Full set for a 120-guest wedding. Client wanted walnut but the budget wouldn't stretch to solid, so: 0.6mm walnut veneer laminated onto 3mm clear cast acrylic. Looks like solid walnut from a metre away and it doesn't warp.
Process
Laminate veneer to acrylic with spray adhesive, roll flat, leave under weight overnight.
Cut through both layers in one pass — 100% power, 6mm/s, air assist gentle.
Engrave text into the veneer only: 35% power, 200mm/s, 1000 DPI.
The trick is cutting from the veneer side so any tear-out happens on the acrylic face where nobody sees it.
Time and cost
Nine hours total across two evenings. Material cost about £64 including scrap; the veneer sheet did the welcome sign, the chart and all 120 place cards with offcuts left over.
Lessons
Gentle air assist on the acrylic cut — full blast frosts the edge and you lose the clean look. Learned that on the first two place cards.
