At Snijlab, you can easily bring your designs to life. Laser cutting custom spray stencils, slats, or nameplates? Whether you're working on a creative project, need a practical part, or just want to experiment with laser cutting, everyone is welcome here, including private individuals. In this blog, we explain how it works.
What is laser cutting?
Laser is the abbreviation of the English term “Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation”. In laser cutting, a concentrated beam of light, or laser beam, moves across the sheet material. The energy of the laser precisely vaporizes the material, creating very accurate cut-outs. A laser cutter can cut almost any two-dimensional shape, unlike CNC milling where you are limited by the shape of the milling cutter. The technique is computer-controlled, and the laser precisely follows the drawing. To use laser cutting at Snijlab, you always need a laser cut file: a vector drawing of your design. You can create such a drawing yourself using our drawing rules in a design program like Adobe Illustrator, Rhino, or Solidworks.
What are the benefits of laser cutting for private individuals?
Easily and quickly order your design and receive precisely cut parts in a suitable material, such as wood or plastic. With laser cutting at Snijlab, it also becomes possible for private individuals to bring designs to life.
With many laser cutting services, you can only order as a business; we believe it's important that laser cutting is accessible to everyone. Do you want to experiment with a laser cutting DIY project, for example, a personalized gift or a decorative execution of a graphic design? Then you've come to the right place.
Here's a summary of all the benefits of laser cutting for private individuals:
- Create your own design in (free) vector software
- Choose from a wide range of materials
- Determine your own delivery time
- Benefit from discounts on larger quantities
- Receive an instant price indication after upload
How does laser cutting work for private individuals?
Laser cutting for private individuals works in a few simple steps and functions the same way as for business customers. First, create an account via the website, where you upload your vector drawing. Then, choose a material and the delivery time. Once that's all set, you'll immediately see the price and can place your order. With express delivery, your order will be delivered within one day. No rush? Then choose a longer delivery time for a more economical price.
At Snijlab, you can order from just one piece, and all parts are custom-made. This way, you always order exactly what you need. Creatives and hobbyists alike can easily order their laser parts and receive their designs precisely and accurately cut at home.
Custom laser cutting: which materials can you choose from?
To bring your design to life, at Snijlab you can choose from a large assortment of high-quality materials, all suitable for laser cutting. Our selection has been carefully curated, so there's a suitable material for every application.
Birch Plywood is our bestseller, loved for its strength and versatility. Are you looking for something decorative? Then acrylic is a great choice, available in transparent or various colours. For practical applications such as tool inlays, PE hard foam is very suitable. PET felt is a new and popular material that lends itself well to, for example, acoustic panels, available in many attractive colours.
You can also supply your own material. Do you want to know if it's suitable for laser cutting? Feel free to contact customer service.
Wood laser cutting for private individuals
Wood is versatile, durable, and strong, making it a great material for laser cutting. We even have special birch wood produced for laser cutting, ensuring a better result. Do you want to know more about wood laser cutting for private individuals or are you curious which type of wood best suits your design? Discover here all our wood types and optionally use the selection tool.
What can you make with laser cutting?
The possibilities for laser cutting are endless. Think of home decor like wall art and lampshades, fashion and accessories such as belts and jewellery, personalised keychains, cut-out logos, city maps, acrylic enclosures, signage, and so on!
To be able to laser cut, you always need a vector drawing first. There are many different vector software options for laser cutting, and some fit your project better than others. View here all our tips and tutorials for the various programs, such as Rhino, Adobe Illustrator, and Solidworks. Read here our blog (including handy templates) on how to create a good laser cutting design.
How much does laser cutting cost for private individuals?
Curious about the cost of laser cutting? Every design is unique, so we don't have a fixed price. The website automatically calculates the price of your design, immediately after uploading your vector drawing. Not sure yet if you want to order? Uploading a file is completely non-binding; you always see the price before placing an order.
The price for laser cutting is determined by the length of the cut line, engravings, the material, and the delivery time. We offer a volume discount, where the total price decreases if you order multiple parts. Are you having multiple products made from the same material? Then a discount for repetitive material will also be activated.
Do you want to keep your laser cutting costs as low as possible? Then a free design software is the first step. Discover here our other tips for affordable laser cutting.
Snijlab delivers high-quality materials and a neat finish, so you can fully focus on the design process. Curious how others use our service? View the examples of ‘MDL!GHT’ and ‘Nerdy Gurdy’: two beautiful products where Snijlab played a role as a laser cutting service.
With laser cutting, the possibilities are endless. Curious what your design will cost? Upload your file and receive an instant price indication. You provide your design, we take care of the rest. This is how we make laser cutting accessible to everyone.
