I've been eyeing the slate coasters at the craft store for a while now debating on what I would make with them. This week it finally hit me, etched coasters!!These make great gifts too. You can literally etch any design into them: weddings, housewarming, holidays, etc.
I'll get right into the tutorial!
The Supply List:
I'm using another free cut file, make sure you grab it before it's gone!!Select the designs you want to use and upload them to design space.
It will prompt you to select your image type, I went with the simple one.
Now you're able to delete any portions you don't want. I deleted the shadow behind the plant.
Once you hit continue you can select if you want it to be a print and cut project or a cut file. I went with the cut file since I'm making a stencil.
Repeat the process for the other designs you want to use. Then select all of the images and insert them into the canvas.
Once in the canvas, scale them down to size by entering the dimensions along the top. Once done, select "make it" in the top right-hand corner.
It will put them onto the mat, I moved them around so there was space around the plants for the stencil.
Set the material to stencil vinyl and send it to be cut.
Load the vinyl onto the cutting mat and press that flashing light!
I'm always impressed by how small and detailed these machines can cut.
Grab your coasters and the etching cream.
Cut the designs apart for each coaster.
I simply peeled off the vinyl from the backing, no transfer tape needed for these images.
Place them on the coaster, I chose to center mine.
To get a really good grip, grab your heat gun or hair dryer to help "melt" the vinyl onto the surface. This helps prevent the etching cream from seeping under the vinyl.
Take a brush and apply a really thick layer on top of the stencil. Now you wait.15 minutes to be exact while the chemicals work their magic.
Once the 15 minutes are up, first scrape off as much cream as you can and put it back in the container. Next, take the coasters to the sink and rinse off the remaining cream.
This is where I started wondering, did it work?!? As you can see when it's wet you can't see the image.
Like magic, as it dries the images appear!!
Now you have custom designed coasters!
I want to make all the coasters now!! It only takes about 20 minutes and most of that is waiting for the chemicals to do their thing.
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