Laser Engraving Ideas Download
Remona Gurrieri
These Baltic birch wall clocks from Anthropologie start as a solid piece of wood (right) that is then laser cut in a giraffe pattern (top) or honeycomb (left) to bring a natural yet geometric aesthetic to telling time.
In contrast, this Fabulous Flora Modern Wall Clock uses a geometric style to offer a different take on the natural world. To give it an even more modern feel, laser cut matte black acrylic was chosen for its sleek aesthetic.
The Herringbone inspired pattern of these coasters from Etsy seller GrainDeep has been laser engraved into the surface of the wood. Combining various thicknesses of chevrons adds visual interest for a style that can be used in both traditional and contemporary décor.
While a tree was laser cut from 3mm MDF for this particular installation, you can see how this application is also suited to corporate branding with the use of logos or typography. Learn more about how they did it here.
Freelance illustrator and graphic artist Martin Tomsky creates entire illustrated scenes, including particularly stunning fantasy worlds, from the art of laser cutting wood. By building up layers of laser cut stained plywood, he creates intricate relief pieces that bridge the gap between craft, illustration and sculpture. These works are essentially drawings that have been brought off the page and into the real world as a permanent form of storytelling.
Artist Gabriel Schama creates incredibly intricate, densely layered wood relief sculptures using thin, laser cut pieces of mahogany plywood. He starts with a vector illustration that is sent to a laser cutter. Lasers carve these designs into 1/8-inch sheets of plywood, which are then glued together and varnished. The result is a magnificently textured, mandala-like work of art comprised of ornate layers that twist, overlap and intersect spectacularly. Read more about his work at My Modern Met.
Eric Standley, an Associate Professor of Studio Art for the School of Visual Arts at Virginia Tech, builds complex paper-cut artifacts using vector-based software and CNC lasers. Each layer is cut into paper with a CNC laser, then stacked into the completed artwork.
Spotify sounding a little soft on your iPhone? Pump up the volume by building your own mini HiFi system. All you need is a Raspberry Pi, PC speakers and these plans from Thingiverse. The laser cut plywood looks great on its own, but you could stain it for a richer tone or use the wood as a canvas for a custom, hand-painted masterpiece.
Designer Jane Blease has a completely different take on wooden bookmarks: She hand-embroiders them! First, she laser cuts the bookmarks in three classic wood veneers (walnut, oak or ash). Then she embroiders spiral, hexagon or heart shapes in an array of gorgeous colors. Finally, she backs the bookmarks with matching soft felt to protect the books. Clever and pretty!
Ready to embark on your bookmark making journey? It will be a trip! With all the bookmark designs available, where do you begin? A good brainstorming session is a great place to start along with this guide to making bookmarks that will help put your creativity and personal touch into these popular laser cutter projects.
By combining laser cut wooden lettering with reclaimed wood backing and frame, you can create that warm, rustic vibe. This Harper Grayce sign was designed as a wedding gift for a newly married couple. But you can use this same idea with baby names, favorite quotes or Bible verses.
This laser cut exterior signage, designed by Jack Candlish for a Wellington, New Zealand coffee shop, was installed on macrocarpa slats. The result is an appealing contrast between the crisp black lettering and the warmth of the wooden background.
Why is clear acrylic a top choice of makers? Because of how well it reacts to laser cutting. The surface of this thermoplastic engraves with a nice frosty finish that catches light wonderfully, and the edges melt smoothly rather than burning like wooden materials.
Birch plywood is made from laminations of birch veneer. It is lightweight but strong, among the strongest and most dimensionally stable plywoods. It has a great price point and is commonly used for making laser cut scale models, jewelry, model boats, model airplanes, product housings, drones, clocks, prototypes and signage.
By using laser cut birch as the foundation, JSLaserCraft used to create eye catching wedding save-the-date invitation tags and magnets that leave a lasting impression as a charming memento for guests.
The beautifully stylized scale models from Etsy shop ScaledDimensions embraces Filipino ingenuity while creating a one-of-a-kind, modern sculpture that it is the perfect laser cut gift for art lovers and miniature enthusiasts.
Are you ready to start making? Surely your creative juices are flowing after seeing all of these laser cutter projects! Use this post anytime you need some inspiration to get out of a creative rut. So bookmark this bad boy and refer back often!
