Struggling to get your laser cutting community talking and sharing? Community challenges are a proven way to spark creativity, inspire friendly competition, and bring members together. Use these ready-to-go templates to make engagement effortless and fun.
Plan your content calendar and auto-post to Skool, Circle, or Mighty Networks
Community challenges tap into our natural desire for connection, achievement, and recognition. By offering playful or educational tasks, you give members a reason to participate, learn new skills, and showcase their creations. This structure lowers barriers to entry: even shy or new members can join in with small, achievable tasks.
Challenges foster camaraderie by encouraging members to interact, share progress, and cheer each other on. The sense of accomplishment and the possibility of rewards or recognition further motivate ongoing participation, turning passive lurkers into active contributors. Over time, these shared experiences build a strong, loyal community.
Laser Cut Showdown: Create something using only scrap materials. Share your result.
💡 Example: "Laser Cut Showdown: Create something using only scrap materials. Share your result."
Quick Challenge: Cut a keychain in under 30 minutes. Post your design.
💡 Example: "Quick Challenge: Cut a keychain in under 30 minutes. Post your design."
Try a new material this week. What did you use and how did it go?
💡 Example: "Try a new material this week. What did you use and how did it go?"
Who can make the thinnest laser cut without breaking it? Show us your attempt.
💡 Example: "Who can make the thinnest laser cut without breaking it? Show us your attempt."
Mini Engraving: Engrave your initials on any item. Share a photo.
💡 Example: "Mini Engraving: Engrave your initials on any item. Share a photo."
Flash Challenge: Laser cut something inspired by nature. Post your creation.
💡 Example: "Flash Challenge: Laser cut something inspired by nature. Post your creation."
First Timer Friday: If you are new, try cutting a simple shape and share how it went.
💡 Example: "First Timer Friday: If you are new, try cutting a simple shape and share how it went."
Speed Round: How fast can you assemble a box from laser cut parts? Share your time.
💡 Example: "Speed Round: How fast can you assemble a box from laser cut parts? Share your time."
Design Remix: Take someone else's shared file and add your twist. Show us both versions.
💡 Example: "Design Remix: Take someone else's shared file and add your twist. Show us both versions."
Weekly Theme: Animals! Cut or engrave something with an animal theme and post it.
💡 Example: "Weekly Theme: Animals! Cut or engrave something with an animal theme and post it."
Skill Builder: Try a raster engraving for the first time. What image did you pick?
💡 Example: "Skill Builder: Try a raster engraving for the first time. What image did you pick?"
Laser Puzzle: Cut a jigsaw with at least 10 pieces. Show your solution.
💡 Example: "Laser Puzzle: Cut a jigsaw with at least 10 pieces. Show your solution."
Minimalist Monday: Create the simplest design you can. Post a photo.
💡 Example: "Minimalist Monday: Create the simplest design you can. Post a photo."
One Color Only: Cut or engrave using just one color of material. Show us what you made.
💡 Example: "One Color Only: Cut or engrave using just one color of material. Show us what you made."
Repurpose Challenge: Turn a failed cut into something useful. Share your upcycle.
💡 Example: "Repurpose Challenge: Turn a failed cut into something useful. Share your upcycle."
Laser Cut Letter: Make a sign using your favorite quote. Post a photo.
💡 Example: "Laser Cut Letter: Make a sign using your favorite quote. Post a photo."
Tiny Art: Make the smallest detailed piece you can. Show us the scale.
💡 Example: "Tiny Art: Make the smallest detailed piece you can. Show us the scale."
Functional Friday: Cut something useful for your workspace. What did you make?
💡 Example: "Functional Friday: Cut something useful for your workspace. What did you make?"
Material Swap: Try a new wood or acrylic brand. Share your findings.
💡 Example: "Material Swap: Try a new wood or acrylic brand. Share your findings."
Challenge: Make a layered piece with at least three colors. Show us the result.
💡 Example: "Challenge: Make a layered piece with at least three colors. Show us the result."
Time Capsule: Cut or engrave something that represents this year. Share your story.
💡 Example: "Time Capsule: Cut or engrave something that represents this year. Share your story."
Laser Cut Jewelry: Make a pendant or earrings. Show your design.
💡 Example: "Laser Cut Jewelry: Make a pendant or earrings. Show your design."
Wildcard: Use your laser cutter for something unusual. What did you try?
💡 Example: "Wildcard: Use your laser cutter for something unusual. What did you try?"
Speed Engrave: Engrave a logo in under 10 minutes. Post your result.
💡 Example: "Speed Engrave: Engrave a logo in under 10 minutes. Post your result."
Accessory Hack: Make an add-on for your laser cutter. How does it help?
💡 Example: "Accessory Hack: Make an add-on for your laser cutter. How does it help?"
Team Up: Pair up and design a project together. Share both of your steps.
💡 Example: "Team Up: Pair up and design a project together. Share both of your steps."
Monochrome Monday: Cut or engrave using only black and white designs. Post photos.
💡 Example: "Monochrome Monday: Cut or engrave using only black and white designs. Post photos."
