I Tried to Cut Metal with an xTool S1 (40W). Here's What Actually Happened.

The Question Everyone Asks (And My First Mistake)

“Can it cut metal?” That was the first question I typed into Google after unboxing my xTool S1—like every other maker, I imagine. And the answer I found? A vague “yes, it can engrave anodized aluminum.” Cool. Great. I immediately assumed it could handle a thin sheet of stainless steel, too. That assumption cost me about $450 in wasted material and replacement parts in my first three months. This is not a complaint about the machine—it's a complaint about my own failure to understand what "cut metal" actually means in the context of a 40W diode laser.

From the outside, it looks like a powerful laser should just... cut through things. More wattage = more power, right? The reality is that diode lasers (even the 40W xTool S1 module) operate at a wavelength that most metals reflect rather than absorb. I didn't know that. I just saw the YouTube demo and thought, "I'll be cutting 1/8" steel plates by the weekend." Nope.

I'm not an optical engineer, so I can't explain photon physics. What I can tell you from the perspective of someone who has made every rookie mistake in the laser engraving book is this: the xTool S1 is a fantastic machine, but it has boundaries. And ignoring those boundaries is expensive.

The Surface Illusion: What 'Cut Metal' Actually Means

People assume the 40W diode laser can cut thin metal because the marketing material shows it engraving a metal surface. What they don't see (and what I didn't consider) is the difference between engraving and cutting. Engraving a surface involves removing a controlled layer of material—like a coating or a thin oxide layer. Cutting requires fully penetrating the material thickness.

Why Your 40W Module Can't Cut Steel (But Can Mark It)

Most buyers focus on power consumption (watts) and completely miss the critical factor: absorption rate. The blue light from a diode laser (445nm–450nm) is largely reflected by bare metals like steel, aluminum, and copper. The industry standard for marking bare metals traditionally requires a different technology (like fiber lasers or CO₂ lasers with marking compounds) because the wavelength is absorbed differently.

Here's a practical example from my own workshop: In November 2023, I tried to cut a steel template for a custom fixture. The xTool S1 spent 45 minutes on a 2" x 2" square. It produced a scorched, oxidized mark—not a cut. The material was smoking, the smell was terrible (ugh), and I nearly damaged the laser module due to reflected light. I had to replace the lens, which cost $80 (note to self: never point a laser at metal without a test first).

From the outside, it looks like “more passes” will eventually cut through. The reality is that with diode lasers on reflective metals, more passes just create more heat damage—not a clean cut.

The Fool's Gold of 'Laser Ready' Metals

This was my second mistake: assuming that "laser ready" applied to my diode rig uniformly. I'd seen people engrave metal with fancy CO₂ setups and thought, "Well, the xTool S1 can handle anything those machines can." No—no, it cannot.

“The question everyone asks is, ‘Can I cut 1/8” steel?’ The question they should ask is, ‘What materials are optimized for diode laser processing?’” I learned this the hard way.

Here's what I've actually successfully done with my xTool S1 40W (well, successfully—not without some failures):

• Engraved anodized aluminum: Works perfectly. The coating absorbs the laser, the metal underneath doesn't.
• Marked coated stainless steel tumblers: Great results, but only after applying a marking spray (which adds cost and time).
• Cut thin (1.5mm) acrylic: Beautiful. Clean edges. No issues.
• Cut wood up to 8mm: With air assist, yes. Without? You'll get charring the consistency of burnt toast.
• Tried to cut 1mm steel: Epic fail. $45 down the drain on a test piece.

The most frustrating part of this learning curve: I could have avoided all of it by reading the specs more carefully (note to self: trust the data sheet, not the hype). You'd think common sense would prevail, but the allure of cutting metal is just too strong.

The Hidden Cost of Ignoring Boundaries

Beyond wasted material, the real hidden cost is damage to your machine and your reputation if you're making items for clients.

Costs I Personally Burned Through

After the third metal-cutting failure in Q1 2024, I started tracking the waste. Here's the tally from my first six months:

1. Failed steel cutting attempts: 2 sheets of 0.5mm steel = $35 wasted. Plus 6 hours of machine time (which I could have used for profitable wood projects).
2. Damaged lens from reflected light: $80 replacement. I learned to never run a job without first verifying the material's reflective properties.
3. Marking spray cost for stainless steel projects: $40 for a bottle that only lasts about 30 small tumblers.
4. Tried cutting aluminum with a CO₂ tube (borrowed a friend's system): That's a whole other story. CO₂ lasers handle non-metal materials, but reflective metals still need fiber lasers. That test cost me a favor and a case of beer.

Total: roughly $450 in direct costs, not counting the frustration and time. That's the tuition for a lesson in laser physics.

The Reputation Risk

This is the part nobody talks about. If you're doing this as a business—like I started to—failing to set proper expectations with clients can kill your credibility. Take a moment to think about it.

“I once confirmed a rush job for a client's stainless steel signage. Bragged about the 40W module. Promised 48 hours. The result was a barely visible mark. The client was furious, and I had to refund $120 plus apologize. That error cost $890 in redo (subcontracted to a fiber laser shop) plus a 1-week delay. Now I maintain our team's checklist to prevent others from repeating my errors.”

So, Can the xTool S1 Cut Metal? Let's Redefine the Question

After all that pain, here's my honest, boundary-aware conclusion:

Note: Table based on my own repeated tests and the official xTool S1 40W material recommendations.

This gets into laser physics territory, which isn't my expertise. What I've done is compiled a pre-flight checklist that I use for every new material before I commit to a client order:

• Step 1: Check the official xTool S1 material database.
• Step 2: If it's metal, assume it cannot be cut (engineer's logic: assume the worst).
• Step 3: Test on a scrap piece (always).
• Step 4: Look up the absorption rate for diode wavelength.

An informed customer asks better questions and makes faster decisions. I'd rather spend 10 minutes explaining the limitations of a diode laser than deal with mismatched expectations later. That's been my mantra since the $450 mistake.

The Real Takeaway: Education Over Hype

The xTool S1 is a remarkable machine, but its strength is in marking surfaces and processing non-reflective materials. For metal cutting, you need a different tool—fiber laser, waterjet, or plasma cutter. The S1 does not compete with a CO₂ tube laser on cutting, but it excels in precision engraving on a wide range of materials. The modular design—10W, 20W, 40W modules—is a game-changer for makers who want flexibility.

So, to answer the original question: Can the xTool S1 cut metal?

“It can mark some metals, engrave coated metals exceptionally well, but it cannot cut bare steel or aluminum. Don't buy it expecting it to. Buy it for what it is: a fantastic diode laser system for wood, acrylic, leather, and light marking tasks on metal.”

Three months later, I stopped trying to cut metal. I focused on what the S1 does best: creating intricate wood signs, acrylic keychains, and personalized leather goods. My business is now profitable, and I have a checklist to prove it. The best lesson I learned: know your tool's boundaries before you start buying metal sheets.