CUT · ENGRAVE · MARK
Custom laser cutting and engraving from verified makers
For small businesses, event planners, gift buyers and designers. Post your artwork and get quotes from makers with laser cutters and engravers registered on the platform.
Free app for iOS and Android. You post the job, makers quote, you choose.
About Laser Cutting & Engraving
Laser cutting uses a focused beam to cut flat material into precise shapes, and laser engraving marks text, logos and images into a surface. Common jobs include signs, branded products, personalised gifts, wedding décor, product parts, packaging inserts and awards. CO2 lasers suit wood, acrylic, leather, card and fabric, fibre lasers mark metals, and diode lasers handle lighter engraving work. On The Spool List you post the job free with your artwork (SVG, DXF, AI or PDF), material, size and quantity. Verified makers whose machines are registered on the platform send quotes. You choose one, pay the quoted price, and your payment is protected until you confirm delivery.
Typical jobs
Business signage
Cut acrylic or wood signs, lettering and wall logos for a shop, office or stand.
Branded merchandise
Logos engraved on tumblers, notebooks, keyrings, pens or coasters for a team or a client.
Personalised gifts
Names, dates or photos engraved on wood, slate, glass or leather.
Wedding and event décor
Place cards, cake toppers, table numbers and signage cut to a theme.
Acrylic and plywood parts
Flat parts, panels and enclosures cut to exact outlines for products or prototypes.
Metal marking
Serial numbers, QR codes and logos marked permanently on tools, parts or jewellery.
Awards and plaques
Engraved trophies, plaques and recognition pieces.
Stencils and templates
Precise stencils in card, mylar or thin sheet for painting, crafts or workshops.
Materials
- Plywood (birch, poplar)
- MDF
- Solid hardwood
- Cast acrylic
- Extruded acrylic
- Leather (vegetable-tanned)
- Card and paper
- Cork
- Slate
- Glass
- Anodised aluminium
- Stainless steel (fibre laser marking)
- Felt and fabric
Processes
- CO2 laser cutting
- CO2 laser engraving
- Fibre laser marking
- Diode laser engraving
- UV laser marking
- Vector cutting
- Raster engraving
- Rotary engraving (cups, bottles)
- Photo engraving
Metal laser cutting
Metal laser cutting is usually done on a fibre laser, which cuts sheet steel, stainless steel and aluminium far more effectively than the CO2 lasers used for wood and acrylic. Typical jobs are brackets, plates, enclosures, signage letters and flat parts that are later bent or welded.
How thick a sheet can be cut depends on the machine's power and the material, so give the material grade and thickness in your job and makers will tell you whether their machine can handle it. Many hobby and craft lasers can only mark or engrave metal, not cut through it. Upload a DXF or other vector file at 1:1 scale and say whether edges need deburring or the parts need bending afterwards.
Laser tube cutting
Laser tube cutting uses a laser with a rotary axis or a dedicated tube machine to cut holes, slots, notches and mitred ends in round, square and rectangular tube and some open profiles. It is used for frames, furniture, racks and handrails, where cut tube sections slot together before welding.
Tube cutting needs a different machine from flat-sheet cutting, so say clearly in your job that the parts are tube, and give the profile, outside dimensions, wall thickness, length and material. A 3D model or a dimensioned drawing of each part helps makers quote accurately.
The market in numbers
$22.5B
Global market for laser systems used in materials processing in 2024
For sale now in the Forge
Ready-made items listed by the makers who make them. Prices set by each maker.
