One of the most important things for new laser owners to understand is that materials are rarely the thickness that they are labeled. 1/4" is almost never actually 1/4".

Why does that matter, you ask?

Because when you're wanting things to fit together like a tab into a slot, for example you have to know exactly how thick your material is to get a good fit. You can't make the slot the size the material is labeled. You need to make it at what it measures (or actually a bit thinner to account for kerf).

And here's where it really starts to get important for you to understand:

When someone creates a design, they have to make a tough decision:

1. Do they make the slots at 1/4" (0.25"), for example? If they do, almost no one will have material that is that thick, so everyone will need to adjust the slot down to whatever their chosen material is.

2. OR the designer can make the slots at the size to fit the material they have on hand... but again, many people won't have that exact material, so they will have to measure their material and adjust the slots to fit their material.

Do you see the struggle?

No matter what size a designer makes a slot, many people will have to adjust it.

THIS is something that every beginning laser owner needs to understand and embrace.

Adjusting files for different materials is part of being a laser owner.

And so is owning a pair of digital calipers (if you don't have any, order some today)!

The next video you should watch is my 90second overview of kerf. It's right here. Let me know how I can help you make great things faster!    • A Quick Look at Kerf