capability · fabric · felt
Can a Diode Laser Cut Felt?
Yes — a diode laser cuts both craft felt and acrylic felt cleanly. On a 20W laser, cut 3mm craft felt at 80% power, 700 mm/min in one pass. Critical rule: no air assist — airflow lifts felt off the bed and ruins the cut. Acrylic (synthetic) felt cuts faster at 4,500 mm/min but produces stronger plastic fumes. — Laser Tinkerer, 2026.
- Craft felt (wool/rayon): cuts cleanly, gentle smoky smell, minimal fumes
- Acrylic (synthetic) felt: cuts faster, but strong plastic fumes — fume extractor required
- PVC-based fake felt: never laser — releases hydrogen chloride gas
- No air assist for any felt type — it moves the material
Craft Felt vs Acrylic Felt — Which Cuts Better?
The most important thing to know before you cut felt is what it's made of. The laser interacts with each type differently.
| Felt type | Composition | Cuts? | Fumes | Air assist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Craft felt (wool/rayon blend) | Natural + semi-natural fibres | Yes ✅ | Mild, smoky | OFF — lifts felt off bed |
| Acrylic / synthetic felt | 100% polyester or acrylic | Yes ✅ | Strong plastic fumes | Can use (stabilises), but ventilate well |
| PVC-based felt / felt-look foam | Polyvinyl chloride | NEVER ⛔ | HCl gas — toxic | Not applicable |
| Wool felt (pure) | 100% natural wool | Yes ✅ | Mild, hair-like | OFF |
Not sure what your felt is made of? Check the label for fibre content. If it says "PVC" or "foam" anywhere, do not laser it.
Starting Settings for Cutting Felt
These are calibrated starting points sourced from community data — always run a test square on scrap felt first. Full sourced data is on the fabric and textile cutting settings page.
| Felt type | Machine class | Power | Speed | Passes | Air assist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Craft felt, 3mm | 10W (xTool D1 Pro 10W, Sculpfun S10) | 90–100% | 400–500 mm/min (6.7–8.3 mm/s) | 1–2 | OFF |
| Craft felt, 3mm | 20W (xTool D1 Pro 20W, Sculpfun S30) | 75–85% | 600–800 mm/min (10–13 mm/s) | 1 | OFF |
| Acrylic felt, 3mm | 20W (xTool D1 Pro 20W) | 45–55% | 4,000–5,000 mm/min (67–83 mm/s) | 1 | ON or OFF |
| Craft felt, 3mm (engrave) | 20W (xTool D1 Pro 20W) | 30–35% | 1,800–2,200 mm/min (30–37 mm/s) | 1 | OFF |
Source: community data via Bonny Creations settings library (xTool D1 Pro 20W) and LTEI-derived scaling for 10W. Confidence: medium. Confirm with a test square — felt density and colour vary between suppliers.
The No-Air-Assist Rule for Felt Cutting
This is the single most important setup tip: do not use air assist when cutting craft felt. Here's why:
- Air assist blows air across the cut zone to clear smoke. On rigid materials (wood, acrylic) this is helpful.
- On lightweight felt, the airflow lifts the material off the bed mid-cut. The piece shifts, and you get a ragged, offset cut.
- Worse, lifted felt can blow into the laser path and potentially catch fire.
What to do instead: Pin the felt flat to the honeycomb bed using small neodymium magnets or low-tack tape at the corners. Cut without air assist. The laser passes quickly enough that smoke is not a significant issue at cutting speeds.
Note that acrylic felt is heavier and less prone to lifting — you can use air assist with acrylic felt if your extractor struggles with the stronger fumes, but test first.
Can You Engrave Felt?
Yes — but fine detail is limited by the fibre texture. The laser compresses and darkens felt fibres at the engraved zone rather than removing material the way it does on wood or acrylic.
Best results: simple shapes, text, and logos with strokes wider than about 2mm. Thin lines get lost in the fibre texture. Acrylic felt gives slightly cleaner engraved edges than hairy craft felt.
Starting settings for 3mm craft felt on a 20W laser: 30–35% power, 1,800–2,200 mm/min, 254 DPI, no air assist. Lower power and higher speed than cutting; you want surface darkening, not penetration.
Safety Notes
Ventilation is important. Even craft felt (wool/rayon) produces a noticeable smoky smell when cut. Work in a well-ventilated space or use an enclosed laser with a fume extractor. Acrylic felt produces stronger plastic fumes — a fume extractor is required, not optional.
- Felt is flammable — never leave the machine unattended while cutting. Slow speeds at high power can cause ignition if the laser pauses over material.
- Check fibre content before lasering any felt. PVC-based materials are banned (releases toxic HCl gas).
- Wear OD7+ laser safety glasses rated for your laser's wavelength (450nm for diode lasers).
Where to get felt and safety gear
Standard wool/rayon craft felt and acrylic felt are available from most craft suppliers. For safety glasses and fume management:
- Craft felt sheets (Amazon) — wool/rayon blend, laser-cuttable
- OD7+ laser safety glasses, 450nm (Amazon)
- Laser fume extractor (Amazon) — especially important for acrylic felt
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More Resources
- Fabric and textile cutting settings — full sourced table including felt, cotton, canvas, and denim
- EVA foam cutting settings — if your project uses foam board rather than felt
- Full capability guide — verdicts for 20+ materials
- Material test grid generator — build a calibration grid for your exact machine and felt type
- Laser safety guide — banned materials and fume hazards