At Prototope, we are constantly expanding the palette of materials we incorporate into our fabrication projects. We have worked with everything from tiles made of natural seashells to the low-friction plastics used in yo-yos. We are always searching for new or unusual materials to cut and engrave, and we are happy to test any samples that you may have for your designs. Don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about particular materials or applications.

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We have cut a variety of different types of papers, chipboards, museum boards and cardboard. While we carry a small stock of chipboard and bristol, we will be happy to test a sample of any paper or cardstock you may have for your own designs. Since the density and variety of these materials can vary so much by brand, we like to work with a sample first to refine the laser settings for your project.

Examples of papers & chipboards we have worked with:

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Sample Projects:

Client: Private Materials: Bristol Paper	Client: Koralie Materials: Assorted Paper	Client: Carrie Hamilton, Kismet Materials: Strathmore Bristol Vellum
Client: Nick Carbonaro, Seaworthy Films Materials: Bristol Vellum	Client: Subtilis Materials: Bristol Paper	Client: Design Trust for Public Space Materials: Acrylic, Chipboard
Client: Shaul Tzemach Materials: Acrylic, Terraskin Paper

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Most plastics—especially acrylics—respond very well to laser cutting and engraving. While we carry a few common colors and thicknesses of acrylics, we are able to quickly order plastics in a variety of different colors, thicknesses and finishes. We also cut the full line of Rowmark plastics, which provide a wide range of colors, composites, thicknesses and finishes such as synthetic metals.

Catalog of plastics we have worked with:

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Sample Projects:

Client: Joe McGrath & Priscilla Fraser Materials: Acrylic	Client: George Peck Materials: Acrylic, Museum Board, EVA Foam	Client: Todd Bailey Materials: Acrylic
Client: Prototope Materials: Acrylic	Client: Design Trust for Public Space Materials: Acrylic, Chipboard	Client: Sarah Lawlor, General Assembly Materials: Acrylic
Client: Amrita Takhar Materials: Found Plastic	Client: Ingrid Burrington Materials: Rowmark Plastic

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We have worked with a variety of different woods, plywoods and veneers. Thin veneers and plywoods, as well as woods such as bass and balsa cut and engrave very well. Because the laser works by vaporizing the material, there is a tendency for discoloration along the edge of a cut. While this discoloration is slight with thinner sheet stock, some finishing work may be necessary if you want to remove the charring from thicker woods. We are happy to provide finishing work and assembly for projects in any material.

Examples of woods we have worked with:

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Sample Projects:

Client: Snohetta Materials: Birch Plywood, Acrylic	Client: olollo, inc. Materials: Wood Veneer	Client: Koralie Materials: Bass wood
Client: Prototope Materials: Basswood

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We are always trying to expand the line of eco-friendly materials we can use in our projects. We have worked with everything from papers made from stone to plastics made from corn. If you have a sample or carry a line of an eco-friendly material you would like us to test, send us a sample. We would love to expand the list of sustainable materials we can work with and suggest to our clients. Likewise, let us know if you would like suggestions for more sustainable materials to use in your fabrication projects.

Examples of eco-friendly materials we have worked with:

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Sample Projects:

Client: Shaul Tzemach Materials: Acrylic, Terraskin Paper

Client: Amrita Takhar Materials: Found Plastic

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We have cut a number of different fabrics and leathers with our laser, including linens, silks, and felts. We have also cut and engraved a variety of different thickness and types of leathers as well, with great results. Through engraving and scoring the leather, we have found that slight charring caused by the leather can be used to create complex patterns and designs in the surface with a high level of legibility. Because fabrics and leather can vary so much from piece to piece, we suggest sending along a sample for testing so that we can revise our settings for your particular material.

Examples of fabrics and leather we can work with:

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While we cannot cut glass, we can etch the surface of the glass. Both raster images and vector line art can be etched into the glass, creating a frosted image in the surface. The laser creates an extremely shallow abrasion of the surface which resembles the effects achieved through more laborious techniques such as sand blasting or acid etching.

Catalog of glass we have worked with

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Sample Projects:

Materials: Glass Client: Joe McGrath

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We cannot cut stone, but we can engrave the surface to produce a wide variety of effects. The intensity of the laser can be adjusted to create engravings of varying relief. We have engraved everything from Marble to salvaged concrete, but the results can vary widely for each material. We suggest submitting a sample piece if possible for testing, to make sure we can achieve the results you want. Tile is a particularly good candidate for laser engraving, as pieces should be very flat for any laser cutting and engraving project.

Catalog of metals we have worked with

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While we cannot cut metals such as steel or aluminum, we are able to etch and engrave a few coated metals. For example, anodized aluminums are ideal for laser engraving. We also have access to a variety of plastics that resemble metal.

Catalog of metals we have worked with

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Sample Projects:

Client: Peabody & Co. Materials: Anodized Aluminum

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As noted above, we are always looking for new materials to cut and engrave. We are always happy to test any sample material you may have for your projects. We have worked with natural materials such as shells and stone, as well as objects such as maps, photographs and iPods.

Examples of other materials we have worked with:

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Sample Projects:

Client: Olollo Inc. Materials: Wood Veneer, Shells

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While we are constantly testing different materials, there are many materials that we cannot cut for a number of reasons. First, the laser requires a precise focus, so we cannot easily cut materials that are extremely uneven or that have large variations in density. The laser responds best to flat sheet stock materials. We also cannot cut materials that release toxic fumes such as PVCs. If there is a material you are unsure about, feel free to contact us.

List of materials we cannot cut:

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