Leather & Fabric: Diode
Diode + veg-tanned leather is a beautiful combo. Fabric is doable for cuts; engraving fabric is dicey on diode (low absorption on light/synthetic fabrics).
Leather basics
- Veg-tanned leather: the laser-friendly choice. Engraves dark brown to black; cuts cleanly.
- Chrome-tanned: NEVER laser. Releases toxic chromium compounds.
- Bonded leather, vinyl, faux leather: avoid. Off-gas toxins.
- Verify the source. If you can't confirm veg-tanned. Don't burn it.
Leather settings (20W marketing diode)
| Operation | Speed | Power | Passes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engrave 2-3mm leather | 3500 mm/min | 15-25% | 1 |
| Cut 2.5mm veg-tan | 300 mm/min | 100% | 1-2 |
| Cut 1.5mm thin leather | 600 mm/min | 100% | 1 |
| Light photo / portrait | 3000 mm/min | 12-18% | 1, Stucki dither |
Leather pre-engrave prep
- Mask with paper tape: protects surface from smoke residue. Same trick as wood.
- Wipe with damp cloth if dusty.
- Cardboard backer: leather edges burn at the bottom face; placing thin cardboard underneath protects the bed and absorbs some bottom-side burn.
Common leather projects
- Wallet inserts / cards: engraved monogram. $15-35.
- Keychains: bulk-friendly. $8-18.
- Bracelets: name + date. $15-45.
- Coasters (4-set): premium gift item. $25-70.
- Pet collars: name + phone engraved. $25-65.
Fabric: what works
| Material | Speed | Power | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton fabric (cut) | 600 mm/min | 35% | Pin / honeycomb table |
| Wool felt (cut) | 400 mm/min | 50% | Quilting / cosplay |
| Canvas (cut) | 300 mm/min | 75% | Multi-pass for heavy duck |
| Denim (cut) | 300 mm/min | 85% | Stiff fabric; multi-pass |
Fabric: what doesn't
- Vinyl / PVC: toxic chlorine off-gas.
- Polyester / synthetic blends: melt edges, stinks. Some cuts work but quality varies.
- White / light cotton at engrave settings: won't engrave (no absorption at 450nm). Cotton has to be DARK to engrave.
- Stretchy / knit fabric: moves under the laser; cuts come out wavy.
Pin / honeycomb table for fabric
Cutting fabric on a flat bed leaves bottom-side burn marks where the fabric rests. Use pin or honeycomb to lift fabric off the bed:
- Pin table: parallel pins/strips at ~25mm spacing.
- Honeycomb: standard CO2-style table; works for diode too.
- Magnets / weights: hold flat fabric so it doesn't shift mid-cut.