How To Make Laser Cut Personalised Gifts | Acrylic Coasters, Keychains & Fridge Magnets

The coaster started as a square measuring 110 x 110 mm. Each corner was rounded with a 20 mm radius to soften the shape and make the finished coaster more comfortable to handle.

Typography plays a major role in personalised products. The family surname was made the main feature, while a second font was used for supporting text to create contrast and improve readability.

A decorative tree illustration was imported into CorelDRAW and converted into editable vector artwork using Outline Trace. After tracing, the bitmap was removed, the vector was cleaned up, resized and positioned inside the coaster layout.

Horizontal and vertical guidelines were placed through the centre of the coaster. Snap to Guidelines was used to keep text and artwork aligned accurately instead of relying on visual estimation.

Once the layout was approved, the text was converted to curves. This prevents missing font issues and preserves the exact shape of every letter throughout production.

Script fonts often contain hidden overlaps where letters connect. Welding combines those overlaps into one clean shape, helping prevent unwanted internal lines or inconsistent engraving.

A small contour was created around the text to keep the decorative tree artwork from interfering with the lettering. The contour was broken apart, used to trim the artwork, and then removed once it had served its purpose.

Small floating shapes, duplicate nodes and unnecessary fragments were removed before export. This reduces unwanted engraving, keeps the file easier to edit and helps avoid wasted laser movement.

The decorative tree was trimmed so it remained inside the coaster outline. This kept the engraved artwork aligned with the final cut shape and created a clean finished edge.

The coaster outline was assigned a red hairline outline for cutting, while the black artwork remained as engraving. Because the engraving was completed on the back of clear acrylic, the design was mirrored horizontally before export.

Engraving the back of clear acrylic protects the engraved surface from scratches and gives the front a smooth, premium appearance. The artwork appears crisp when viewed through the polished acrylic face.

The design process started with research into keychain shapes, typography, borders and personalisation ideas. A suitable font was then chosen in DaFont to match the style of the product.

The base shape started as a rectangle measuring approximately 80 x 30 mm. The corners were rounded until the design resembled a smooth capsule shape.

A 2 mm inward contour was created to form an internal border. This helped frame the personalised name and gave the finished keychain more visual structure.

The name was centred inside the border and resized until it fitted naturally within the available space. Careful spacing at this stage creates a cleaner final product.

The border and text were welded together to convert the artwork into a single continuous vector. This simplifies cutting paths and improves production consistency.

Instead of engraving the decorative sections, separate inlay pieces were created from bronze mirror acrylic. These pieces fit back into the main keychain like a puzzle for a layered effect.

The area around the keyring hole was strengthened by offsetting the contour outward by 1 mm. This small adjustment improves durability around a high-stress area.

Guidelines were used to place the keyring hole accurately. The hole was trimmed through the relevant acrylic layers so the finished keychain would hang evenly.

Each layer was organised for production by removing fills, assigning red hairline outlines and checking the vectors before export to LightBurn.

Once the first keychain is complete, the same workflow can be repeated by replacing the customer’s name while keeping the design structure intact.

ChatGPT was used to brainstorm ideas before those concepts were refined into prompts for Gemini. This helped test layouts, colours and design styles before production artwork was created.

The main magnet measured approximately 50 mm wide x 70 mm high. The top corners used a 25 mm radius, while the lower corners used a 5 mm radius for a softer modern shape.

The initial became the main visual feature. It was centred in the design, with the customer’s name added beneath it using a second font to create hierarchy and readability.

All text was converted to curves. A duplicate magnet outline was then used to trim the initial so it could become part of the top acrylic layer instead of only being engraved.

The initial was cut as a separate mirror acrylic insert and fitted back into the matte acrylic layer. This creates depth, contrast and a more premium appearance.

A second magnet style used cutting board shapes with fruit and vegetable illustrations. Each decorative piece was prepared as an inlay so the design could be assembled as a layered acrylic product.

Future designs can use the same construction method while changing the name, initial, fruit, vegetable or colour combination. This makes the product range easier to expand.

Laser-cut personalised gifts are custom products made with a CO2 laser machine and customised with names, initials, artwork, logos or meaningful design details.

Acrylic is one of the most popular options because it cuts cleanly, engraves well and is available in clear, matte, gloss, mirror and coloured finishes.

They can be strong products for laser businesses because they use relatively little material, are easy to customise and often carry higher perceived value than generic items.

Yes. Many laser businesses sell personalised gifts through online stores, social media, marketplaces and local retail channels.

This project used CorelDRAW for production artwork and LightBurn for laser preparation, with Pinterest, DaFont, ChatGPT and Gemini used during the concept and design stages.

Converting text to curves prevents missing font problems and ensures the letters cut or engrave exactly as designed.

Welding removes hidden overlaps between connected letters, creating cleaner vector shapes for engraving or cutting.

When engraving on the back of clear acrylic, mirroring the artwork ensures it reads correctly from the front while protecting the engraved surface.

The right machine depends on product size and production volume. Compact CO2 machines suit small gifts, while larger machines provide more bed space for batch production.

Popular options include acrylic coasters, personalised keychains, fridge magnets, name signs, house number signs, cake toppers, wedding gifts and corporate gifts.