Custom Made Chef Hat, Off Set White to Make Look More Natural 👨🍳
Home decor · by Dominic Hartenstein (Buffalo 3D Printing)
$30.00
Holder for anything, Pumpkin Design 3D Printed in PLA for Halloween 🎃
Home decor · by Dominic Hartenstein (Buffalo 3D Printing)
$35.00
Thermoformed shapes ideal for Xmas and other holidays any shape can be done
Other · by scotsguy39
$100.00
Custom Signs & Lightboxes
Home decor · by RogueCmdr3D
$95.00
Custom 3D Design & Printing - Your Idea, Made Real
Other · by RogueCmdr3D
$80.00
POD - Bring Your Own Files | Custom 3D Printing
Other · by RogueCmdr3D
$45.00
Bulk Printing & Seller Fulfillment
Other · by RogueCmdr3D
$150.00
Personalized Keychains & Bag Tags
Gifts · by RogueCmdr3D
$12.00
Makers with verified machines
Makers whose machines for this kind of work have been verified on The Spool List. Location shown is the city or country the maker entered.
Precision InscionsVerified maker
Tampa, United States · Laser cutting & engraving
Gulsah TopalVerified maker
Digital design & 3D modelling
Ketan KubavatVerified maker
Digital design & 3D modelling
brian.stuckVerified maker
Long Beach, United States · Laser cutting & engraving
KittermanSpeedShopVerified maker
Printing & signageNoble06
Verified maker
Kittery, ME, United States · Laser cutting & engravinggpz5h7fmzf
Verified maker
Laser cutting & engraving65979922aa
Verified maker
صباح الناصر, الفروانية, Kw · Printing & signagevaibhavkaushik0001
Verified maker
Digital design & 3D modellingthelaserbeez
Verified maker
Retzbach, Austria · Laser cutting & engravingHeleran
Verified maker
Austin, TX, United States · Laser cutting & engraving
How to brief a maker
- Upload vector artwork (SVG, DXF, AI or PDF) with cut lines and engrave areas on separate layers or colours.
- Give the finished size, material and thickness, for example 3 mm cast acrylic or 6 mm birch plywood.
- Convert text to outlines, or name the fonts, so lettering does not change on another computer.
- For engraving on items you supply (tumblers, knives, phone cases), say what they are made of and how you will send them.
- State the quantity and whether every piece is the same or personalised with different names.
- Mention any finish needed, such as masking removed, edges cleaned, painted infill or assembly.
How buying works
01
Post your job or order in the free app, and talk to the maker directly — not a middleman.
02
Your payment is protected while the maker makes it — processed securely by Stripe.
03
The maker is paid after you confirm delivery.
Frequently asked questions
How much does laser engraving cost?
It depends on the size of the engraved area, the material, the detail and the quantity. Machine time is the main cost, and setup is shared across a batch, so identical items get cheaper per piece. Personalising each item with a different name adds handling time. Makers on The Spool List set their own prices: post your design and compare quotes.
What is the difference between laser cutting, engraving and etching?
Cutting goes all the way through the material to make a shape. Engraving removes material to leave a mark with depth. Etching and marking usually change only the surface, for example by darkening or colouring metal without much depth. Many makers offer all three, and a single job can combine cutting and engraving.
Which materials can be laser cut or engraved?
CO2 lasers cut and engrave wood, MDF, acrylic, leather, card, cork and fabric, and engrave glass and slate. Fibre lasers mark metals. PVC and vinyl should not be laser cut because they give off chlorine gas, and makers will refuse them. If you are unsure about a material, name it in the job post.
What file format do I need for laser cutting?
Vector files such as SVG, DXF, AI or PDF suit cutting, because the laser follows the lines. For photo engraving, a high-resolution raster image (PNG or JPG) works. Set the file to the real size, and keep cut and engrave parts on separate layers or in different colours so the maker can read them.
Can I send my own items to be engraved?
Many makers engrave items that customers supply, such as tumblers, knives, cutting boards and phone cases. Say in the job post what the item is made of and how many there are, and agree shipping with the maker before you send anything. Some coated or plastic items do not engrave well, so ask the maker first.
Can a laser engrave metal?
Yes. Fibre and UV lasers mark metals such as stainless steel, aluminium and brass directly. A CO2 laser can mark coated or anodised metal, or bare metal with a marking spray. Check each maker's registered machines on their profile to see which type of laser they use.
Free tools for this job
Specialist site
Sources checked 2026-09-30.