Glass bottle etching | Glowforge (2024)

FAQs

What setting to engrave on glass for Glowforge? ›

@tapoutms3, you can try the settings below for Engraving on glass: Power 100% Speed 850 LPI 340 You cannot cut all the way through glass with a laser though. Make sure you use a film of liquid dish soap, masking tape or a damp paper towel secured over the glass to keep it from cracking when you are engraving it.

Shake the bottle well, then, using your paintbrush, apply a layer of etching cream to your stencil, being very careful not to get any past the edges. While the bottle says to leave it on for 1-3 minutes, I've had better results leaving it on longer – at least five minutes.

After successfully etching some glass panels I decided to move on to some bottles. I had to remove the tray and make several measurements to try and get the desired focus height (it didn't work) The bottles I had where too large to fit under the head and in the focus range of the laser… but it worked anyway.

Machine settings when engraving glass varies depending on the type of laser machine you have and the wattage of your laser tube. With a 60W laser, try the following settings for best results: 20% power, 300mm/s speed and 0.1mm interval whilst using a 2" or 2.5" focal lens.

Speeds in the range of 10 to 100 millimeters per second are common for deep engraving results on glass.

Note: You can etch on most types of glass, except some glass Pyrex bakeware that has been tempered for high heat.

How many watts should you use to engrave glass? When setting the laser power, we recommend using 30 watts or higher to laser engrave glass. You can engrave glass bottles and glasses at high speed.

Personalize glass bottles with laser engravings

Add more value to simple glass bottles by engraving a personal quote or message.

The method of sandblasting also allows for the artistry of the etching to shine through. Chemical Etching: This method involves using a chemical solution, such as hydrofluoric acid, to etch the glass. The glass is cleaned and then coated with a stencil or mask, which protects certain areas of the glass from the acid.

What is the best media for etching glass? ›

The two most common blast medias you use in a blast cabinet for glass etching include glass beads and aluminum oxide. You typically want to select a higher grit number (120 or higher blast media which is a finer particle) as this will allow more control and better results etching.

Prior to starting your laser engraving job, apply a dampened single-layer paper towel to the glass workpiece and verify that there are no overlaps or air bubbles which could affect the engraved image.

When setting the laser power, we recommend using 30 watts or higher to laser engrave glass. You can engrave glass bottles and glasses at high speed.

Dampened paper towel

Using a paper towel that is dampened with water will assist with preventing the laser engraving area from becoming rough, and it will also lead to clear, white engraving results.

Digital cameras over 2.0 mega pixels produce great high-resolution images that engrave nicely. If scanning in a physical photo, Scan your photos at a low resolution such as 300 DPI. If we are going to engrave your photos at 300 DPI, there is no reason to scan it any higher.