Summary

Have you been struggling to find the right settings to get soot-free paper-cut designs? After two years and three different laser machines, I'm still trying to get it right! You look at the cut-out paper cards shown on projects online, and they look perfect! Maybe they're using the blade tool? Too slow. Trying many options, this is the best laser-cut outcome I've achieved so far, and you could technically recreate this on any of the laser machines xTool sells.

This project is a simple holiday greeting card with a silhouetted cut image on the cover. It employs a simple patterned insert to create the effect you see in the photo. While there's a few steps, these are pretty easy to make.

NOTE: I use a tree image on my cards that I acquired from my CreativeFabrica account, so I've substituted a different design in the attached XCS file, remixed from one of the built-in shapes. Swap in your own favorite design!

⚠️ And, of course, it goes without saying that paper is flammable. 🔥 Never leave your engraver operating unattended, particularly when engraving flammable materials like paper or cardboard.