If you are a creative person, love creating, and you just like to see the beauty that comes into the world from your hands and has been working on jewelry creation in the past, this article is for you.
We understand that there are many new jewelry creation techniques that you may want to try out, and if creating laser-cut acrylic jewelry is somewhere on your list, then this is the guide you have been missing.
Here, we’ll share step-by-step instructions on how to make the best quality laser-cut acrylic jewelry.
You will also learn more about the basics and the operational steps needed for the safe and successful use of laser-cut technology, a technological approach that is not just powerful but also surprisingly simple to maneuver.
And at the end of it all, you will be able to design and also produce your own accessories and the best jewelry pieces.
It’s also worth noting that the laser-cut technology is not just easy to start and to produce the laser-cut piece, it is also surprisingly cheap, meaning that it guarantees great profit margins, should you choose to sell the jewelry pieces made for about $2 and sold on Etsy at $10-$30.
So, let’s get started!
How to make laser cut acrylic jewelry (step by step)
Here are some of the things you need and the steps you should follow to create the best kind of laser-cut acrylic jewelry.
Step 1 – Settle on a design
The design of the jewelry you will be creating is the most crucial part of this jewelry-making process, and you will need to settle on either the ready-made designs or opt for the Design It Yourself approach.
If you opt for the Ready-Made design approach, you’ll need to make use of the templates of existing designs often found in many of the open-design repositories. There are many excellent options that you could choose from here, and you will always be happy with your results.
If, on the other hand, you are up for the challenge and believe that you can come up with different and unique designs that demonstrate your preferences and sense of style in the best way possible, then the DIY design approach would be the ideal one for you.
This is a more interesting and challenging approach that is made possible by your investment in the best vector graphics software such as Adobe Photoshop.
In addition to the software, you need tools and equipment to make the whole process possible. These tools include the Laser Cutter that is the most powerful machine and tool that you must invest in.
The tools you select should also be versatile in that they should work with different kinds of materials besides acrylic, such as leather, rubber, MDF wood, plywood, etc. Note that the material you intend to cut should be flexible and allow you to create the masterpieces intended with ease.
The good news is that there are many places for you to seek and find inspiration from, and the internet has more than enough places for you to start your search from, with Pinterest being one of the very best look-books that you can learn from.
Keep in mind that at the end of the day, you need the kind of knowledge to avoid mistakes and come up with better designs, earning you more money in the process and also saving you time and money.
Once you think that you have more than enough references, you may want to start sketching the best possible options that would work for you.
We recommend that you pay more attention to the sharp edges and ergonomy because these are things that you have to figure out all by yourself, and the example online will not really do much in getting you on the perfect design outputs.
The dimensions of the jewelry you intend to produce are also critical, and if you are at first clueless about the dimensions and what different numbers on the scale mean, we recommend prototyping the jewelry designs on paper then putting these prototypes against your body to ensure a good fit and balance.
Step 2 – Learning how to Draw
Whether using Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, or CorelDRAW, InkScape, among other software applications; or perhaps the 3D software applications like CAD, Sketchup, or even Rhino – you must know how to draw if you are going to come up with any good designs for your laser-cut acrylic jewelry designs.
Most of these applications are very easy to use, for example, Sketchup and Inkscape, and you could use them as you learn about the other design software options.
- Drawings lines – As you learn more about these applications, you should always avoid drawing very thin lines since these leave you with fragile designs.
- Engraving Jewelry – And if you will engrave your jewelry, you should always remember to create an extra layer of the designs in the SVG file when separating the engraving paths from the cutting paths. Also, you must engrave the pieces before cutting because of the possibility of gaps in the laser cutters between the material and the grid. The other things to do when cutting, especially with engravings, are as follows:
- Prepare the files correctly.
- This means using a different color for the cut and the engraves, using only strokes and no infills, and using millimeters for the dimensions.
- Always double check sizes before you save the file
- And save the files in SVG format,
Step 3- Choose the Materials
Since you’re working with acrylic, you need to find the best quality acrylic material from specialized stores. For the bijou finishings like pins, hooks, or metal rings, visit the bijou stores; there are many online.
You also need to find the right coating material for the finishing, like the acrylic, primer, or even varnish and sandpaper. And tools – brushes, pliers, cutters, rubber gloves, mask, crepe tape, etc.
Step 4 – Laser Cutting & Settings
Like the CNC Router, the laser cutter makes use of laser beams to cut through different kinds of materials in different dimensions thanks to its two motors which move the end nozzle to where the laser beam focuses on, burning (and cutting) the material.
For the best results, you have to keep testing the different settings, and also, you must prototype – this is the only way for you to learn, grow, and create the perfect acrylic jewelry designs.
Step 5 – Finishes
With acrylic pieces, you can get away with raw edges, but you could also choose to paint the acrylic pieces. Start with 2 layers of primer before painting, especially if you will paint the pieces in a light color.
Avoid the wet primer, and don’t use a high-strength primer. You could also apply varnish to prevent damage to the jewelry.
For earrings, you need to use the pliers to open the jump rings and to insert the laser-cut piece and the earring findings.
Apply a little pressure to close the jump rings. With necklaces, settle on the chain material, determine the right length, and use end caps for a nice finish.
Conclusion
If you were looking for a simple guide on how you could make the best of laser-cut acrylic jewelry, then we hope that this guide works for you.
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Tiger is a fashion&jewelry lover. He is also a fashion jewelry manufacturer that help thousands of small business to grow and also do business with some big fashion jewelry brands. He is a truly metal expert and he will share some information you are looking for.