The day the S1 arrived
December 2023. The box was heavier than I expected. I remember standing in my workshop, cutting the tape, and thinking: this was gonna be the machine that fixed my acrylic problem. The xtool-s1 looked like the answer. I had a 40-piece sign order from a local brewery due in two weeks, and my old 20W diode was already struggling with 3mm plywood.
I run a small laser workshop. Not a huge operation—me, one part-time helper, and a cat who likes the exhaust fan. I've been handling laser orders for about four years. In that time, I've personally made maybe 14 significant mistakes. Maybe 12, I'd have to check my notebook. Total damage: roughly $6,200 in wasted material, rework, and unhappy customers. This article is about the biggest chunk of that.
The brewery order was a classic risk-reward moment. The upside was $2,000 in revenue and a chance to lock in a repeat customer. The risk was that I didn't fully understand how the S1 handles acrylic. I kept asking myself: is $2,000 worth potentially turning $1,200 of acrylic into patty paper and missing a deadline? My gut said yes. My gut was trying to defend a bad plan.
Can the xtool s1 Cut Acrylic? Yes. And no.
That week, I searched variations of 'can the xtool s1 cut acrylic?' I found the official xTool material list, YouTube demos, and a few forum threads. The consensus was yes. I checked that same official page again in January 2025, and it still lists acrylic. What I didn't absorb was the fine print: it can cut acrylic, but it does not work equally on every type of acrylic.
I bought 12 sheets of 3mm clear cast acrylic from a local supplier because they had a sale and I was in a hurry. The word 'cast' did not register. I assumed acrylic is acrylic. That is like assuming all lumber is outdoor-grade because it is wood.
My first test cut looked fine from the top. I opened the xtool s1 software—XCS, the Creative Space app—and picked the acrylic preset. The laser made a pass. When I pulled the piece apart, the edge was white, chalky, and brittle. So I did what impatient people do: I increased power, decreased speed, and tried again. Then I tried three passes. Then I had smoke rolling out of the enclosure and micro-cracks running along every cut line.
The twist: I was using cast acrylic. Cast acrylic is great for frosted engraving. Extruded acrylic is better for cutting because it vaporizes cleaner and leaves a smoother, more polished edge. I swapped to extruded sheets and the same preset cut through 3mm in one pass. For 5mm, I needed a slower second pass. That alone was the difference between 'this machine is garbage' and 'okay, this machine deserves a chance.'
I still kick myself for not checking the manufacturer's spec sheet before I bought the first batch. If I'd spent two minutes reading 'cast vs. extruded,' I'd have saved $600 and a weekend of troubleshooting.
There is another nuance nobody told me. Clear and very light acrylic can let the S1's blue diode beam pass straight through instead of being absorbed. Dark or opaque colored acrylic absorbed it much better. The first clear pieces I cut looked fine on top but fractured around the bottom edge. Masking tape over the cut line helped. Should mention: that trick comes from the CO2 world, but it works here too.
What the xtool s1 software does not tell you
I'm not going to beat up XCS, because honestly, the software is not the problem. It's actually pretty clean. You can pick a material profile, adjust speed and power, and see a preview. There's also a shared library of user-tested settings, which is a huge upgrade over the generic machine I learned on.
But the presets are starting points, not promises. I burned two sheets of off-brand black acrylic using the generic 'acrylic' preset. The material was consistent. The saved setting wasn't right for its specific formulation. Those two sheets cost me almost $80. That is when I learned to run a 10-second test spot before every new batch.
If you are asking about the xtool s1 software because you're new to lasers, here's what you need to know: XCS is powerful enough for most shops, but you still have to think. It won't automatically know that your acrylic is cast or extruded, that your room is cold, or that your honeycomb grid is dirty. It gives you a baseline. You calibrate up or down from there.
From acrylic to fabric, color, and glass
Once I solved the acrylic mystery, the S1 turned into the multi-material tool I wanted. But each new material came with a new way to lose money.
The first fabric order was 60 felt stocking tags for a boutique. Fabric laser cutting on felt was almost unfair: the S1 cut through 2mm felt cleanly, and the edges sealed slightly, which actually helped. Cotton canvas and denim worked too. Polyester was a deal-breaker. It melted, hardened, and glued itself to the honeycomb. And I refuse to cut PVC or vinyl, period. I should add that I tested a scrap of vinyl on a friend's recommendation once, and the fumes left a sticky film inside the enclosure. That was a red flag I should have seen coming from five miles away.
Then I got the colored laser engraving question. A customer wanted a color logo on coated stainless steel tumblers. I remembered 2020, when the rule was that diode lasers could barely touch bare metal. But when I dialed in slower speed and repeated passes on the S1, it left a visible heat-colored mark—gold tones, then copper as I adjusted speed. It is not CMYK printing. It is basically controlled oxidation. If you expect photo-quality color, you'll be disappointed. If you want a metallic accent, it can be a no-brainer.
Now for the other common search: 'best glass engraving machine.' For me, the S1 is not that machine. It can engrave glass, but it's not the job it does best. I tried 12 glass mugs with the rotary bundle. Clear glass gave me weak marks that looked weathered rather than etched. Coated or dark glass came out better. I know some people get decent results with a damp paper towel or glass marking solution—I tried one and it improved contrast. But if 80% of your work is glass, buy a machine that was built for glass. A CO2 laser is still more predictable in my experience.
The checklist that finally stopped the bleeding
After that month, I made a checklist. I run it every time I switch materials. I'm not a checklist person, but I'm tired of replacing sheets of acrylic.
- Does the material absorb the S1's wavelength? If it's clear or very light, add a masking layer or pick a different material.
- Cast or extruded? Coated or bare? Find it on the spec sheet before switching on the laser.
- Is it safe to laser? No vinyl, PVC, or polyester if you care about the machine.
- Run a test spot. Not a full test piece. A spot means 10 seconds.
- Write the XCS settings on the material label. Future you will say thanks.
This checklist has caught 31 potential issues in the past year. Maybe 29, I'd have to count. The direction is right, and that's what matters.
Bottom line
The laser industry has moved fast. Five years ago, people told me diode lasers were for engraving only and couldn't cut acrylic or mark metal. In 2025, that rule is outdated. The fundamentals haven't changed—material science, ventilation, focus, and testing—but the execution has transformed.
So, can the xtool s1 cut acrylic? Yes, if you choose the right acrylic, adjust the XCS settings, and test first. Can it handle fabric laser cutting and colored laser engraving? Yes, with caveats. Is it the best glass engraving machine? Not for me, and probably not for you if glass is your main material.
I do not mean the S1 is a miracle box. It's a tool, and tools need a careful human. Trust me on this one: check your material. It will save you the $1,200 mistake I made.
