Workshop Eight
Services
Make
3D Printing
Laser Cutting & Engraving
Design
Product Engineering
About Us
Start a Project
Two laser-cut wooden dice towers with Gothic window details, one painted white, blue and gold, one left naturalBamboo cutting board laser-engraved with a detailed fantasy map

LASER CUTTING & ENGRAVING

Precision cuts, clean edges

Cutting and engraving for signs, gifts, keepsakes, patches and parts, in wood, leather, dark acrylic, stone, metal and more.

What it is

Light as a cutting tool

A laser follows a digital design to do one of two things: cut all the way through a material, or engrave its surface by removing a thin layer to leave a permanent mark. Because nothing physically touches the material, it produces crisp edges and fine detail that's hard to match by ⁠hand.

Cutting follows the outlines of a shape. Engraving can reproduce text, logos and even photographs, shading them into the surface. Many pieces use both.

Good to know

  • Cutting works from outlines. Engraving works from typed text, logos, photos or artwork.
  • Wood and leather darken where they're engraved, giving a natural contrast.
  • Some materials can only be engraved, not cut. The lists below show which.
  • Flat pieces up to about 420 × 290 mm (16.5 × 11.4 in) fit in the machine, and so do objects up to 140 mm (5.5 in) tall.
  • Mugs and tumblers: we engrave names, dates and designs on many of them. The finish (glaze, coating or color) affects the result, so send a link or photo of the ones you have in mind and we'll confirm before quoting.

Materials

What we can work with

Cut and engrave

Wood

Engraves to a warm, darkened contrast and cuts cleanly in thinner sheets, up to about 10 mm (3/8 in) for softer woods like basswood.

Good for: signs, boxes, keepsakes, photo engravings

MDF and cardboard

Economical and consistent, making them ideal when you need to test a shape or make a lot of something.

Good for: prototypes, templates, packaging

Leather and felt

Clean, precise cut edges, and leather takes a rich, dark engraving.

Good for: patches, tags, coasters, accessories

Dark, opaque acrylic

Crisp, clean edges with a modern look. Clear and light-colored acrylic isn't compatible with our laser.

Good for: signage, displays, name plates

Engrave only

Metal

Stainless steel and painted or plated metal take a permanent, crisp mark.

Good for: tags, tools, gifts

Glass

Dark glass takes a clean, lasting engraved mark. Clear glass needs a different approach, so ask us about your piece first.

Good for: dark glassware, awards, reproduced artwork

Ceramic and stone

High-contrast, long-lasting engraving on tile, slate and stone.

Good for: coasters, plaques, memorials

Denim and fabric

Engraved designs on jeans, jackets, bags and other heavy fabric.

Good for: custom apparel details, patches, gifts

Not sure your material or finish will work? Send a sample or spec sheet and we'll tell you before you commit to a run.

Ready to get something cut or engraved?

Get a Quote