Hey there, welcome to our latest project! 

Today, we're gonna show you how to make the coolest wall-mounted bottle opener you've ever seen, inspired by none other than Beau's brewery!

Paul is gonna take you through the whole process, from start to finish, and trust us, it's not for the faint of heart. We're talkin' sublimation, laser engraving, and laser cutting all in one video!

But don't worry, we'll break it down for you in a way that's easy to follow, even for beginners. You'll see how we transfer the image onto the wood using sublimation, how we add some fancy wording using laser engraving and how we cut out some raised letters using laser cutting.

So grab your tools, grab a beer and let's get building! And don't forget to show us your finished product, we can't wait to see it!

Sublimation

Sublimating on wood using an Epson ET 2850 printer, Hiipoo sublimation ink, plastic laminating plastic and sublimation paper is a process that involves several steps.

1. Prepare the Wood: The first step is to prepare the wood surface by cleaning it thoroughly and ensuring that it is smooth and free from any debris or dust.
2. Print the Design: Next, using an Epson ET 2850 printer and Hiipoo sublimation ink, print the design onto sublimation paper. Make sure that the image is flipped horizontally, so it will appear correctly when transferred onto the wood.
3. Laminate: Place the laminate plastic  face down onto a piece of wood. Place butcher or parchment paper under the wood and on top of the laminate to protect your heat press. Using a heat press, apply pressure long enough to ensure the laminate plastic adheres to the wood.
4. Cut the Design: Carefully cut around the design, leaving a small border around it.
5. Transfer the Design: Place the design onto the prepared laminated wood surface, making sure that it is centered and straight. Use a heat press to transfer the design onto the wood at high temperature and pressure for a specific time- follow the time instructions provided with your heat press.
6. Allow to Cool: Once the transfer is complete, remove the plastic from the wood and allow the wood to cool completely.
7. Finish and Enjoy: Sand down any rough edges.  Your back image for the wall-mounted bottle opener is ready for the next step.

By following these steps, you can successfully sublimate your design onto wood using an Epson ET 2850 printer, Hiipoo sublimation ink, plastic laminating plastic and sublimation paper.

Laser Engraving

Laser engraving the letters onto the sublimated image on the wood backing involves the following steps:

1. Prepare the Wood: Make sure that the wood surface is clean and free from any debris or dust.
2. Design the Layout: Use a software such as Adobe Illustrator or CorelDraw to design the layout of the letters. We used Canva to make all our designs. The design should include the text, font, and size of the letters that will be engraved onto the wood.
3. Import the Design: Import the design into the laser engraving software that is compatible with your laser engraver.
4. Adjust the Settings: Adjust the settings of the laser engraver to match the type of wood and the thickness of the wood. The settings will depend on the power and speed of the laser engraver.
5. Engrave the Letters: Place the wood on the laser engraver bed, and start the engraving process. The laser will engrave the letters onto the wood surface according to the design.
6. Check the Progress: Monitor the progress of the engraving, and make any necessary adjustments to the settings.
7. Finish: Once the engraving is complete, carefully remove the wood from the laser engraver. The letters will now be engraved onto the sublimated image on the wood backing.
8. Optional : You can also apply a coat of sealer to protect the engraved letters and enhance the look of the final product. In our project we made the engraving for the purpose to align the cut letters which is in the next step.

By following these steps, you can successfully laser engrave the letters onto the sublimated image on the wood backing using a laser engraver and the appropriate software.

Laser Cut Letters

Using a laser cutter to cut out letters that will be glued into the engraved letters on the sublimated wood involves the following steps:

1. Prepare the Design: Create a new design in a vector software such as Adobe Illustrator or CorelDraw. The design should include the letters that you want to cut out, and the font and size of the letters should match the engraved letters on the sublimated wood.

2. Import the Design: Import the design into the laser cutting software that is compatible with your laser cutter.

3. Adjust the Settings: Adjust the settings of the laser cutter to match the type of wood and the thickness of the wood. The settings will depend on the power and speed of the laser cutter.

4. Cut the Letters: Place the wood on the laser cutter bed, and start the cutting process. The laser will cut out the letters according to the design.

5. Check the Progress: Monitor the progress of the cutting, and make any necessary adjustments to the settings.

6. Finish: Once the cutting is complete, carefully remove the wood from the laser cutter. The cut-out letters will now be ready to be glued into the engraved letters on the sublimated wood. Optional* Spray paint the letters to give it a pop of color.

7. Glue the cut-out letters: Apply a thin layer of glue to the back of the cut-out letters. Carefully press the letters into the engraved letters on the sublimated wood.

8. Allow to Dry: Allow the glue to dry completely before handling the wood.

By following these steps, you can successfully use a laser cutter to cut out letters that will be glued into the engraved letters on the sublimated wood. The final product will have a nice 3D effect that can give more depth to the design.

Final Steps - Frame and Hardware

Alright, let's get ready to frame that bad boy bottle opener! First things first, grab your saw and start cutting that wood to the perfect size for your frame. Don't worry if it's not perfectly straight, a little bit of wonkiness adds character.

Next, grab some sandpaper and give that wood a little bit of a buff and shine. Now it's time to get creative with the staining! Pick your favorite color and start slathering it on. Don't be afraid to get a little messy, it'll add to the charm.

Once the stain is dry, it's time to add the hardware. Measure and mark the center of the frame, and then attach that bottle opener hardware with a couple of screws. Make sure it's secure, we don't want anyone getting hurt.

Finally, it's time to add the hooks at the back so we can hang this bad boy on the wall. Measure and mark the desired location for the hooks, then drill a few holes and attach them with screws.

And voila! Your wall-mounted bottle opener is ready to be hung and used. Cheers!

Till the next time!

Well folks, that's a wrap! We hope you enjoyed our little tutorial on how to build a wall-mounted bottle opener using sublimation and laser. We know it's not the easiest thing in the world, but trust us, it's worth it in the end.

Thanks for sticking with us, whether you watched the video or read the blog. We appreciate you taking the time to learn something new and maybe even giving it a try yourself.

And remember, if you do decide to make your own wall-mounted bottle opener, be sure to share it with us! We'd love to see your creations and give you a virtual high-five.

Cheers and happy building!

Paul and Brenda