How to lay out a laser-cut design in Sawdust

Published on

Select sheet stock, draw cut contours and etched lettering in the Laser Cutter workspace, pack parts onto the bed, and commit the laser job.

Sawdust's Laser Cutter workspace lets you combine vector cut paths and surface engravings on plywood, acrylic, or thin hardwood sheets, then assemble the resulting pieces alongside traditional saw-cut lumber.

1. Add sheet stock and open the Laser Cutter

Place a sheet or thin board onto the workbench from My Shop -> Wood, then select the Laser Cutter tool in the bottom tool dock and click your workpiece.

A plywood sheet on the 3D workbench with the Laser Cutter tool selected in the bottom dock.

2. Draw cut outlines and etched lettering

  1. Use the Artwork toolbar on the left (Select, Rectangle, Ellipse, Polygon, Text, or Import SVG / PNG) to draw your outer contour.
  2. Select Text, click inside the shape, and enter your lettering (for example, 1ST PLACE).
  3. In the Layers panel on the right, verify which paths are assigned to cut (through-cuts) and which are assigned to etch (surface engraving).
Laser Cutter 2D workspace showing a red rectangular cut path drawn on the plywood sheet.
Laser Cutter workspace showing 1ST PLACE text added inside the rectangle, with Layers listing 2 cut and 1 etch.

3. Pack on the bed and Send to laser

Check the Machine panel on the right to confirm your laser bed dimensions and kerf width. Click Pack on bed to nest the cut pieces efficiently toward the origin, then click Send to laser to commit the operation and return to the 3D workshop.

Laser Cutter workspace after clicking Pack on bed, with the plaque nested neatly in the top-left corner of the bed.
3D workshop view after committing the laser operation, showing the freed plaque with 1ST PLACE engraved on its face alongside the sheet offcut.

Continue with How to design laser-engraved coasters from one image and How to customize a laser-engraved shadow-box sign.