in the previous semi successful acrylic cuts, I look at the fine detail the guy at Fred Aldous achieved.

A lot more thought went on but I can't write it here!

I'm in the frame of mind to pull the collection out -which I have on paper. Lay it out. Add two more to cover my back and send it off. Whichever is cheapest- Fred or the cutting joint I found. Fred appeals because I can keep and eye on what's going on. The cutting place because they are a business who have to do it right.

The acrylic will be ordered. As will a bulk job of chain (I have started marking out precisely how much I need but have run out of time when the card came back)

The final pieces will be sent off.
My will has worn too thin.


The card pieces are handy though to have a real time idea. I know already some pieces need instantly enlarging.