Ultimate Guide to Laser Cutting Acrylic: Making a Signboard!

Everything you need to know about cutting acrylic and a step-by-step guide for cutting acrylic using a blue diode laser. Learn how to cut pieces that fit together like puzzles and also learn how to make signboards. I primarily use my Xtool D1 Pro to do the cutting for this video.
The speed and passes chart mentioned are for xTool D1 Pro 20W, Comgrow Z1 Laser 10W, and Atomstack X7 5W.
00:00 Intro
00:34 Important Warning
00:48 TLDR Version
01:32 Step 1- Choosing the Color
02:16 Step 2- Thickness of the Sheet
02:42 Step 3- Making the Design
03:04 Step 4- Focusing the Laser
03:47 Step 5- Speed and Passes
04:53 Step 6- Accessories Needed
06:12 Cutting Pieces That Fit Together
06:28 Kerf Offset
09:10 Making a Signboard
10:17 Science of Laser Cutting

[@MellowpineLasers]

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[@kfirish44]

Excellent video. Thank you!

[@MellowpineLasers]

Glad it was helpful!

[@johanvdp8236]

Excellent advice, all in one place! One of the best practical tutorials I've seen so far. Thanks!

[@MellowpineLasers]

Glad that you liked it. 😊

[@swanseajack123abc]

Wow, this has got to be one of the best explained video's i have seen about cutting acrylic. Thank you😃

[@MellowpineLasers]

Thanks man, glad it was helpful.

[@cynicalidealist821]

Excellent video, answered all my questions. Thank you!

[@MellowpineLasers]

Glad it was helpful!

[@darkcoolcat]

Some nice tips, Thank you.

[@MellowpineLasers]

Glad it was helpful!

[@marizzhernandez7987]

Finally found a more clear explanation about cutting acrylic. Got my new xtool d1 pro 20w yesterday and I really want to cut acrylic. Thank you for the well explained video 😊👍🏼

[@MellowpineLasers]

Good luck! and I'm glad the video was helpful

[@christopherstaton8940]

Extremely helpful for a novice like me. Thank you.

[@MellowpineLasers]

Glad it was helpful!

[@buzzroadguy]

Thanks I look forward to your information.

[@MellowpineLasers]

You're Welcome! 😊

[@billmckillip1561]

Very good information!

[@MellowpineLasers]

Thank you.

[@lisabrunson9798]

Thanks this was extremely helpful

[@MellowpineLasers]

Glad it was helpful

[@Samcraftcom]

You got me at the Cannot not part on subscribing. :) Great video and presentation full of information!

[@MellowpineLasers]

Ha ha, thanks man, we really appreciate it coming from you. We love your videos too. Do give us a shoutout if you think it'll help other laser users. ;)

[@TheChillieboo]

This video I perfect for me, to the point and extra detail after

[@MellowpineLasers]

Glad you found the video helpful. 😊

[@Boneman131]

Great video! Subscribed!

[@MellowpineLasers]

Thank you

Thanks, it helped me a lot. Nice TLDR also :) I'm using Neje E80 with 1150mm/s and 7 passes for 3mm.

[@MellowpineLasers]

You're welcome! I'm glad you found the video useful. 😊 Neje E80 is an excellent laser that has a very fine laser spot, so it can perform finer cuts with good efficiency.

[@robertorcutt5029]

good info for the novice like me

[@norfolkflyingboyz2404]

Fantastic video. Very informative no bulls*** 👍

[@MellowpineLasers]

Thank you so much

[@kennyrobman7390]

Hey man really happy to see someone making acrylic cutting videos with the d1 pro 20w . Your one of the only people ! Do you cut acrylic with it often ? You gained a new subscriber !

[@MellowpineLasers]

Hey, thanks for the sub man. Yeah, I cut acrylic with the D1 Pro often. I mostly cut 2mm acrylic and it does a decent job.

[@bobbychristinawarcup3549]

@@MellowpineLasers Is it polite to ask how you did the cutting or at least point this newbie to your video😁😁😁

[@theman-pc2ej]

Thats because xtool is like john deere or harley Davidson.. way over priced!

