Laser Workholding & Jigs

Workholding for lasers is mostly about (a) supporting the workpiece so the back side doesn't burn / smoke / reflect, (b) holding flat sheet stock against warping, and (c) repeatable jigs for production batches. This is also where laser shops differ most from CNC routers, which clamp; lasers usually rest, magnet, or pin.

Bed surfaces

• ★ Aluminum honeycomb bed — the universal CO2 / mid-power-diode bed. Hex cells (typical 6.5 mm) support sheet stock with minimal back-reflection / smoke trapping. Replaceable when warped / burnt. Cheap aftermarket on Amazon ($60–$200).
• ★ Stainless honeycomb (small cell) — premium; doesn't warp on tall workpieces. ~$200–$500.
• Knife-edge / blade bed — vertical "blade" strips that contact the workpiece on a thin edge; minimal back-reflection, used in industrial cutters.
• Pin table (machinist nail bed) — replaceable steel pins in a grid; great for production batches; you can rebuild around odd shapes.
• Steel slat bed — steel slats on edge; cheap to replace.
• Sacrificial MDF / cardboard — community DIY; cheap, replaceable, dangerous if it catches fire (it will eventually).

Magnetic / clamp workholding

• ★ Neodymium hold-down magnets (D=10–25 mm) — cheap, hold thin sheet steel / steel-honeycomb stock against the bed. Ubiquitous in production tumbler shops.
• CNC-style hold-down clamps — for thick stock. Common on diode "frame" lasers.
• Toggle clamps (DE-STA-CO style) — for repeat jigs / production.
• Vise jaws + raised platform — for fiber-galvo work on industrial parts.

Jigs and fixtures (production)

• ★ 3D-printed nesting jigs — print a part-specific shape with the workpiece pocketed in; align corner-to-laser-origin. The most flexible production fix.
• Acrylic / plywood frames cut on the same laser — bootstrap jig; cut once, use forever.
• Tumbler / cup cradles (V-block + magnet) — for engraving on tumblers in the rotary; many xTool / Roly users 3D-print these.
• Knife / pen / ring magnets-on-aluminum-plate — simple flat fixture for fiber-galvo daily jobs.
• Vacuum table — high-end; pulls sheet down onto a perforated bed. Excellent for thin paper / film / leather on flatbed CO2.

Z-height / focus jigs

• Focus puck (acrylic stick) — included with most lasers; place on top of work, lower head until it touches.
• Auto-focus probe (xTool / OMTech / Glowforge) — touches a sensor or measures with a Z-encoder. (See Laser Maintenance & Alignment.)
• Stepped focus jig — 3D-printed staircase for quickly running a ramp test.

Suppression / cleanup add-ons

• Air assist nozzle — also workholding-adjacent; reduces flare and keeps debris off the workpiece. (See Air Assist & Fume Extraction.)
• Crumb tray / drip pan — catches molten acrylic and debris below the bed.
• Aluminum foil under work — cheap reflective layer to reduce back-burn on cardboard / paper engraving.

Specialty: cylindrical, spherical, irregular

• See Laser Rotary Attachments.
• Egg / sphere cradles — usually 3D-printed; align to rotary chuck.
• Live-edge wood holding — usually shimmed flat with foam wedges + magnets.

Pick this if…

• Default flatbed surface: aluminum honeycomb (replace every 6–18 months of regular use).
• Production batches: 3D-printed nesting jig + magnets, cut once on the same laser.
• Heavy / weird stock: pin table, rebuilt per job.
• Tumbler / pen / ring shop: dedicated rotary cradles + magnets.
• Thin paper / film cutting: vacuum table if you're doing it daily.
• Just bought your first laser: buy a real honeycomb; do not run on cardboard.