Category:Laser Cutting

Cutting or engraving compatible materials with a laser cutter is a powerful and very precise way to make things. Besides useful external resources, we try to collect all of our wiki pages on the topic in this category (scroll to the bottom)!

Inspiration

• Etsy pages like this one
• Emblaser on Instagram
• "kirigami" pop up cards
• overview of sample applications from trotec
• Japanese Secret Box (in case you've got a few weeks time for designing)
• Glowforge gallery

Downloadable Designs

Besides designing your own shapes, e.g. with Inkscape or Fusion 360, there are plenty of people sharing their drawings on the internet. Sometimes they are free and sometimes they may cost a bit - but think about how much work went into creating them and you'll see it's usually a very good deal.

Obrary.com seems to be an interesting site providing free patterns and eBooks for laser cutting and CNC milling.

Other Ideas:

• "lasercutter" pages by Fablab iMAL
• cameo Laserideen
• Epilog Laser Sample Club
• "Kiteman" on instructables
• Makercase Box Generator
• free section at Cartonus
• Boxes.py Box Generator (lots of different options)
• where have you found cool projects?

Tutorials

• photo engraving on wood by Epilog
  • uses CorelDRAW, but works fine in GIMP as well! Don't take the sample values too literally.
  • see also our own writeup

Laser Cutting Services

You could also order laser cut parts online:

• Formulor for acrylics, soft wood and paper
• China Laser Cutting Service offers low cost cutting service of acrylics and other materials

Metal Cutting

Not many laser cutters can cut metal. You could use a CNC mill instead, or try one of these services:

• Tailor Steel
• Cutworks
• Hadocut
• Risto
• Lasercut24
• <know another one?>