Tutorial : Cloth Texture, Smooth Micro-Glitter, and Cork Texture Hybrid Acrylic Sheets | Preparation & Laser Cutting Procedure

Preparation and Cutting Procedure for Cloth Texture, Smooth Micro-Glitter, and Cork Texture Hybrid Acrylic Sheets  

Our Cloth Texture, Smooth Micro-Glitter, and Cork Texture Hybrid Acrylic Sheets make any project stand out! It is important to keep in mind that these elegantly beautiful acrylic sheets need to be cut with the utmost care in mind. Here are some very important steps for you to follow to prepare your Cloth Texture, Smooth Micro-Glitter, and Cork Texture Hybrid Acrylic Sheets prior to putting it in your laser cutting machine. These steps are for both CO2 lasers and Diode Laser Machines.

Important Reminders Before We Get Started  

• It is important you fully read this tutorial before cutting your  Cloth Texture, Smooth Micro-Glitter, and Cork Texture Hybrid Acrylic Sheets.

• The link for the Hybrid Acrylic Laser Cutting/Engraving Setting Chart is at the end of the tutorial.

• A full video tutorial is offered at the end of the tutorial.

• Always do a small test cut to check your settings. Each laser machine is a little different, whether it's newer, older, clean or needs to be wiped down. Doing a test cut can help prevent mistakes.

• For Diode Laser Owners: It is also important to note that it may be necessary to increase passes if you are doing large cuts over 4" x 3". In the same respect, it may be necessary to decreases the amount of passes if doing small charms or small earring pieces. Too much heat running on a small cut can result in burn marks along the edges.

Items Needed

Surface Protection Prior to Laser Cutting & Post-Cut Cleanup Steps

Step 1: Blue Painter's Tape Protection

• First, grab your Scotch Brand Blue Painter’s Tape; this brand seems to adhere best without risking any damage to the decorative top and tends to avoid lifting during the cutting process. Apply it only to the area you plan to cut, press down with your fingers back and forth so it adheres to the top of the sheet.  To prevent your tape from curling up, use enough tape where you are able to wrap it around the back of the sheet securely. We don't recommend using any types of tape or masking paper tape that don't stay during the laser cutting process.
• Pro Tip: Test the tape by letting it sit for a few minutes. If you see any lifting, massage the tape down firmly so it adheres better. If you are trying a different brand of tape, and it doesn’t adhere well, try the Scotch Brand Painter’s tape. This seems to have worked the best after testing several brands of tape. It is important the tape adheres well and does not flap up because any flapping material upwards toward the laser could potentially catch fire, so keep a close eye on it! It is always important to watch your laser while it’s in use.

Step 2: Flame Protection with Dawn Soap

• To protect against scorching, start by applying a thin layer of Dawn Soap over the tape you just applied. Avoid getting soap on any part of the decorative topper that is not protected by tape. A tiny drop of soap goes a long way, and this soap acts as a flame retardant—this is essential especially when you are cutting multiple passes.

Step 3: Post Cut Tape Removal with Tweezers

• If you did an engraving, skip to Step 4.
• When your cutting is done, reach for your tweezers, I recommend using thin L-shaped weeding tweezers. Use your tweezers to gently lift the tape. Go slow. Avoid using your nails to lift the tape as this could damage the top layer. Tweezers make it easier to lift the tape and helps to avoid damaging the decorative top!

Step 4: Engraving Cleanup 

• If you’re engraving, here’s a quick cleanup tip! Use a soft brush like a paint brush to dust away any debris from the engraving cavities. You can also blow on the engraved area to remove any remaining debris left in the engraved area. Don’t forget to close your eyes, it never feels good to have debris blown back into your face. Gently remove the tape with tweezers. Thin L angled weeding tweezers work best using the curved side. Avoid using your nail to lift the tape, doing so may damage the decorative top.
• Pro Tip: Remove any remaining tape from your leftover acrylic, remember that painter’s tape can leave residue if left on for long periods of time, so avoid long-term storage with tape attached

 Laser Setting and Cutting Tips

For the laser settings, check out the link provided in the comments below or on the Hybrid Acrylic Tutorial page to see the Laser Settings for the various machines we have been able to test on. If you do not see your laser listed, here are some tips to help you narrow in on the best settings for your particular machine.

For Diode Laser Owners

• Guidance for Diode Lasers: The best practice when using a diode laser with these fun Hybrid Acrylic Sheets is to slightly increase your power for what you would normally use to cut a 1/8" black acrylic sheet. You then want to significantly increase your speed, and increase the number of your passes.

The goal is to give enough power to break through the additional thickness of the decorative top with a speed that allows enough heat to cut through the sheet without burning the edges of the decorative top. Due to the faster speed, additional passes are necessary to cut all the way through to the back of the acrylic sheet.

