How to Laser Cut an Acrylic Chess Set Step by Step Tutorial

Acrylic chess sets feel completely different from traditional wooden ones.

The contrast between mirrored gold acrylic and black acrylic creates a cleaner, more modern look, while the plywood base adds warmth and structure.

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to laser cut and assemble a custom acrylic chess set step by step. The finished project works both as a playable board game and a decorative display piece.

Laser Machines

Thunder Bolt

Material Needed

3mm Plywood

3mm Gold Mirrored Acrylic

3mm Black Acrylic

Setting 1

Laser Cutting for Plywood

Speed: 10mm/s

Max Power: 35%

Min Power: 10%

Setting 2

Laser Cutting for Acrylic

Speed: 10mm/s

Max Power: 70%

Min Power: 10%

Prepare the 3mm plywood, mirrored gold acrylic, and black acrylic sheets. Keep the protective film attached to the acrylic surface to help reduce scratches and smoke marks during processing.

Place the material flat on the laser bed and clean the surface to remove dust, fingerprints, or debris. If needed, use pins to secure the corners and keep the material stable during cutting.

Open your laser software, such as LaserMaker, and import the chess set design file.

Adjust the cutting and engraving parameters according to each material type. Since plywood and acrylic require different settings, make sure each layer is configured correctly before sending the file to the machine.

Set the laser focus according to the material being processed.

Accurate focus helps produce smoother acrylic edges and cleaner details on smaller chess pieces. Recheck the focus whenever switching materials.

Before processing, use the frame function to preview the cutting area and confirm that all chess pieces and board parts are correctly positioned on the material.

Once everything is aligned, start the cutting process. Monitor the machine during operation and ensure ventilation is working properly, especially when cutting acrylic.

After processing is complete, carefully remove all pieces from the laser bed and clean away any dust or residue.

Peel off the protective film from the acrylic pieces and assemble the chess board according to the design. If needed, secure structural parts with glue and check that all components fit properly.

Your acrylic chess set is now ready for both gameplay and display.