Introduction: Laser Cutting Foam Letters
Laser cutting foam letters is a great application for your Epilog Laser machine. The laser easily cuts through the foam material, allowing you to create dimensional pieces for signage projects, photo props, and much more! Add some personalized messaging to your next event or celebration with this fun idea!
You can download the artwork we used for this project here.
Supplies
- Polyethylene foam - we selected the quarter sheet size, which is 54" (1371.6mm) by 24" (609.6mm), and 1" (25.4 mm) thick. Depending on your table size, you may need to manually cut the foam with a utility knife to fit within the laser, or request a custom size foam sheet.
- Spray paint (optional)
- Utility knife (optional)
- Epilog Laser System
Step 1: Set Up
Open the artwork files and customize as necessary. If you opt for a different font, make sure it is thick enough to hold when moving and mounting/placing the letters. Thinner fonts can be more delicate, a thicker one will ensure less breakage.
Step 2: Send the Job to the Laser
After you've modified the artwork to your liking, insert your foam piece into the laser and send the job over with the correct parameters for your machine.
Our settings:
Vector: Speed 24% // Power 100% // Frequency // 100
After you've focused, manually move the table up by .15". This helps ensure the beam goes entirely through the foam. The foam isn't very dense, so you likely will not need an abundant amount of power to cut through it, and you can always run it again if the laser doesn't go completely through.
Step 3: Spray (paint) and Display!
After your letters have been cut, take them outside and apply a few coats of spray paint. For this project we used Krylon Glitter Paint in Silver & Gold. After the paint has dried you are good to go!
