[glennn2000]

Hi, I am looking to make paper lanterns with laser cut designs on them using quality white art paper. As only paper, they work well but I would like to fortify the paper somehow to make it more of a permanent home decor product instead of something so fragile that it may only be used once and thrown away. I have tried to stick paper to a thin plastic backing but bonding the two materials causes them to warp. The paper by itself lets out enough light for a good effect and the plastic alone lets out too much light through it (and the plastic looks cheap and doesnt cut the details like the paper does.) I know this is a difficult case and not really a laser cutting question. I cant use any kind of laquer on the paper cause its flammable around a candle and this is a lantern with a candle. If I put two different materials together, would it be better to laser cut them separately and then attach in some way after (not by glue but another method)? Any suggestions on what kind of materials I could try that would make the paper less fragile would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

Glenn

[Bashere]

How do you feel about acetone and polycarbonate?
You can soak each cut piece in minwax wood hardener. I don't see it being any more flammable then the paper itself. It would be worth a flame test to be sure.

The result would be a composite material. Not as stiff as plastic would be but it does turn out to be pretty tough.

You could also try a fiberglass type resin.

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[glennn2000]

Thanks Bashere, Its a good suggestion. I forgot to mention that the lantern is rolled into a cylinder so would need to be flexible. Also, it needs to be posted either flat or rolled into a small tube. I fear that the wood hardener would make it not flexible. Could I try any kind of wood varnish? Either before or after laser cutting? I live in Vietnam (and dont speak Vietnamese) so getting the exact item here is not easy as only commonly used things are available. But Im sure I could get a wood varnish. Do you know of a fast drying one that would be not flammable once cured?

Thanks again.

Glenn

[Bashere]

I tried some hardener on paper before. It's not so much ridged but it does make it tougher. Kinda like a heavy kraft paper with a bit of plastic. Though not sure that you could roll it without it cracking.

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