Looking to add some eerie charm to our Halloween setup this year? We recently tackled a low-effort, high-impact project that uses the xTool F1 Portable Laser Engraver to create wooden stencils that cast haunting shadows. It’s a budget-friendly way to set the mood for the spooky season, and best of all—it’s pretty simple to pull off!
SETTING UP THE SCENE
We started by pulling up our stencil design on the laptop, resizing it to about 8 inches, and centering it on a piece of 3mm base wood. We chose this material because it’s thin enough for the laser to slice through cleanly but sturdy enough to stand up on its own.
One thing we absolutely love about using our laser cutter is the framing feature. It traces the outline of our design before the actual cut begins, so we can double-check everything is aligned perfectly. This little trick helps us make the most of our materials and avoid misaligned cuts—always a plus when we’re trying to maximize each piece of wood!
LETTING THE LASER DO ITS MAGIC
Once the design was set, we adjusted the laser settings to 100% power and a speed of 15. We decided to run the cut twice to make sure it went all the way through. But before hitting “Start,” we noticed the laser wasn’t able to close its shield completely, and that blue light was leaking out. Safety first! We put on our trusty safety glasses and got to work—looking stylish and staying protected.
CREEPY YET COOL
After the laser did its thing, we pulled the stencil out to inspect our work. Some pieces hadn’t fully separated, which isn’t unusual with wood that has minor inconsistencies. A little flexing was all it took to free them up. If we wanted a cleaner finish, we could have run another pass, but we liked how these turned out with just a bit of wiggling.
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CASTING SHADOWS
Now came the fun part—testing it out! We headed to a dark corner, grabbed a flashlight, and set up the scene. With the light shining behind our stencil, the shadow cast on the wall was just what we hoped for: spooky, sharp, and perfectly eerie. We found that using a single-point light source is key to getting crisp shadows. Multiple LEDs, while bright, tend to create overlapping shadows that lose that haunting effect.
WHY THESE STENCILS ARE WORTH TRYING
The best part about this project? It’s a low-budget, reusable way to step up our Halloween game. We loved how easy it was to experiment with different designs, and now we have a bunch of stencils ready for next year’s spooky season. It’s all about getting that high-impact look with minimal effort—and this project really delivers.
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So if you’re looking to add a touch of haunted flair to your space, definitely give these shadow-casting stencils a try! And if you’ve got any other creative ideas or favorite designs, share them with us in the comments below. We’re always on the lookout for new projects to explore, especially when it involves a bit of Halloween magic.