"@context": " ", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": ["@type": "Question", "name": "Can you make money with a laser cutter?", "acceptedAnswer":"@type": "Answer", "text": "When it comes to making money with a laser cutter there are two main methods; service provider and manufacturer. A service provider would provide laser cutting services to others who need laser-cut parts, while a manufacturer would focus on producing their own part for selling.\n\nIn order to provide laser cutting services, it is essential that customers have a wide range of material options as only focusing on a few materials will severely affect access to customers. However, stocking multiple materials may require multiple laser cutting machines as different laser technologies are good for different materials. For example, CO2 lasers are great for cutting leather and cardboard, but fiber lasers are more appropriate when cutting harder materials such as steel.\n\nBeing your own manufacturer means that you design a laser-cut product that you produce in mass and ship. As such, there is no requirement to stock a wide range of materials which significantly reduces the complexity of the setup (i.e., only one storage bin for material, and no need to check designs before they are manufactured). Such parts that could be produced include keyrings, picture frames, wooden coasters, and decorative cards. This business model, however, requires a marketplace to sell items that can prove to be challenging when competing with other manufacturers.\n\n","@type": "Question", "name": "What products are made from laser cutting?", "acceptedAnswer":"@type": "Answer", "text": "Laser cutters are extremely versatile, quick, and efficient when compared to other manufacturing processes and as a result are used more often than one may think. As laser cutters generally only cut flat shapes, they are rarely used for parts with complex 3D features.\n\nLaser cut parts generally include anything plastic in devices and enclosures (such as an edging), control panels, and gaskets for machinery. Laser cutters will also be found in artistic pieces that need intricate details that would normally be too difficult to produce using other manufacturing techniques (such as CNCs). One of the key benefits of using laser cutters in such applications is that laser cutters do not exert any mechanical force on the part being cut, and therefore extremely delicate parts can be laser cut.\n\nMetallic enclosures found on PCBs are often made using laser cutters because they are generally very small, require engraved markings, and can be folded into a 3D shape. PCBs can also use laser cutting to produce solder stencils that allow machines to quickly cover all pads with solder without needing to target each pad individually.\n\n","@type": "Question", "name": "What materials can you cut with a laser printer?", "acceptedAnswer":"@type": "Answer", "text": "Just about any material that can be vaporized can be laser cut, but there are some limitations and safety factors that must be considered. Some materials can emit dangerous compounds when vaporized, and these are generally not laser cut. For example, leather treated with chromium cannot be laser cut due to the release of chromium (a carcinogen). Another example is PVC which can be cut with ease but releases hydrochloric acid and chlorine in the process which is extremely harmful.\n\nMetals that are commonly cut with a laser cutter include steel, copper, aluminum, and brass. Cellulose materials commonly cut include paper, cardstock, cardboard, and wood. Plastic materials commonly laser cut include acrylic, acetal, and nylon.\n\n","@type": "Question", "name": "How can a laser cutter help with projects?", "acceptedAnswer":"@type": "Answer", "text": "Laser cutters accessible to individuals are generally LED or CO2 with powers lower than 40W. Such laser cutters are ideal for cutting thin sheets of material such as acrylic, wood, and paper, but rarely useful for cutting metal.\n\nDesktop laser cutters are perfect for rapid prototyping of new ideas and concepts, creating custom laser engraved panels, and for artistic purpose. Keeping the entire process in-house also removes the need for delivery waiting times meaning that prototypes can be developed faster.\n\nFurthermore, laser cut parts can even be used in production products as the quality of a single laser cut part is the same as one produced in the thousands.\n\n","@type": "Question", "name": "Why use Ponoko laser cutting services for my next project?", "acceptedAnswer":"@type": "Answer", "text": "While laser cutters are available to individuals (such as the famous K40 laser cutter), they are not without their faults. One of the biggest challenges is getting the machines correctly configured which often requires improved extraction, refinement of mirrors, active water cooling, and correct beam focusing. To avoid many of these challenges, more expensive machines can be used, but the increased cost can be too much for those who might use the cutter for a handful of projects.\n\nPonoko provides laser cutting services that remove all of these headaches by stocking a wide range of carefully chosen materials, having multiple laser cutting machines of varying technologies, and trained operators who are able to ensure that each part produced falls within a set of tight tolerances.\n\nNot only does Ponoko offer high precision capabilities and fast delivery options, but they also allow for quantities from 1 to 10,000 meaning that projects can quickly be prototyped and then scaled as needed. The machines used by Ponoko are far higher in power than those available to individual users which makes Ponoko services considerably faster when dealing with volume orders.\n\n"]
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