New here!! Hopefully i filled in all these boxes correctly? I was just watching a Youtube video posted by “Book Things and Baubles” and she posted a video 3yrs ago, called “How to Engrave or Etch Glass with the Glowforge.”
She included a link that she found on this page, but when i clicked on it, it had sadly been deleted. I was wondering if anyone had a Glowforge Settings Spreadsheet for Etching and Engraving Glass (preferably using the Aura).
Please and Thank you!! 
You cannot engrave clear glass with the aura. Sorry.
As for settings — check out #6 here:
So that was going to be my next question. I know it won’t engrave/etch CLEAR glass, but what about colored glass? I’ve seen other tips and tricks with other lasers where they have used certain dark colored sprays, even black spray paint, in order to etch stainless steel knives. Then it just washes off after etched. I was curious if that same concept would work on glass?
The metal marking is using a product that is essentially fused to the surface where the beam strikes. The kaser (talking the much more powerful Pro models) is not capable of engraving metal. Paint would simply be vaporized.
I doubt the Aura has enough power to engrave any color glass, but why don’t you give it a shot and report back?
You might want to look into this.
Yes, CerMark does have products specifically designed for marking glass. Their CerMark Ultra line, available in both aerosol spray and paste forms, is formulated to work on various hard surfaces, including glass, ceramics, metals, stone, and brick.
These products create a permanent, high-contrast, black mark on the glass surface when exposed to a laser. The laser’s heat fuses the CerMark material to the glass, resulting in a durable and abrasion-resistant mark.
You can find products like:
I’m afraid to now, because I’m not sure if that last sentence is being fastecous or not? lol
The glass is brand new. It was ordered for a niche in a shower. But i will def clean it with some rubbing alcohol first.
My Fiancé is a floor layer (also does tile in showers and backsplashes abd whatnot) so he brings home scraps and stuff they’ll just throw away. Lol Bonus for me, because i can’t wait to try the tile etching techniques I’ve been seeing. But i also want to make sure i don’t ruin my GF as well. Which is why I’m hoping someone with an Aura can tell me if they have tried anything like this and how it affected their Aura.
My Twin sister passed away 2 years ago and I’m really wanting to try to etch pictures of her into glass, or tile, to gift to her son, and my parents, for Christmas. So I’ve got some time to be absolutely sure this would work before chancing ruining my GF.
THANK YOU FOR THAT INFO❤️
Oh and I’ll def look into the products you listed, but i do have some glass etching paste called Armor Etch. Idk if that would work though. I just don’t want to chance ruining the laser in my Aura. Maybe i should make 100% sure and actually reach out to Glowforge…
So from what i can tell you do not use Armor Etch with your laser. It chemically etches glass. What you can do is make a stencil using your laser, put the stencil on the glass, then apply the Armor Etch to the glass within the stencil.
Get the MSDS and do your own research, but I personally would keep Armor Etch as far away from my laser as I could.
I asked Copilot about Armor Etch: “Regarding its reaction to flame or heat, Armor Etch contains ammonium bifluoride and sodium bifluoride, which can produce irritating vapors and toxic gases (such as fluorine compounds) when exposed to fire. Additionally, mixing it with water can generate a small amount of heat, and contact with certain metals may produce flammable hydrogen gas. If heated in a fire, pressure can build up inside its container, potentially causing it to burst3.”
Good to know, and great idea!
The only thing more dangerous than putting hydrofluoric acid in the laser is taking safety advice from a text generator.
You won’t hurt the machine by giving it a shot, but I stand by what I said – I doubt it can engrave the glass itself. That’s why I mentioned the marking products which others elaborated on.
I’d take that bet. It engraved tile, I don’t see why it wouldn’t engrave glass that absorbs blue light.
Colored glass is cheap and plentiful. Could have tested and answered this question ten times over by now.
I was going to put that disclaimer in too but figured the “get the MSDS sheet and research” would cover it.
Well, I can share what worked for me with my Pro - one of the original Pro machines that had higher power than the basic. 1000/FULL. I used it on shot glasses and glass storage jars (small spice/herb storage.)