[@cristeacristea866]

SUPER

[@MellowpineLasers]

Thank you

[@drakeangelheart]

Awesome video, thank you so much! Really looking forward to your video about using a compressor for the air assist. I have an airbrush compressor that i want to use for my Ortur LM3 10 Watt so any advice is very much appreciated.

[@MellowpineLasers]

Thank you so much.. will be uploading it soon.

[@MellowpineLasers]

Hi, the air assist video is out. Please do check it out and share your feedback.

[@Dancopymus]

Excellent tutorial. To cut the acrylic, do you use the Air Assist on full power or medium power? Thanks

[@MellowpineLasers]

For thin acrylic I use low pressure, for really thick acrylic I use high pressure

[@533lpunit]

I need a video that focuses on 10w and not only 20w

[@inkberryinfusion]

I was wondering what glues do you use to adhere acrylic together?

[@ser.academia]

Thank you very much for your guidance.... How to avoid those little marks wher laser start cutting, mainly in black acrylic shows small spot "smoked"...? I did rubber with my finger to smear it out, with acceptable result.

[@MellowpineLasers]

Go to layer settings -> Advanced -> add a bit of overcut, add lead in and lead out

[@inkberryinfusion]

Can a 20watt diode cut 2mm cast acrylic or is that not possible?

[@mrsdizi1234]

TFS What settings do you recommend to start if the aylic is 1mm thick? I am having a hard time figuring that out, all videos show 2mm Thank you. Great video. I have xtool d1 pro 20W

[@MellowpineLasers]

If it's for cutting, use half the power used for 2 mm, or else use half the number of passes for 2 mm. If it's for engraving you can use the same settings. For engraving, the thickness doesn't matter much.

[@hiramcinar2975]

thanks for the informations and good video, I like your contents alot. is it possible to do gold mirror acrylic 1mm on diode laser?

[@MellowpineLasers]

Glad you find my videos useful... 😊 No, you cannot cut gold mirror acrylic using a diode laser because it is basically a clear acrylic with a mirror finish on the back. So, once the mirror finish is engraved, the laser passes through the clear acrylic without cutting it. However, you can engrave on gold mirror acrylic by burning the reflective layer.

[@UmerKhan-mn3re]

very nice, what about Gold acrylic ?

[@MellowpineLasers]

Diode lasers can be used to engrave gold acrylic, but cannot cut them. You will need a CO2 laser for that.

[@chantellenormand6030]

Will the xtool smoke purifier deal with the fumes if you have poor ventilation?

[@MellowpineLasers]

I have not used it yet or any other smoke purifier as I use good ventilation, so I don't think it would be fair to give my opinion on it.

[@yaramorad4191]

Hallo i have a question can i with diode laser 22wat cut and engrave mirror acrylic?

[@marioscharalambous7907]

If I paint the clear acrylic sheet black, can I cut it out as if it were black acrylic sheet? and then remove the paint with a thinner.

[@MellowpineLasers]

No, you cannot do that. The instant the laser hits the surface the paint is vaporized, it wouldn't exist to transfer the heat all the way through the sheet. All you would get is an engraving along the laser path. You would need a CO2 laser to cut clear acrylic sheet.

[@sasha6261]

Where do you get the acrylic

[@Bullitt2410]

So with my xTool I can’t cut white acrylic? I’m wanting to make acrylic earrings and majority of the colors I want to use are pastels, white, and pinks

[@MellowpineLasers]

No, you cannot cut white acrylic using a blue diode laser. xTool has an infrared laser upgrade, which might be able to do it. I cannot say for sure, I'm trying to get my hands on one soon to test.

[@HuguesMarcelYapi]

Can i cut gold acrylic with my Xtool d1 pro 10w? I want to do cake topper in acrylic

[@MellowpineLasers]

I don't think you can cut gold acrylic with a diode laser. You can use the diode laser to engrave the back of gold acrylic, but you will need a CO2 laser to make through cuts.

[@nakulnaks]

Can we cut synthetic fabric of 1mm in diode machine plz???

[@MellowpineLasers]

Yes, you can cut synthetic fabric with a diode laser, but you will need to perform test runs to identify the optimal parameters, as synthetic fabrics are prone to melting upon overheating. Also, diode lasers are not good for cutting lighter shades of fabrics like white.

