Glass lantern

Lanterns make beautiful and modern table decorations for weddings. In the following tutorial, we will give you step-by-step instructions on how to laser engrave individual wedding decorations. This lantern can also be engraved for many other occasions such as Christmas or birthdays.

Preparation

Material required

Glass lantern (angular, 10x10x10cm)
Candle (height 8cm, diameter 6cm)
Paper towel

Machine used

Laser engraver Speedy 400
120 Watt
2" lens
vacuum table

You can use any laser machine from the Speedy laser engraver series for this DIY.

Tips

In order to prevent the glass from splintering during engraving, we recommend using some damp kitchen paper towel.

To prepare the glass, simply place a single, thin layer of paper towel on the spot where you would like to engrave the lantern. Then moisten the towel with a sponge or spray bottle. To optimse the engraving results, make sure the paper towel does not have any folds or air bubbles.

Tips and tricks for glass engraving with the laser

diy-glass-engraving-glass-lantern.zip

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ZIP

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Step by step

Step 1

Step 1: Import/create laser template

You can create your own design or use the free template that we have provided. Send the job to the laser machine with the following settings:

Print settings

Process mode	Resolution	Cut line
Standard	500dpi	none

Halftone	Others
Colour	Optimised Geometries

Step 2

Step 2: Laser process

The suggested parameter settings will vary depending on the laser machine you are using and the available laser power. To prevent the paper towel from excessively drying, deactivate air assist during the engraving process.

Position the lantern on the vacuum table. We recommend placing a sheet of paper under the glass to prevent possible scratches. To achieve the best possible engraving result, the surface to be engraved must have an even height. If your lantern has a beveled shape, you will need to compensate for differences in height.

Laser parameters:

Colour	Process	Power (%)	Speed (%)	ppi/Hz
black	Engrave CO₂	90	100	500 ppi

Passes	Air Assist	Z-Offset	Direction	Advanced
1	Off	-	Top down	-

Step 3

Step 3: Finishing

Once the engraving is complete, remove the glass from the laser machine. Carefully clean the engraved surface with a damp cloth.

Now just place a candle inside the latern and it's complete!

Inspiration

In order to accentuate the engraving, we recommend using a dark coloured candle. This DIY is incredibly versatile as it can be used for a range of unique applications, such as birthdays, weddings, parties, Christmas, the list goes on!

Speedy series
The ideal laser engraver and cutter for personalisation.

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Questions about applications or settings?
We're happy to advise you from A for Air assist to Z for z-offset.