We’ve released a new video on the LightBurn Youtube channel.
It’s a super short one (just over a minute long) that demonstrates a nifty trick for dealing with warped and crumpled materials.
I made this one, and I’d love to know what you think! 
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I have a CO2 laser so your tips don’t really help me, however I never thought about using glass sheet with a LED laser. That’s pretty clever.
The tabs and bridges mentioned at the end will help with most designs cut in a CO2. 
Glad you liked it either way!
I know, I use tabs a lot.
I have customers who order English paper piecing templates from me & the only way I can make it profitable is to use tabs in the design.
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oooh!!! This could be just what I need…
I have a home made large format gantry, an ex “Laser Axe” that can handle a 940mm x 998mm working area.
I am cutting cardboard. I have the issue where the card stock doesn’t always sit flat (comes off a roll) and I don’t know if I want to use a sheet of glass if it will slowly get burned. Are there any special properties of the glass that can impact whether my 450 nm blue laser will impact the glass? I do not want to be regularly replacing the glass.
I assume I should be able to just get “window glass” for this? Does the thickness matter? Is there anything in particular to look out for if purchasing a sheet of glass for this expressed purpose?
super excited at hearing this!
Ooh that’s a big laser! nice!
It’s not the light of the diode that damages the glass, but instead the heat generated when cutting the material (which is pushed against the glass), so your best bet will be to minimise the heat generated by optimising your settings for the lowest power and highest speed you can (I imagine higher speed will be the thing to aim for but your results may vary).
Thickness shouldn’t matter much, just make sure you have enough clearance to focus on the top of your material, once the glass is stacked on top of it.
I used window glass, but if you are doing a lot of cutting you might want something more durable, however I personally have only used window glass. I would steer clear of anything laminated as the plastic adhesives within the layers may react (they might not also, again, I haven’t tried, but my gut says it could be a source of troubles).
Very glad you’re excited!!
Awesome Billy.
I think I shall give it a try then.
It is likely easier and cheaper than the suggestion my friend mate - to use a shop vac and pegboard on a box to hold the card flat.
Do you find the charring from the material cleans off OK after each job?
I am hoping it’s not much more than some soot/carbon that can be cleaned off?
It might be time for some tests…
cheers mate.
PS - I get to call you mate because I come from Ballarat.
Using Borosilicate float plate glass may be a way of overcoming the heat issue. It handles high temperatures extremly well and is less prone to breaking by spot heating. It’s the same type of glass pyrex bakeware is made of. You can find small sheets that are ment to be used on 3D print beds on Amazon for around $25.00.
The charing cleans off the glass fine with soap and water, but sometimes the heat chips the glass.
Oh hello fellow Aussie! 
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That’s a good idea! Worth trying for sure!
I tried last night using some 2.3mm window pane scrap from the local Window supplier.
I was testing it to cut paper, “door skin” (1/8 inch plywood) and epoxy soaked cardboard.
It’s is only a cheap Chinese 5W blue laser but it is severely scoring my glass. I will send photos tonight. Maybe I need a different type of glass? @Rob_H - you made me look up “Borosilicate”!!!
@BillieRuben - yup - I went on a 1 year trip to Japan in 1994 and life happened… I now live in Canada. I miss the sun!
Oh hey! I’m in Maine right now! We’re pretty close!
Can you try a quicker cut or lower power?
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