Can You Cut With a 10W Galvo Laser? What Thickness Can It Cut?

When people first look at a 10W galvo laser like the Tyvok A1 Mini, one of the first questions they ask is: "Can it actually cut material, or is it just for engraving?"

The answer might surprise you. While galvo lasers are primarily known for fast engraving, a 10W model like the Tyvok A1 Mini can indeed cut many materials — within certain thickness limits.

What Materials Can a 10W Galvo Laser Cut?

Here's a quick breakdown of what you can expect to cut with a 10W galvo laser:

• Thin wood (basswood, balsa): Up to 3-5mm
• Acrylic (cast): Up to 2-3mm
• Leather: Up to 2-4mm
• Paper and cardstock: Any thickness, clean cuts
• Fabric: Cuts cleanly through multiple layers
• Rubber stamp material: Up to 2mm

What About Thicker Materials?

For materials thicker than 5mm, a 10W galvo laser will struggle. You can get through it with multiple passes, but the cut won't be clean and you'll lose a lot of precision.

That's not necessarily a downside — galvo lasers are designed for speed and precision in engraving, not cutting thick stock like a regular CO2 laser.

How Does It Compare to a Diode Laser?

A 10W galvo laser actually has comparable cutting power to a 20W diode laser in many cases, because the beam is more focused. The main difference is the working area and the speed — galvo is much faster for engraving, but has a smaller working area.

Real World Example: Tyvok A1 Mini

Users of the Tyvok A1 Mini 10W galvo laser regularly report cutting:

• 3mm basswood easily in 1-2 passes
• 2mm acrylic cleanly in 2-3 passes
• Leather for leather crafts perfectly
• Paper for card making with clean, burnt edges

Conclusion

So yes, you can cut with a 10W galvo laser — just don't expect it to cut through 10mm acrylic like a big CO2 laser. For thin materials and engraving, it's incredibly capable and much faster than traditional diode lasers.

If you're looking for a portable laser that does both engraving and light cutting, a 10W galvo like the Tyvok A1 Mini is definitely worth considering.