Jigsaw Puzzle - My First Project

Finished Creations
1

Hello all,

I bought the Atomstack A5 M50 Pro a couple of weeks ago after I got an idea to create jigsaw puzzles from my photographs. Since then I have been reading these forums, articles elsewhere and watching YouTube movies to understand how things work etc.

Today I finished the first puzzle, and although the cut is slightly off, I’m pretty pleased with the end result! I am getting an air assist and camera shortly, should improve the cut quality and make the item placement easier.

The board I am using is 2mm Birch Ply Sheets - Birch Veneer with Poplar Core (2mm Birch Ply Sheets - Birch Veneer with Poplar Core)
The photo paper is Canon Pro Luster (https://www.canon.co.uk/printers/inkjet/pixma/photo-paper/lu-101/)

The cut is done at 250@80% and four passes (this was the cleanest cut I achieved after the tests).

The process is short:

  1. Glue the photo onto the board (I used 3M Photo Mount, sprayed on both the photo & wood)
  2. Put the board in a press for 12 - 24 hours to ensure the glue dries
  3. Spray the photo and back of the board with laquer (I used Winsor & Newton Professional Fixative) to protect the photo and the board from stains and direct sunlight
  4. Let rest for another 12 - 24 hours to ensure the lacquer is dry
  5. Place the board backside up on the laser bed (prevents the photo from burining/ staining)
  6. Cut and enjoy the result

The hard parts are to align the photo on the board when you glue it, and then to make sure the cut is on the photo (because you can’t see it). I just used a square ruler to draw the lines from the photo’s edges and used those to draw the box on the back side.

The puzzle is A4 size and has 315 pieces. Funnily enough, I sent a picture of this to a friend, and he said he’ll buy the first one. When I told him that is the first one, he bought it!

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8 Likes
2

That came out really good! Air assist will make a big difference, as will the amount of ventilation you can get underneath the puzzle. So you’re using laquer as a mask, and wiping away residue after?

3

Thanks. I was somewhat apprehensive and expecting it to fail, lucky me it didn’t.

The lacquer is protective lacquer intended for pictures. It reduces smudging and dusting and is non-removable. I should have used something else on the back side of the board, but since this was just a full-scale test, I am not too worried.

1 Like
4

Well done, especially for a first try!
May I ask where did you get the puzzle pattern?

5

No greater praise than this!
Great job, I am stealing your method for my family pictures. Thanks for sharing.

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6

Hardly stealing when I’m giving it away :smile:

In any case, I suggest you use photo lacquer such as Hahnemühle’s (Protective Spray | 400 ml | 10640702) on the picture to protect it when people play with the pieces. The back isn’t that important if you are not concerned about the presentation.

7

Thanks for the tips!

8

Finde ich geil das Bild

9

The second puzzle came out the way I wanted. The air assist and the camera make a massive difference!

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10

WOW !!! That is some really good puzzle work.

11

Thanks. I’m still playing with the number of pieces to make sure they aren’t too small.