Laser Settings for Powder-Coated Tumblers & Drinkware
Can you laser engrave a powder-coated tumbler?
Yes — and it's one of the most popular products in the whole craft. The laser ablates the powder coat or paint to reveal the bright metal beneath, giving a sharp two-tone mark with no chemicals or masking. It works on diode, CO2 and fibre; round vessels need a rotary attachment.
DIODE450 nm settings
| Variant | Operation | Speed | Power | Passes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powder-coated tumbler | Engrave | 3,000–5,000 mm/min | 80–100% | 1 | 10 W |
✓ EngraveAblates the powder coat to reveal bright metal beneath. Rotary needed for round vessels.
CO210.6 µm settings
| Variant | Operation | Speed | Power | Passes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powder-coated / painted tumbler | Engrave | 300–500 mm/s | 30–50% | 1 | 60 W |
✓ EngraveRemoves the coating cleanly. Rotary for round; keep the surface at focus across the curve.
FIBRE1064 nm settings
| Variant | Operation | Speed | Power | Passes | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powder-coated stainless | Engrave | 800–1,500 mm/s | 30–60% | 1 | 20–40 kHz |
✓ EngraveStrips coating to a crisp metal contrast without marking the steel.
PrepPreparation & technique
A rotary turns the tumbler under the beam for wrap-around designs. Degrease first. Keep the engraving surface at focus across the curve — a rotary handles this automatically.
⚠ SafetyYou're removing a coating, so run extraction. Verify the coating is powder coat or paint, not an unknown plastic wrap.
LearnMatching tutorials
All values are starting points at the stated reference wattage. Run a test grid on your own machine and material batch first.