Candy Cane Christmas Countdown

Time needed: 1 hour

Cut, score, and engrave layers of basswood to create these fun Candy Cany Christmas Countdowns with an xTool M1 laser/blade cutting machine!

1. Prepare your plywood

   I find it easier to paint or stain the plywood sheets before I do anything with them on the laser. Here I stained 3 sheets of basswood with Maple stain wipes and then painted red, lime green, aqua, and dark green sheets. For smaller cuts, I did the sheets in half one color and half another. Let dry.

2. Open and Connect XCS to the Laser

   Turn the laser on using the power switch on the back, open XCS, and connect the machine to the software. You can find detailed information on connecting your machine here.

3. Place Material

   Place your basswood plywood on top of the triangle prism risers inside your M1 Laserbox. *Since this design is dependent on using the lower area of a plywood sheet, I tend to place the plywood towards the top of the work area so there will be a clear view of the bottom of the plywood sheet in the camera view.

4. Close the Lid & Refresh the Camera

   After closing the lid on the laser box, hop over to XCS on your laptop and click the “camera refresh” button.
   

5. Adjust settings

   On the right-hand side, select LASER FLAT, 3mm BASSWOOD material, and raised height set to PRISMS. you can then click auto measure and it will adjust the distance from the laser to your material for you automatically.

6. Import the Design

   Click the IMPORT tool on the left side, find and select your design on your computer, click OPEN and the image will be placed on your material. Adjust the design as needed in order to fit the material and line up the bottom of the design with the bottom of the basswood sheet on the camera view.

7. Adjust the Output settings

   Click each individual design element and select the output for each. Orange is a score line, solid orange is Engraved and purple is a cut line. Make sure it matches the photo below for the main cut of the board.

8. Process

   Click the Process button in the lower right corner, then select start and then push the button on the front of the laser to begin the process. When finished, remove the materials from the work area.

9. Cut the Design

   Place a new piece of basswood. Here we will tell the machine to CUT (purple lines) the names, words, and designs only. For the rest of the elements, we will turn off the output by clicking the slider to the off position or by simply deleting the specific design element. Verify it looks like the last image below.

10. Process Again

    Process the same as in step 8.

11. Assemble the Candy Cane Countdown

    Using wood glue, adhere the cut letters and designs to the main board using the score lines as a placement guide. This is my favorite way to get accurate placement and not have to waste materials. Allow the glue to dry.

12. Add the Candy Canes

    Add some ribbon, string, or twine to the holes in the corners to create a hanger. Place candy canes in each of the date spots and enjoy your new Candy Cane Countdown!