Christmas Closures

All locations of the Des Moines Public Library will be closed on Tuesday, December 24, and Wednesday, December 25, in observance of the Christmas holiday. 

Glowforge (Laser Engraver)

Take your next project to a whole new level with the Glowforge Plus laser engraver! Create your design on a computer or draw it by hand, then cut or engrave it into dozens of different materials with the push of a button.

Cost

  • Acrylic, assorted colors
    • 5x10x1/8 inch: $7
  • Medium Draftboard
    • 12x20x1/8 inch: $10
  • Wood, assorted varieties
    • 6x12x1/8 inch: $18

What You'll Need

To use the Glowforge, you will need to be 18 or older or be supervised by an adult. Users will be required to sign a waiver as well as acknowledge when registering for an appointment that they have read and understood the user manual.

Materials measuring 12” x 20” will fit in the Glowforge, and the cutting area is approximately 11″ wide and 19.5″ long.

Maximum material height is up to 2” if the crumb tray is removed, or up to .5” with the crumb tray. The Glowforge can cut materials as thick as ½” but may require multiple passes for materials thicker than ¼”.

We strongly recommend bringing extra material for testing. Materials must sit firmly and securely on the crumb tray or printer bed. The list below shows what materials are allowed and what materials are prohibited. If you want to use something that is not listed below, email reference@dmpl.org at least two hours before your appointment to obtain prior approval. Without prior approval, only approved items below will be permitted.

Fully Approved Engrave Only Prohibited
  • Wood
  • Fabric
  • Leather
  • Paper products
  • Cardboard
  • Plexiglass/acrylic
  • Delrin/acetal
  • Mylar
  • Non-chlorinated rubber
  • Cork
  • Sandpaper
  • Glass
  • Marble
  • Stone
  • Ceramic tile
  • Anodized aluminum
  • Titanium
  • Corian
  • Coated metal
  • Multiple stacked sheets (any material)
  • Most metals other than those listed
  • Food
  • Chlorinated plastics or rubbers (including PVC and most vinyls)
  • Styrofoam or other plastic foams

 

To Cut or Engrave

Log in to the Glowforge app using the account you provided when registering. Turn on the Glowforge and place your material inside. Upload almost any image file format to engrave, or an SVG file to cut, and position it on the material, then press print! You can also use the camera to cut or engrave hand drawn designs. Cutting and engraving times vary based on material type and design size. Not sure how to get started? Try a Glowforge guided print.

Glowforge Reservations

Before signing up for an appointment, please create a Glowforge account. You will be required to provide the email linked to your Glowforge account when booking an appointment so you can be added to the authorized user list. You can register for up to 120 minutes per day. Please note that all projects must be completed no later than 10 minutes before the library closing time. Any projects still going at that time will be stopped and you will be asked to make another appointment to finish. If your project goes over your time limit, it will only be allowed to run to completion if no one else is waiting.

Questions? Email reference@dmpl.org or call the library at 515-283-4152