Overview
Lasers mark or etch wood, acrylic, leather, coated metals, and glass—often with a rotary for tumblers and cylinders.
Quick facts
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Best for
- 2D · surface mark
- Typical output
- Engraved tumblers, Metal tags, Wood plaques
- Typical cost
- Diode $200–$1,500; CO2 $3,000–$15,000+
Excellent for
- Engraved tumblers★★★★★
- Anodized tags★★★★★
- Leather monograms★★★★★
- Rubber stamps★★★★★
Compatible with
Production
Machines
Pros & cons
Pros
- ✔Engraved tumblers
- ✔Anodized tags
- ✔Leather monograms
- ✔Rubber stamps
Creator & maker guides
Equipment
- CO2 or fiber laser
Materials
- Wood
- Anodized aluminum
- Coated metals
- Leather
- Acrylic (marking)
Machine settings
No items yet.
Quality control
No items yet.
Best practices
- 1Supply high-contrast PNG for photo engraving or vector paths for line work.
- 2Confirm blank coating is laser-safe and rated for marking.
- 3Specify placement and wrap alignment for drinkware.
Common mistakes
Low
contrast marks on wrong metal finish
Raster banding from low DPI artwork
Raster banding from low DPI artwork
Uneven rotation on tumblers without proper rotar…
Uneven rotation on tumblers without proper rotary setup
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Low-contrast marks on wrong metal finish | See guides below for context | Review creator/maker tabs and troubleshooting table |
| Raster banding from low DPI artwork | See guides below for context | Review creator/maker tabs and troubleshooting table |
| Uneven rotation on tumblers without proper rotary setup | See guides below for context | Review creator/maker tabs and troubleshooting table |
Helpful tools
DPI & resolution calculator
SoonImage size calculator
SoonBleed generator
SoonAspect ratio calculator
SoonHeat press time & temperature
SoonSublimation wrap calculator
Soon