I’ve been asked by a glazier if it is possible to make a microstencil that would stand up to chemicals for glass etching ? By micro i mean about 5-8mm tall letters. By chemical etch i mean…i dont know what i mean, but glazier said that stuff wont eat plastics. What plastic would be suitable for a stencil to hold up during placing/dabbing etch/removing process ?
Capton seems a bit too flimsy (and i dont have any), got a chunk PETG film (leftovers from faceshield cutting), thin acrylic is going to bee to fragile at very thin.
Laser is CO2 glass tube 80W.
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One might consider laser-safe sign making material similar to that used in vinyl sign cutting, although not vinyl. I found some on the Trotec web site called TroLase Lights. The specifications show that it is PET, which also implies that PETG may work for you.
One apparent advantage to the TroLase Lights is that it might be self-adhesive, making sealing the surface a bit better. It doesn’t show much on the web site, but typical vinyl sign making uses transfer tape to remove the vinyl after weeding to apply to the desired surface.
Mylar is most commonly used. It’s basically PET film. Check whether his chemicals will eat PET.
Mylar is sold in mils of thickness - 1000/inch.
For stencils for airbrush ‘tattooing’, I use 5mil, for stencils for flat surfaces, 7-14mil, but anything short of 40 mil will work as a stencil for repeated brushing.
Don’t get hung up on the size - basically any mylar sheet between 5 mil and 50 mil. 1-1.5 mil is like a foil thermal emergency blanket
I make RC racing sails for another customer and his stuff is 1.5-3 mil and the 3 mil stuff you could use for a stencil, too, but it will crease just by looking at it 
I wonder how he prevents bleed, though.
cuts at the lowest power and highest speed I can get my machine to work at, which is 600mm/sec @ 12% on calibrated 100W.
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Ran some tests on 0.3mm PETG. Results pretty good.
Top - 8mm letters, middle - 6mm, bottom - 4mm.
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