• Example: For those Diode Laser owners who have wattages not currently listed on our cut/engrave settings chart, here is an example scenarios to assist you with determining the best way to reconfigure your settings to cut your Cloth, Cork, and Smooth Micro Glitter Hybrid Acrylic:

The 5 Watt Glowforge Aura/Spark's Diode laser setting for medium thickness black acrylic sheet (general setting used for 1/8" thick black or dark colored acrylic) is 13 speed, 7.5 power, and 3 passes. The settings determined to cut the Cloth, Cork, and Smooth Micro Glitter Hybrid Acrylic was reconfigured to 30 speed, 8 power, and 9 passes for smaller cuts and 10 passes for larger cuts. This balance gives you a clean cut without burning the edges.

For CO2 Laser Owners

• Guidance for CO2 Lasers: For CO2 lasers, you’ll want to decrease the power, increase the passes, and depending on the wattage of your machine, increase the speed to avoid scorching the decorative top.

The goal is to give enough power to break through the additional thickness of the decorative top with a speed that allows enough heat to cut through the sheet without burning the edges of the decorative top. Due to the faster speed, additional passes are necessary to cut all the way through to the back of the acrylic sheet. Due to the how hot CO2 lasers burn, it is best to reduce the power as to maintain the integrity of the beautiful decorative top layer.

• Examples: For those CO2 laser owners who have wattages not currently listed on our cut/engrave settings chart, here are some example scenarios to assist you with determining the best way to reconfigure your settings to cut your Cloth, Cork, and Smooth Micro Glitter Hybrid Acrylic:

For the 45 Watt Glowforge Pro CO2 Laser, the general cut setting for medium black acrylic is 165 Speed, Full Power, and 1 Pass. The settings for Cloth, Cork, and Smooth Micro Glitter Hybrid Acrylic was tested and reconfigured to maintain the same 165 Speed, but the Power was dropped to 85% for smaller cuts and 95% for larger cut, and the Passes were doubled to 2 Passes.

My suggestion for those who have the 40 Watt Glowforge Basic and Plus CO2 Laser would be to run a test cut using your general default cut setting for Medium Black Acrylic, drop your power to 80%, and double your passes. If the cut does not go through, either increase your power, or add an additional pass.

For the 100 Watt OmTech CO2 Laser, the setting I configure within the LightBurn Software for black or dark colored 1/8" thick acrylic is 635 Speed, 35% Power and 1 Pass. The settings for Cloth, Cork, and Smooth Micro Glitter Hybrid Acrylic were tested and reconfigured to almost double the Speed at 1150, the power was reduced to 30%, and the Passes were doubled to 2.

I hope that this provided information will help you to narrow in on the on the best cut settings for your machine.

Currently I have listed the cut settings for laser machines I have access to and I am  working on accessing other types of lasers with various wattages so I can add more settings to the cut/engraving chart. If you have a different type of laser wattage for either a CO2 laser or a Diode laser and you have narrowed in on the perfect cut settings for the Cloth, Cork, and Smooth Micro Glitter Hybrid Acrylic, please reach out to us and share so we can add it the the cut settings chart. As a huge THANK YOU, we will send you a generous gift card/voucher to use on our site.

Please feel free to reach out to us at 619-820-2454 by text or call and we can help guide you through with some tips to get you to your best cut settings.

**If you have a laser with a different wattage than the ones listed on our Laser Cutting/Engraving Settings Chart, and you have narrowed in on the best cut and engravings settings for your machine, please let us know so we can add it to the list. As a THANK YOU, we will send you a generous voucher to use on our site!

Engraving Tips for Cloth Texture, Cork Texture & Micro-Glitter Hybrid Acrylic Sheets 

Laser engraving is fun on Cloth Texture, Cork Texture and Smooth Micro-Glitter Hybrid Acrylic Sheets. These sheets have thin decorative tops, which means engraving can reveal the acrylic underneath for a nice effect. For smooth results, use light power settings to avoid damaging the glitter, cloth, or cork texture. Clean up is easy. Use a soft brush to wipe the dust away, or simply blowing on the engraved area works too, but don’t forget to close your eyes, dust never feels good when it blows back at your face.

Interested in doing a color fill on your engraving? Check out our Youtube Channel for our engraving color fill tutorial for this material!

Thank you so much for reading through our tutorial! With these steps, you’ll be ready to cut your Cloth Texture, Smooth Micro-Glitter, and Cork Texture Hybrid Acrylic Sheets like a pro! Remember, these materials are designed to make a statement, so show off your projects and tag us on socials so we can brag about your beautiful creations. Oh, and please don’t forget to tune into our Youtube and like and subscribe so you can receive notifications for added videos on new creative tips and tutorials!

Helpful Links and Videos 

Hybrid Acrylic Laser Cutting and Engraving Settings Chart