Frequently Asked Questions
Materials
Click on a question for more information.
- What is your turnaround time?
- Our standard turnaround time for orders is 7 days. However, we do offer rush jobs with turnaround times as fast as 48 hours. Our price calculator generates pricing based on our standard turnaround time, but when you select a rush job in your quote request we will provide a firm quote that includes the cost of accelerated production times.
- Do you cut any materials not listed on this website?
- Laserbuilt only stocks and cuts the materials (plastic, rubber, wood, paper, and fabric) listed in the materials section of our site. However, if you have an interest in cutting materials that are not listed, please contact us and we can put you in touch with our partner company to create a custom job for you.
- Can I provide my own materials to be cut?
- Laserbuilt only stocks and cuts the materials (plastic, rubber, wood, paper, and fabric) listed in the materials section of our site. However, if you have an interest in cutting your own materials and you are able to transport them to the San Francisco Bay Area, please contact us and we can put you in touch with our partner company to create a custom job for you. They are equipped to experiment with most supplied materials as long as the substrate is known to not include any polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
- Do you assemble cut materials?
- Laserbuilt does not provide assembly services at this time.
- Can you apply an adhesive to my final piece?
- Yes, we can apply very high-bond adhesive (VHB) to any job. We stock 3M brand 467 adhesive tape, a 2 mil product that is the industry standard for laser cut parts. When you submit a quote request, you have to opportunity to indicate if you would like VHB applied.
- What is the "kerf" or "spot" of your laser?
- Approximately 0.010 inches.
- What is the finest line width that I can cut?
- The answer to this question varies by material, but a general rule of thumb is to keep the line weights to at least 1.5x the thickness of the substrate.
Custom Jobs
- I can’t find the material I’m looking for on your site. What are my options?
- Laserbuilt only stocks and cuts the materials (plastic, rubber, wood, paper, and fabric) listed in the materials section of our site. However, if you have an interest in cutting your own materials and you are able to transport them to the San Francisco Bay Area, please contact us and we can put you in touch with our partner company to create a custom job for you. They are equipped to experiment with most supplied materials as long as the substrate is known to not include any polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
- Do you offer engraving services?
- It is true that many of the materials Laserbuilt stocks can also be laser engraved, however Laserbuilt only offers cutting services at this time. If you are interested in laser engraving, please contact us and we can put you in touch with our partner company to create a custom job for you.
Quotes
- What is your response time for firm price quotes?
- When you submit a quote request, we will e-mail you a firm quote within 24 hours. Any request submitted after noontime on Friday will be returned by Monday morning.
Price Calculator
- How does your price calculator work?
- The calculation is a function of the material you have selected, how much material we are cutting and the line length of the total cut shape or shapes. To calculate a price, please approximate these values to the best of your ability. The calculated price of your project is based on our standard turnaround time.
- How accurate is the price calculator?
- The accuracy of our price calculator is based entirely on how accurate your inputs are. Our firm quotes use the same formula with the true area and length values in your file with additional costs added if you have selected a rush turnaround time or VHB tape application.
File Preparation
- How should I prepare my files for cutting?
- All files should be made up of continuous CMYK vector strokes. Please weld all contacting graphics elements and convert solid shapes to outlined artwork. It’s helpful to avoid duplicate and complex stacked vectors in your design and remember that vectors that are not made of a solid color (i.e. half-tones or gradient fills) cannot be cut.
- What file formats are accepted?
- We accept files in the following formats: Adobe Illustrator CS2,Corel Draw X3, EPS, PDF, FlexiSign 7.5. If you are using Quark Xpress, InDesign, or MS Office please convert files to one of the formats listed above.