CNC Laser Engraver Designs

Focusing In

A laser engraver's finished product
A laser engraver's finished product (Source: Maggie Shah via Instructables)

So you’ve done everything you can think of in regards to 3D printing: dual extrusion, resin printing, and even lost PLA casting. Now you’re ready for the next challenge: CNC laser cutting and engraving.

Laser cutting is a manufacturing technique that removes material (subtractive) instead of adding it, as is the case with 3D printing. It’s much faster than 3D printing, and even though there are some limitations in regards to geometries (laser cutting can only make 2D images), design creativity can go a long way. Right now, laser cutting is mostly used on wood, but you can cut other materials, even metal!

Depending on which brand and model of 3D printer you have, there can be a way to upgrade it to a laser cutter. The Ender 3, specifically, has a Creality laser kit you can buy. Or, you can always opt for a three-in-one machine that is a 3D printer, CNC router, and laser engraver.

Now, for this list, we’ve gathered the best toys, decorations, and fun objects to create with your laser cutter. As always, remember to use protective glasses! Let’s get to the designs that made the cut.

Back to Contents

Advertisement
Advertisement

3D Printing Accessories

Take your 3D printing experience to the next level with these practical models!

Back to Contents

Advertisement
1
CNC Laser Engraver Designs

Raspberry Pi 3 Case

Keep your Pi 3 protected
Keep your Pi 3 protected (Source: DT via PrusaPrinters)

This laser-cut case is made out of acrylic, inspired by a Pi rainbow enclosure by Pimoroni. However, this new version leaves the middle empty to improve airflow. One side of the case is also open, so you have room to connect your power and HDMI cables to your Raspberry Pi.

You’ll need eight bolts to assemble the case.

Who made it? DT

How popular/laserable is it? 11 people have downloaded this case so far.

Where to get it? PrusaPrinters

Back to Contents

Advertisement
Advertisement
2
CNC Laser Engraver Designs

Filament Rack

A great way to organize and display your filament
A great way to organize and display your filament (Source: ZRex via PrusaPrinters)

If your filament is in disarray, this filament rack is for you!

It’s designed to hold up to 8 spools that are 20 cm in diameter. The plywood should be 6-mm thick for optimal fit. You’ll also need a 5-mm pin (the creator cut a stock rod) to hold the spools in place.

Who made it? ZRex

How popular/laserable is it? This model has 10 downloads and 3 likes.

Where to get it? PrusaPrinters

Back to Contents

Advertisement
Advertisement
3
CNC Laser Engraver Designs

Filament Spool

Always know how much filament you have!
Always know how much filament you have (Source: Rushmere 3D via PrusaPrinters)

This clever spool holder solves the problem of not really knowing how much filament you have left on a spool: There’s a cutout indicator so you can see how many meters of filament is remaining.

This model is modified from a laser-cut spool by thomasdr, which combines laser cutting and 3D printing for the core of the spool.

Who made it? Rushmere3D

How popular/laserable is it? This model has three downloads so far.

Where to get it? PrusaPrinters

Back to Contents

Advertisement
Advertisement

Household & Decoration

Give your house a unique, personalized touch that not only makes it look pretty but also showcases your maker abilities!

Back to Contents

Advertisement
4
CNC Laser Engraver Designs

Christmas Tree

Get in the Christmas spirit with this unique tree
Get in the Christmas spirit with this unique tree (Source: BiblioLab via YouMagine)

‘Tis the season! This clever design has two Christmas trees for the price of one (which is to say, for the price of the wood, as the design is free). The model is such that the plywood used to create the tree can be a tree as well. For the two-piece tree, you’ll need to slot them together to make it stand.

There are even different ornament designs and sizes available for both types of trees. The designer used 5-mm thick plywood for these festive trees.

Who made it? BiblioLab

How popular/laserable is it? Over 4,400 people have downloaded this, so it’s fair to say it’s a popular and doable design.

Where to get it? YouMagine

Back to Contents

Advertisement
Advertisement
5
CNC Laser Engraver Designs

Tree Candle Holder

This unique holder will create interesting patterns when lit
This unique holder will create interesting patterns when lit (Source: Felix Rumo via Dxfprojects.com)

This is a beautiful candle holder that can give any space a rustic look, not to mention the cool shadows it will create when it’s on.

If you’re using wood to create this, you may prefer to use -amazon_link url=”https://www.amazon.com/s?k=led+tealight+candles”]LED candles[/amazon_link] to avoid the risk of fire!

Who made it? Felix Rumo

How popular/laserable is it? This model has over 2,600 downloads and 19,000 views!

