While I’m enjoying the materials, I have to do something with all this specialty acrylic I have.
So… here’s the pendant I did a couple of weeks ago, but this time using the “Slate Gray Mirror Acrylic” I got from Inventables.
I used the Medium Black Acrylic settings in GFUI and it overall seemed fine. There are a couple of spots where there’s some heat damage to the acrylic, but I can live with that.
I like that there are three different looks to the one piece, depending upon the light – engraved areas becomes translucent when backlit, surface looks dark metal metallic when nothing bright to reflect, and super-reflective with light stuff. Would be good in a nightclub.
Note that I engraved and cut from the back (the side that looks matte gray, not shiny, if you have some and have wondered).
I hadnt even thought to engrave away the silvering on the back side, and that probably looks better than engraving the front and getting the double image.
I’ve pretty much have only seen people talking about cutting from the back, but not engraving. Seemed like something to try
And I wasn’t sure if I should have left the protective sheet on the front, but I did. Don’t know if that helped or hurt the acrylic on the front with respect to heat.
Depends on what it is. If it’s the paper based masking I leave it. If it’s the clear plastic film I peel it off and use painters tape or masking on it.
I’ll try some of the large painters tape masking I have next time.
I’ve also seen folks dampen their paper masking when cutting mirrored acrylic to keep heat down, though not when cutting non-mirrored. Has anyone done this?
EDIT: DISCLAIMER – IN NO WAY AM I ADVOCATING PUTTING WET STUFF IN A !!
I etch from the back of mirror acrylic all the time…works great!!
Found a few examples to show…This has been in my purse for over 4 years…It’s one of the acrylic mirrors we give out at larger paid events where we are hired for face painting, or they are $1 at fairs…the kids love getting one to look at their painted face
It would seem that the combination of smoke plus steam would make even stickier smoke… I get why it would work, but it just sounds bad to me I’m glad that this is working without it.
Doesn’t really produce steam…damp…not wet…I’ve never needed to wet the mask with cutting acrylic on my machine with air assist, however my old machine built in the mid 90s didnt have air assist and its suggested in the manual to dampen the tape before cutting for acrylic and wood due to the flamable nature of both materials…the old manual also has settings for sign vinyl. … I dont use the old manual…lol
I used to do glasswork in a kiln and we were advised NEVER to use mirrored glass in it as the reflective coating would be toxic upon heating. I assume that would be true for lasering it as well.
Tin Chloride is used as a surface bonding agent for the silver to adhere to the glass, but I doubt an appreciable amount would be released unless you were to laze the entire reflective area away, akin to sticking an entire sheet in a kiln.
I just got some mirror acrylic from Inventables and excited to try it out. Just to clarify, does it have to be flipped over to the non-reflective back and is masking tape necessary? I’m just wondering if the reflective mirror side will cause problems with the laser.
I love that! Want to start experimenting with mirror acrylic. Is Inventables your usual supplier for this and would you mind sharing your settings? I’m new
materials, I have to do something with all this specialty acrylic I have. 
!! 
… I dont use the old manual…lol