Puzzle Piece: Create one piece of a group puzzle. Upload your part.
💡 Example: "Puzzle Piece: Create one piece of a group puzzle. Upload your part."
Speed Sketch: Draw a design in 5 minutes and cut it. Share the result.
💡 Example: "Speed Sketch: Draw a design in 5 minutes and cut it. Share the result."
Retro Challenge: Recreate a classic sign or logo. Show your interpretation.
💡 Example: "Retro Challenge: Recreate a classic sign or logo. Show your interpretation."
Laser Gift: Make a small gift for a friend. What did you choose and why?
💡 Example: "Laser Gift: Make a small gift for a friend. What did you choose and why?"
Cut and Share: Try a new joinery technique. Post photos and tips.
💡 Example: "Cut and Share: Try a new joinery technique. Post photos and tips."
Laser Fails: Share your funniest laser mishap. What did you learn?
💡 Example: "Laser Fails: Share your funniest laser mishap. What did you learn?"
Mystery Material: Try cutting a new fabric. Share your results and advice.
💡 Example: "Mystery Material: Try cutting a new fabric. Share your results and advice."
Pattern Play: Laser cut or engrave your favorite pattern. Show it off.
💡 Example: "Pattern Play: Laser cut or engrave your favorite pattern. Show it off."
Upcycle Week: Transform packaging into something useful. Post before-and-after photos.
💡 Example: "Upcycle Week: Transform packaging into something useful. Post before-and-after photos."
Quick Fix: Share a simple tip that saved your project. How did it help?
💡 Example: "Quick Fix: Share a simple tip that saved your project. How did it help?"
Laser Legacy: Cut or engrave something inspired by your culture. Share its meaning.
💡 Example: "Laser Legacy: Cut or engrave something inspired by your culture. Share its meaning."
Before and After: Post your first ever laser cut and your latest. Notice any changes?
💡 Example: "Before and After: Post your first ever laser cut and your latest. Notice any changes?"
Laser Cut Recipe: Make a kitchen tool with your laser. Share your design and use.
💡 Example: "Laser Cut Recipe: Make a kitchen tool with your laser. Share your design and use."
Challenge: Use only circles and lines in your next design. Show the result.
💡 Example: "Challenge: Use only circles and lines in your next design. Show the result."
Laser Experiment: Try cutting with a new speed or power setting. What surprised you?
💡 Example: "Laser Experiment: Try cutting with a new speed or power setting. What surprised you?"
Pick a template that fits your community's interests or skill level. Announce the challenge using your platform's best features: pin it, use eye-catching images, or create an event. Explain the rules clearly and set a deadline. Encourage members to post their progress or results, and interact with every submission. Offer small rewards or recognition to celebrate participation and keep the energy high.
On all platforms, use visual aids like before-and-after photos or quick videos to demonstrate the challenge. Tag members who may be interested or have participated before. Use polls or reactions to let the community vote on winners or favorite entries. Always follow up with a recap post and thank participants.
To create an engaging material-themed challenge, prompt members to use specific materials—such as acrylic, plywood, or MDF—and ask them to share not only their finished projects but also their optimal laser power, speed settings, and any unique post-processing methods (e.g., flame polishing acrylic edges or sanding wood surfaces). Encourage sharing photos of test cuts and results to foster learning among members with different machines or experience levels.
When organizing a file swap challenge, clearly state that all shared vector or raster files must be original designs or sourced from public domain/Creative Commons libraries with proper attribution. Advise participants to avoid sharing commercial SVGs or files sourced from paid platforms unless they have redistribution rights. Consider providing a guide on verifying file licenses, and moderate submissions to ensure compliance.
Frame these challenge weeks as learning opportunities by specifically requesting posts that showcase not only successful projects but also failures—like kerf miscalculations, warping, or engraving misalignments. Offer prompts such as 'Show us your happy accidents!' and provide tips on troubleshooting common issues, such as adjusting kerf compensation or recalibrating bed alignment. Highlighting these moments reduces stigma and accelerates collective troubleshooting.
For batch production challenges, set clear rules about machine run times and required cooling intervals to prevent overheating and component wear. Encourage members to document their workflow for maximizing throughput, including nesting strategies in LightBurn or RDWorks, optimal material placement, and safe removal practices. Make safety a judging criterion—reward those who demonstrate adherence to recommended cooling cycles and airflow management.
Design a challenge that requires members to use only leftover scraps or offcuts from previous laser projects. Ask them to post before-and-after photos of their materials and finished pieces, and to describe how they minimized waste or joined irregular pieces. Encourage sharing of tips for identifying usable scrap shapes and for securing small pieces to the bed to avoid laser bounce or fire hazards.
Create challenges that specify a design or material (e.g., engraving stainless steel tags) and invite participants to attempt it using their unique machine types, such as diode, CO2, or fiber lasers. Encourage posts that compare results, required settings (e.g., DPI, speed, frequency), and any workarounds for machine limitations. Facilitate discussion threads for members to share their machine-specific tips, highlight the strengths and weaknesses, and provide context for others considering upgrades or new purchases.
Skool · Circle · Mighty Networks