4 Tips For Getting Started With Laser Cutting

There is something oddly satisfying watching a laser engraver do its thing. Whether you knew it or not, you have most likely seen the work of a laser cutter. Etsy or Pinterest are the two places that most people end up scrolling past a piece of laser-etched wood or those aesthetically pleasing words hung perfectly up on that living room wall. The products say “handmade” but we both know how shaky our hands get without having coffee. This wooden perfection can only be the result of a few machines, most commonly, a laser. If you happen to get a hold of a laser cutter, here a few things that you will need to know to bring your Pinterest board to life:

The right-sized project.

Most laser-cutting beds are around 12" x 20". This means that your entire project has to fit within those dimensions or must be broken up into smaller pieces to be assembled to form something larger.

Choose your material wisely.

The most common material used for laser cutting is wood, but it’s not the only material you have to use. Acrylic or plastic make great options due to their professional-looking surfaces. Keep in mind that each material can be painted to obtain a different look and feel, which can then be laser etched through to expose the original material. This is where you get creative and let the laser do the hard work.

Get your design file right.

Ninety-nine percent of the time a laser messes up it’s due to human error, not the machine. Laser cutters have unique quirks that can drastically affect the outcome of your project. Not understanding these quirks and incorporating them into your design file is like playing with fire... literally. Lines that are too close to one another might not etch or cut the best, so it’s up to you to know the limitations of the machine. In this scenario, practice does make perfect.

When in doubt, cut it again.

Nothing is worse than picking up a freshly cut laser project off the bed just to realize that it didn’t cut all the way through and it’s still connected. Once you move a material after it’s been cut, it’s extremely hard to re-align it back to where it was. One trick we use is to gently place a hand on your freshly cut material and use your other hand to lightly pry up some pieces that should break free or be loose. If it doesn’t move, then run it again until you’re sure the laser has cut all the way through.

Hopefully, this has been an educational few minutes of your time and you can thank us later when your project turns out beautifully! If you’re wondering where you can get a hold of a laser then look no further, we have three at theCO.

See ya soon and happy creating!