Where to get it? Dxfprojects.com

Back to Contents

Advertisement
Advertisement
6
CNC Laser Engraver Designs

Dragon

This dragon was made from acrylic and a laser cutter
This dragon was made from acrylic and a laser cutter (Source: alhotle via Thingiverse)

This impressive dragon was remixed from a 3D printed dragon. It’s actually a puzzle, so you can either impress your guests or have them help you put it together.  The designer cut the dragon out of 1-mm thick plywood.

Who made it? jtronics

How popular/laserable is it? There are 12 good-looking Makes posted and 5 Remixes.

Where to get it? Thingiverse

Back to Contents

Advertisement
Advertisement
7
CNC Laser Engraver Designs

Jewelry Tree

Keep your jewelry organized with actual wood on this model tree
Keep your jewelry organized with actual wood on this model tree (Source: tblatt via CGTrader)

Organize your jewelry as well as see it displayed clearly with this functional tree. You can hang earrings from the holes, and bracelets and necklaces from the branches. It even folds up if you want to store it away!

The designer states that this tree can be cut from one 12″ x 24″ sheet of wood or acrylic.

Who made it? tblatt

How popular/laserable is it? This model has 74 downloads.

Where to get it? CGTrader

Back to Contents

Advertisement
Advertisement

Movies & Games

Let your inner kid out with these fun prints inspired by your favorite movies and games! Or gift them to a child or adult fan in your life.

Back to Contents

Advertisement
8
CNC Laser Engraver Designs

Star Wars TIE Fighter

You only need a laser cutter to be able to conquer the galaxy
You only need a laser cutter to be able to conquer the galaxy (Source: ingengno via YouMagine)

In the Star Wars universe, the TIE (twin ion engines) or line starfighter, simply known as the TIE fighter, was the standard Imperial starfighter seen in massive numbers throughout most of the Galactic Civil War and onward.

This model should be opened in Inkscape, as that’s where it was made, to avoid scaling issues. It was designed for 3-mm MDF plates and also comes with an instruction manual. There’s even the possibility of putting in LED lights.

Who made it? ingegno

How popular/laserable is it? This popular model has been downloaded almost 2,000 times.

Where to get it? YouMagine

Back to Contents

Advertisement
Advertisement
9
CNC Laser Engraver Designs

Marvel Calendar

Have a very Marvel year with this super calendar
Have a Marvel-ous year with this super calendar (Source: TommasoEngineering via Thingiverse)

It’s no surprise this is a special piece because the designer spent over 60 hours creating and making sure it was machinable. This was designed to be CNC machined, but it can also be achieved by laser cutting. Some ambitious people have even attempted 3D printing it, though it may not be the most efficient method.

Who made it? sandyeggocnc

How popular/laserable is it? This model has 13 Makes, 2 Remixes, and almost 150 comments.

Where to get it? Thingiverse

Back to Contents

Advertisement
Advertisement
10
CNC Laser Engraver Designs

Star Trek USS Enterprise

An space adventure brough to you by woodcarving
Regardless of the time period it's from, this is a cool spaceship (Source: JoeSunffie via Thingiverse)

Another popular franchise is Star Trek, created by Gene Roddenberry. Out of all the spaceships featured on the show, arguably the most notable was Captain James T. Kirk’s USS Enterprise from the original series.

It’s designed for 3-mm plywood or MDF and the files are available as CDR, DXF, DWG, and PDF. It also comes with detailed assembly instructions.

Who made it? JoeSnuffie

How popular/laserable is it? This model has 12 Makes and almost 100 comments.

Where to get it? Thingiverse

Back to Contents

Advertisement
Advertisement
11
CNC Laser Engraver Designs

Overwatch Bastion

Make sure you're winning with this wooden Bastion
Make sure you're winning with this wooden Bastion (Source: JackCarter via Thingiverse)

Bastion, from the game Overwatch, is a stationary powerhouse equipped with a Gatling gun that releases a hail of bullets, inflicting a lot of heavy damage.

This laser-cut model has a final height of 12 cm, and, as of the latest model, the limbs can actually move. You can access an online preview to see and play with the parts, check out how they’re assembled, and read the instructions.

Who made it? JackCarter

How popular/laserable is it? This character has seven posted Makes and two Remixes.

Where to get it? Thingiverse

Back to Contents

Advertisement
Advertisement

Mechanics & Science

If you have a CNC laser machine, chances are you’re into some fun and nerdy things. Hey, we are too! Read on to see some cool models to cut that showcase science and mechanical principles.

