Exploring the Possibilities for Working with Laser Cutters

Millions of skilled crafters are emerging these days. Everyone has a medium of choice for bringing their artistic capabilities to life. While an endless array of tools and techniques are available to make a given craft simpler, not all of them work for all craftspeople. Some may find hand tools to be the better options, but many are adding laser cutting machines to their arsenals. Doing so could help take your skills to entirely new levels and bring endless possibilities to the table. Consider perusing FS laser reviews to help determine which machines might best suit your needs and expectations. In the meantime, take a look at some of the materials that pair perfectly with laser cutters.

Wood

Lasers work well for several types of wood. They’re gentle enough to use on thin, fragile varieties but powerful enough to cut, carve, and engrave thick pieces and hardwoods. If you add a laser to your woodworking repertoire, you can make any number of items from rustic Christmas ornaments and charming home decor to elegant signage and plaques. From there, you can paint or stain them or simply leave them bare and allow customers to finish them any way they like. When you use lasers for woodworking, though, it’s important to keep in mind that the varieties of wood you prefer to work with and the amounts of moisture and resin they contain will determine the type of laser you need.

Acrylic

Acrylic is a versatile material that can be transformed into a wide range of objects. Some popular choices are jewellery, picture frames, signs, cabinet door panels, light fixtures, and dishes. It can be cut, carved, and etched to name a few possibilities. You can use lasers to cut acrylic to specific sizes or create personalized gifts for friends, family members, and customers. Some acrylic offers the transparency of glass without being so fragile. Other varieties are opaque or come in different colours. This gives you numerous opportunities for creativity.

Glass

Of all the materials to work with, glass could be considered the trickiest. When working with standard tools, one unfortunate slip or overzealous tap could shatter a project. If you’re using acid for etching, it could easily get away from you and venture outside the intended borders. Either issue is especially frustrating if you’ve already put hours of work into a project. Glass and acid-based etching products can be particularly dangerous as well. Lasers eliminate many of the common problems. Because glass is so fragile and reflective, special types of lasers are required for working with this material.

Overall

Those are only a few of the materials that are suitable for laser cutting. Leather, metal, paper, cardboard, and foam are possible choices as well. No matter which material you decide to work with, you’ll find countless ways to use lasers for taking your skills and products to new heights. Don’t be afraid to branch out and try a variety of materials to see which ones you might enjoy. Along the way, you might find that your skills and creativity surpass even your own expectations.