Have you ever asked if a face can be engraved on an egg with a laser?

August 27, 2020 4:19 PM

Of course you have. And it is possible. For those who just want to watch, the video.
posted by clawsoon (17 comments total)

I have a friend who does things with lasers that I have forwarded this to. I have not received a response yet. I suspect he will be happy to receive it.
posted by hippybear at 4:41 PM on August 27, 2020

Fun. There's have been egg painting CNC bots for ages like this or this hot-wax dispensing egg bot for more traditional Ukrainian-style eggs.
posted by GuyZero at 4:54 PM on August 27, 2020 [3 favorites]

And the company that will engrave that egg is AT&T. Or Beatrice. I forget which.

Also, doing digital things with spinning things is great fun. I once made a spinning LED sign for a real-time programming class. And you wouldn't believe how high-speed IBM line printers worked...
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 6:32 PM on August 27, 2020 [2 favorites]

I watched that while sitting around waiting for a laser cutter to cut some crap for an escape room I'm making. I don't think we have enough axes of freedom to do this with an egg.
posted by aubilenon at 6:48 PM on August 27, 2020

(but it is very cool and I wish I could do it also I'm hungry so I want to eat an egg)
posted by aubilenon at 6:49 PM on August 27, 2020

you wouldn't believe how high-speed IBM line printers worked

I'm quite fond of the sound of those drums spinning up.
posted by flabdablet at 7:03 PM on August 27, 2020 [2 favorites]

this will revolutionize clown registries.
posted by ckape at 8:07 PM on August 27, 2020 [1 favorite]

Not another unguarded laser CNC shit-show.
posted by scruss at 9:15 PM on August 27, 2020 [3 favorites]

I'm going to hear that music in my nightmares.
posted by nevercalm at 4:52 AM on August 28, 2020 [6 favorites]

The music definitely puts me in the mind of 20 foot tall clowns with swords for fingers lurching endlessly through the night in search of prey until they've finally got enough nutrition to molt.
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 5:54 AM on August 28, 2020 [4 favorites]

ckape: The sober tone and minimalist design of the NationalClownWeek.org site is absolutely making my day. It really gives off a "Clowns are serious business" kind of vibe.
posted by Pickman's Next Top Model at 8:49 AM on August 28, 2020

Not another unguarded laser CNC shit-show.

Wear goggles to protect remaining eye.
posted by GuyZero at 8:59 AM on August 28, 2020 [1 favorite]

I work at a college with a culinary program and an engineering program. It was with great joy that I joined a professor from each program a couple of years ago, when Tim showed up with a white "bakery box" full of chocolate and Jeff fired up the Epilog laser cutter.

There was some smoke. :7)

The chocolate took bitmap art pretty well. We were all horrified to see that the fondant resisted the laser almost completely:"This is the setting that usually etches ceramic. Hunh."
posted by wenestvedt at 9:53 AM on August 28, 2020 [2 favorites]

Well yes. Commercial fondant is devil's semen, rubber, and corn syrup. You're just lucky you didn't open the seventh seal by adding a laser.
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 1:31 PM on August 28, 2020 [1 favorite]

After the first "humpty dumpty sat on a wall," I knew what was going to happen. I knew it did not have to happen, I knew all I had to do was hit the little icon below the screen and it would stop. I could watch the lights and colors move but not hear the... the sounds. All I had to do. One tiny spasm of the hand would save me. And yet I did not do it. And here we are. And it's a beautiful day.
posted by Don Pepino at 3:29 PM on August 28, 2020 [3 favorites]

Humpty Dumpty had a great autumn.
posted by clawsoon at 10:20 PM on August 28, 2020

I heard back from my laser-involved friend. He's enthused about the idea and is considering how to modify his already rather scary (metal-cutting lasers and stuff) equipment to attempt this without ending up with cooked eggs. My perfect result from mentioning it to him. :D
posted by hippybear at 8:18 PM on September 1, 2020