Anodized Aluminum Wall Decor

I was inspired to make this anodized aluminum Land Rover wall decor because my Dad and brother are "car guys" and I wanted to make them a meaningful gift. This allowed them to amp up their decor but in a mindful way. This project is easy and fun, and you can make any desired logo imaginable.

Requried:

1. Water Jet Cutter
2. Laser Cutter
3. Computer with Inkscape Software (to convert to a vector file)
4. Gloves

Optional:

1. Steel wool scrubber

1. Choose desired logo and copy and paste it in Inkscape
2. Save file as a "vector" file

1. Check to be sure there is enough abrasive loaded, if not, refill it
2. Reorient nozzle back to "home"
3. Run a "dry" test to be sure there is no build up of abrasive in the nozzle
4. Run a "wet" test to be sure the abrasive is running through the tube properly

1. Properly load desired material into water jet cutter (in this case, I used anodized aluminum)
2. *Make sure you load anodized aluminum silver side face down
3. Clamp down material firmly using the clamps inside the water jet cutter
4. Run another "dry" test and watch to ensure the nozzle runs over only the selected material and does not go off
5. Fill water jet cutter up with water so water completely covers material
6. Close lid and begin cutting
7. Once the water jet cutter is finished cutting, open the lid and carefully remove material using gloves
8. Clean the material by running water over it and peeling off plastic protective film
9. Completely dry off material before engraving it using the laser cutter

1. Import desired logo to laser cutter compatible software
2. Open the lid and place the anodized aluminum inside
3. Orient the laser cutter so the nozzle matches up above with the desired material

1. Ensure the logo fits within material boundaries
2. Select material settings by choosing the "anodized aluminum matte" option
3. Make sure the settings are selected to "engrave" for this project
4. Close lid and begin process
5. Open the lid once the engraving is complete and carefully remove materials from the bed

1. Use a steel wool scrub brush to touch up final design and make logo more shiny

This was such an enjoyable and memorable project. This was my first time using the water jet cutter, and I can assure you, anyone can figure out how to use this themselves. Designing and creating such a unique pice of art will be something my Dad cherishes and will also serve as a talking point for visitors in his garage. I hope you give this a try, you certainly won't regret it!