I would like to laser cut some shapes out of carpet tiles. The backing is about 1/8" thick. Has anyone tried this? Would any one have suggestions on settings for it on the Thunder? I would imagine this could be done but cutting slowly using low frequency.
The real question is what happens to the tiles when they’re burned? Do they produce chlorine or some other corrosive gas that will damage the optics? Will the addition of intense point heat cause them to burn? Do they separate neatly or do they just weld back together when cut using a thermal process?
Most modern carpets are made from nylon or polyester piles, sewed into a mat made from a variety of plastic materials. Some of them produce dioxins and various other toxic chemicals when burned, nearly all of them produce a lot of soot. I’m not a laser guy, but I’d guess the soot alone wouldn’t be a great thing for the optics, and the chemical question is significant. Since they’re all chemically different, it would be a tough one-size-fits-all answer.
Sharp knives still work well 
You’re probably right. I was hoping to have a way to setup a repeatable template and not do it by hand.
maybe CNC or laser cut the template? MDF is a perfect material for that, and a small sheet should be cheap at HD
I meant a digital template that can then be used on a CNC device.