Laser cutting & engraving guides
Plain-English guides to turning photos into laser-ready files, choosing formats and materials, dialing in settings, and avoiding the mistakes that ruin a cut. Written for Glowforge, xTool, LightBurn, OMTech, and every desktop laser.
How to Convert a Photo to SVG for Laser Cutting
Turn any photo into a clean, cuttable SVG, the right way.
DXF vs SVG for Laser Cutting: Which Should You Use?
The real differences, and which to pick for your laser.
Best Laser Settings for Engraving Wood (A Practical Guide)
How power, speed, and DPI work, and where to start.
How to Prepare a Photo for Laser Engraving
Get a photo to burn cleanly on wood, slate, or metal.
What Is Bridging in Laser Cutting? (Floating Islands Explained)
Why parts fall out of stencils, and how bridges fix it.
How to Use SVG Files in LightBurn
Import, size, and assign layers the right way.
How to Cut a Stencil on a Glowforge
From SVG to a clean cut stencil on the Glowforge.
Best Materials for Laser Engraving (and How They Look)
Wood, slate, leather, metal, how each one engraves.
How to Make a Laser-Cut Stencil That Actually Holds Together
The whole process, from artwork to a stencil that does not fall apart.
Best Laser Settings for Cutting Acrylic (Clean, Flame-Polished Edges)
Get a glassy, flame-polished edge instead of a melted mess.
How to Make a Photo Coaster With a Laser (Wood and Slate)
Turn a favourite photo into a wood or slate coaster people keep.
How to Make a Laser-Engraved Keychain (With a Ring That Hangs Straight)
Design, cut, and add a ring hole that actually hangs straight.
What Is Kerf in Laser Cutting (and How to Account for It)
Why parts come out slightly small, and when it matters.
How to Remove an Image Background for Laser Cutting
The first step in almost every photo project, done cleanly.
Diode vs CO2 Laser: Which Should You Buy?
What each machine can really do, and which fits you.
How to Make Money With a Laser Cutter (What Actually Sells)
The products that sell, and how to price them properly.
Best Fonts for Laser Cutting Text (and Why Letters Fall Apart)
Why letter centres fall out, and which fonts survive.
How to Vectorize a Logo for Laser Cutting or Engraving
From a JPG or screenshot to a clean, cuttable logo file.
How to Laser Engrave a Photo on Slate (Getting the Invert Right)
Slate burns light-on-dark, get the invert right and it shines.
How to Make Laser-Cut Christmas Ornaments (From Any Photo)
Photo to tree-ready ornament, balanced hole included.