[@nakulnaks]

@@MellowpineLasers means if we cut white fabric what will happen can u tell me plz

[@srer8183]

Can you Etch and Cut Clear Acrylic 2 mm and 4mm thick. you have great video's 👌

[@MellowpineLasers]

@Sre R Yes you can engrave on clear acrylic using a diode laser, I'm making a video on that. No you cannot cut clear acrylic on a diode laser, you will need a CO2 laser to cut clear acrylic.

[@srer8183]

@@MellowpineLasers Any Affordable co2 Laser Machine.

[@srer8183]

@@MellowpineLasers Here is what I did. 1: Painted the surface with washable black acryclic paint. (Black Craft smart Acrylic Paint) dry's fast and easy to wash it. 2: Painted surface up and directly engraved on it. results are ok. 3: I also tried blue masking tape and directly engraved on it facing up. Only problem is the the power%/Speed test the squares are showing up nice but too smooth doesn't refract light when put in Led Base slot.

[@MellowpineLasers]

Try some K40 or Omtech

[@MellowpineLasers]

I'll post a video soon

[@rafaelbenyam4443]

What about using 5w laser

[@MellowpineLasers]

For 5W you could use the same power setting of 20W and 1/4th speed of 20W

[@bobbychristinawarcup3549]

I am very confused about cutting clear acrylic?? Paint/Soap etc. Are there any videos that just focus on the D1 pro for clear acrylic Any help is appreciated %(

[@MellowpineLasers]

You cannot cut clear acrylic using a blue diode no matter how hard you try. If you do find a way to do it please share it with me, I have been trying to find a way for a long time.

[@bobbychristinawarcup3549]

@@MellowpineLasers lesson learned 😏. Can you recommend a laser that I can put on my Xtool D1 Pro that would cut clear acrylic.

[@MellowpineLasers]

You'll need a CO2 laser

[@bobbychristinawarcup3549]

@@MellowpineLasers I was afraid you all would say that. Next thing for me to do is find a local that can cut my acrylic. My wife sells acrylics so I can pass some savings in return. I’m also pretty good and artwork on Mac or pc so I can also trade that as well. 😎

[@Cheeraulia]

Hii, I want to know about cutting white acrylic, can this thing cut white acrylic. I am so struggle, and I want so badly cutting my white acryclic with laser. Thank you, sir. :)

[@Cheeraulia]

Ok, I know the answer sir :(, laser diode can't cut white acrylic, but if I cut black acrylic then paint the acrylic with white spray paint, it can make the surface becomes rough. :(

[@newrunning]

What do you mean i cant cut clear acrylic i have so much.

[@MellowpineLasers]

Sorry, but that is the truth. 😔 A diode laser cannot cut clear acrylic. You will need a CO2 laser for that. But you can surely use a diode laser to engrave clear acrylic by applying black paint. 😊

[@iq0099]

you did not mention anything about Cast Acrylics vs. Extruded! Big difference in outcome! you did not mention about welding and glue you did not mention anything about doing the Lightburn tests, and do the kerf tests!

[@justinhill2369]

You are talking to fast and with your accent it makes it IMPOSSIBLE to understand about 90% of what you are saying. SLOW DOWN and enunciate! I don't have the time to rewind the video 15 times to try and figure out what you are saying. This is disappointing, as the subject is exactly what I was looking for.

[@MellowpineLasers]

I understand how my fast-paced speech and accent may have caused some inconvenience in grasping the content. Thank you for bringing this to my attention, and I genuinely appreciate your feedback. I'll do my best to improve the clarity of my speech in future videos. In the meantime, you might find it helpful to use subtitles for understanding the content better.

[@StumblingBumblingIdiot]

Nice man! I just watched Rich's ( louisiana hobby guy) video on kerf too! It is definitely something I want to play with if I can ever find acrylic at a cheap price. Just a bit too high right now for all that waste testing, at least for me. Looking forward to the next video!

[@MellowpineLasers]

All you need to do is cut some 10 or so 10 mm wide squares. If you have any scrap acrylic from your previous projects you can use those. You don't need much for testing it out.