Does anyone have any information on cutting reflective material like a mirrored plexi, foiled paper or mylar? Is the reflectivity bad for the laser? Is that solved if you put paper or a mask on it of some kind?
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Mirrored acrylic works fine. The mirror treatment on the back is either etched away (when doing a reverse etch) or isn’t reached from the front. I don’t believe the mirroring treatment is reflective to the CO2 laser IR frequency - just (or mostly) visible light.
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CO2 mirrors are made from copper, silicon, and aluminum. Acrylic strongly absorbs the laser, thus it cuts and melt the mirror coating as it cuts. You do have to be careful when you put shiny metals in. - Rich
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I cut mirror acrylic all the time. Cuts pretty much the same as regular but can spark just a little when cutting it through the back.
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Yep me too. Never really noticed any sparking but I don’t tend to watch it cut anymore. Generally I just listen and if something sounds odd I’ll look to see what’s up. Just another of the dangerous things I do since my mother wouldn’t let me run with scissors 
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Do you cut it face up or face down? When I used an epilog laser in a Fablab I was told to cut it face down. But maybe that wasn’t necessary?
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