Back to Contents

Advertisement
12
CNC Laser Engraver Designs

Handheld Projector

Create a classical projector in your own home
Create a classic projector in your own home (Source: fluetke via YouMagine)

Talk about cool project! This small handheld 35-mm projector was designed for a university course on “expanded cinema”. It can handle up to 20 m of film and uses a camera flash as a light source. Not only will you be able to brag that you made this wonder yourself, but you can change the frame rate with the speed you’re cranking it.

Who made it? fluetke

How popular/laserable is it? This model has almost 6,300 downloads.

Where to get it? YouMagine

Back to Contents

Advertisement
Advertisement
13
CNC Laser Engraver Designs

Da Vinci Glider

It's gliding, not flying!
It's gliding, not flying! (Source: Michael via Dxfprojects.com)

Leonardo Da Vinci was a top-tier engineer, and with this project, you can try out one of his brilliant ideas! You’ll just need some low-density wood (so it’s lighter), some fabric, and your laser cutter.

Try running some controlled tests before letting this glider fly free in case something goes wrong.

Who made it? Michael

How popular/laserable is it? This model has almost 1,000 downloads and 4 ratings of 5 stars!

Where to get it? Dxfprojects.com

Back to Contents

Advertisement
Advertisement
14
CNC Laser Engraver Designs

Mechanical Hand

This can can tap its fingers impatiently
This hand can tap its fingers impatiently (Source: omega via GrabCAD)

This hand uses an intricate system of gears, levers, and a crankshaft to imitate the movement of a fidgeting hand. It’s truly an impressive piece, and we invite you to try your hand at it.

The model looks a little daunting, but as you only have to cut the pieces, not design them, it shouldn’t pose much trouble. It’s recommended to make it with a hard and dense material, as it has many gears that you don’t want to wear out quickly.

Who made it? omega

How popular/laserable is it? This model has over 17,000 downloads and 200 comments.

Where to get it? GrabCAD

Back to Contents

Advertisement
Advertisement
15
CNC Laser Engraver Designs

Robotic Arm

Practice engineering at home
Practice engineering at home (Source: jjshortcut via Thingiverse)

This cool robotic arm is a fun science project you can do with kids!

You’ll need some extra parts aside from the wood and your laser cutter, including seven servos (don’t worry, they’re cheap), and some small nuts, bolts, and screws for assembly. There are detailed instructions on the Thingiverse project page of how to put this arm together, as well as a video.

Who made it? jjshortcut

How popular/laserable is it? This model has 11 Makes, 1 Remix, and plenty of comments.

Where to get it? Thingiverse

Back to Contents

Advertisement
Advertisement

Toys

Combine your inner child with your outer maker with these fun toy ideas! Keep them for yourself or impress youngsters with these amazing laser-cut toys.

Back to Contents

Advertisement
16
CNC Laser Engraver Designs

Rocking Horse

It unfortunately can't be ridden!
It unfortunately can't be ridden! (Source: astoldt12 via Thingiverse)

This iconic toy is obviously a smaller model of the real thing, at 13 x 15 cm. Designed in Inkscape, you can open the file and scale it to your size of choice. Note that with its small parts, this rocking horse isn’t safe for young children.

You’ll need 6-mm thick material (the creator used MDF) for cutting and some glue when assembling this rocking horse.

Who made it? AbocAbac

How popular/laserable is it? This cute toy has three Makes.

Where to get it? Thingiverse

Back to Contents

Advertisement
Advertisement
17
CNC Laser Engraver Designs

Old Style Car

This laser cut car's wheels go round and round
This laser cut car's wheels go round and round (Source: Liam Biggs via GrabCAD)

This model of Brum, star of The Adventures of Brum, is mostly made out of MDF and it uses plastic for the windows and headlights. Even better, the wheels can actually move!

Brum the character was based on a late-1920s Austin 7 Chummy convertible, so that’s really what you’re making, though your version might not get up to so many antics.

Who made it? Liam Biggs

How popular/laserable is it? This model has been downloaded about 650 times. No one other than the creator has posted their cars, however.

Where to get it? GrabCAD

Back to Contents

Advertisement
Advertisement
18
CNC Laser Engraver Designs

Viking Boat

With some lacquer, you can float this boat out to sea
With some lacquer, you can float this boat out to sea (Source: fragar via Dxfprojects.com)

If you’ve seen Stuart Little, you’re likely to have wanted a wooden boat to have competitions in. Even if you haven’t, this simple Viking boat is still a cool toy.

When choosing your wood, this boat was designed for 3-mm thick wood. If you cover the final product with a layer of lacquer, you can even use it in the water.

Who made it? fragar

How popular/laserable is it? This model has over 300 downloads and 2,800 views.

Where to get it? Dxfprojects.com

Back to Contents

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement