cutting acrylic

[Don Necaise]

I have a Xenetech 30 watt Laser engraver and I am tring to cut 1/8" mirrored acrylic. Anyone have any tricks or ideas on cutting this stuff.This is the first for cutting this stuff Thanks

[Doug Griffith]

The first thing you need to do is cut it upsidedown.

[Mike Null]

And leave the paper on.

[Rob Bosworth]

I have never had a ton of luck cutting acrylic with the original cover sheet on it. Most of the cover sheets that we have seen are a combination of paper and mylar. For some reason, that combination of cover sheet eats up a lot of power. I cut acrylic by removing the top and bottom cover sheet, then just put a transfer paper on the bottom side. The transfer paper protedcts the bottom side of the acrylic sheet while you are handling it. I have used a top cover sheet of transfer paper when I am going to do more handling of the piece, or when we are going to colorfill the engraving.

I also set my focus about 1/3 of the way down into the material to be cut. If you are cutting less than 1/8" thick, focusing down into the material will not make much of a difference. Thicker than 1/8" thick, I always focus a 1/3 of the way down into the material. It will give you straighter side, smaller kerfs, and your laser will be much more efficient at cutting.

[Rob Bosworth]

I have never had a ton of luck cutting acrylic with the original cover sheet on it. Most of the cover sheets that we have seen are a combination of paper and mylar. For some reason, that combination of cover sheet eats up a lot of power. I cut acrylic by removing the top and bottom cover sheet, then just put a transfer paper on the bottom side. The transfer paper protedcts the bottom side of the acrylic sheet while you are handling it. I have used a top cover sheet of transfer paper when I am going to do more handling of the piece, or when we are going to colorfill the engraving.

I also set my focus about 1/3 of the way down into the material to be cut. If you are cutting less than 1/8" thick, focusing down into the material will not make much of a difference. Thicker than 1/8" thick, I always focus a 1/3 of the way down into the material. It will give you straighter side, smaller kerfs, and your laser will be much more efficient at cutting.

One more thing. I always use a vector cutting table or grid under whatever material is being laser cut.

[Brian Robison]

I have good luck leaving it just the way it comes, I focus in too but I think the key is the acrylic vector grid.
I do a couple hundred mirrored license plates a year.

[Don Necaise]

Brian
Do you have any pictures of any of the plates that you Have done
I would be interested in seeing some different ideas

Thanks don

[melanie adams]

We used to cut mirrored often but we eliminated it from our product line because it was too much work for not enough pay. We like to peel off the plastic and use a paper mask or transfer tape on the shiny side, and cut with the grey side down. The best advise I can give you is use multiple passes at a lower power setting. It takes longer but the results are worth it. Good Luck!

[Brian Robison]

Hi Don,
Here's a picture or two.

[Brian Robison]

Beta Racing Plate

[Brian Robison]

Reverse engraved

[Brian Robison]

One more, Gas Gas

[Don Necaise]

Brian
It looks like most of these are engraved from the front . Right , except the one that is marked reversed. If so what are you color filling with? thanks

[Jim Dornon]

Nice work Brian. Did you raster then cut and insert ?

[Mike DeRegnaucourt]

Great Job Brian!

What method/technique do you use to get the coloring? Do you just mask and paint the various area on the backside of the mirrored plate?

[Ryan O'Hara]

Brian, you also mentioned an acrylic cutting grid. Is the cutting grid actually acrylic? If so, where/how did you get this grid?

[Brian Robison]

All but the cow are laser cut. Vector cut the mirror, vector cut the solid colored acrylic. Don't worry about the "kerf" It doesn't show.Pictures don't do them justice.

[Joe Pelonio]

I have never had a ton of luck cutting acrylic with the original cover sheet on it. Most of the cover sheets that we have seen are a combination of paper and mylar. For some reason, that combination of cover sheet eats up a lot of power. I cut acrylic by removing the top and bottom cover sheet, then just put a transfer paper on the bottom side. The transfer paper protects the bottom side of the acrylic sheet while you are handling it. I have used a top cover sheet of transfer paper when I am going to do more handling of the piece, or when we are going to colorfill the engraving.


I do that too. Another good reason is that it's a lot easier to remove, after cutting, especially if the material is old or has been exposed to a lot of light. On small intricate pieces you can break them while trying to remove that stuff. Low tack transfer tape comes right off. I use high tack only for those getting a color fill but even that comes off easier than the original film.

Tomorrow I'm starting on a job with 30+ sheets of 1/4", and this time I'm peeling them all ahead of time, and cutting bare, by request of my wholesale customer, since he'll be painting some, and the others will get covered with printed vinyl.