Blog posts
-
, by Author Article title
-
, by Author Article title
-
, by Author Article title
Getting Started - What Lasers Can Fit a Wide Brim Hat
- , by Samantha Bishop
- 2 min reading time
You're ready to dive into the world of laser hat burning, but you have no idea where to start. The research process is overwhelming, and what the fudge do you actually need?I get it. Been there, melted down about that. Now that I have some experience, I created a starting point for you newbies.
The Best Laser Engravers for Wide Brim Hat Burning
(What Actually Fits — and What Doesn’t)
So you’ve decided you want to start laser burning wide brim hats.
You’re ready to dive in. You’ve got Pinterest boards full of inspiration. You’ve watched the reels. You may have even picked out your first design already.
Then you start researching lasers…
And suddenly it feels like you need a mechanical engineering degree and three spreadsheets just to make a decision.
The research process is overwhelming. Where do you even start? What do you actually need?
I get it. I’ve been there. I’ve melted down over it, too.
Now that I’ve got some experience under my belt, I’ve created a simple starting point for beginners.
The Most Important Factor: SIZE
When choosing a laser specifically for wide brim hat burning, the most important factor is size.
Many of the most popular laser machines are fantastic — but they simply cannot fit a full hat in one pass.
Trust me: you do not want to spend your time trying to perfectly line up pieced-together sections of a design because your laser bed isn’t big enough. It’s frustrating. It wastes material. And it will absolutely test your patience.
So here’s the non-negotiable:
You need a minimum engraving area of 400 x 400 mm
(about 16” x 16”).
Anything smaller, and you won’t be able to burn the full brim of a hat in a single pass.
The Second Factor: Height
The next thing to consider is height clearance.
You need to be able to raise the laser head about 5–6 inches to accommodate the hat and jig. Some machines offer optional leg extensions. Others may require you to get creative and elevate the machine yourself.
In most cases, an open-frame laser (meaning the enclosure is not built in) works better than enclosed models for hat burning.
Think Beyond Hats
While hats may be your main focus right now, don’t limit yourself.
Consider what other materials you might want to work with in the future:
Wood
Acrylic
Metal
Different lasers perform better on different materials, so think ahead and choose a machine that aligns with your long-term goals.
So when you’re searching:
“best laser for hat burning”
“laser engraver for wide brim hats”
“what size laser do I need for hat engraving”
The answer always starts with:
A minimum 400 x 400 mm work area.
Laser Engravers That Fit a Wide Brim Hat Jig
Popular Machines That Do NOT Meet the 400 x 400 mm Requirement
The following machines may be excellent for other types of projects, but they cannot burn a full wide brim hat in one pass:
Glowforge Basic / Plus / Pro
xTool P2S
xTool F1 / F1 Ultra
WeCreat Vision 20W / 40W
xTool M1 / M1 Ultra
Ortur Laser Master 2 Pro
xTool S1 20
If wide brim hat burning is your goal, these machines simply won’t give you the workspace you need.