Laser-Cut Records: Audio to SVG and DXF

By the Make a Record project · Software reference v0.1.0

A laser-cut record encodes sound as a sideways wiggle in a spiral groove. Make a Record converts WAV audio into SVG or DXF paths, including separate groove, spindle-hole, and outline layers.

Choose a file for your cutter

LightBurn presets export DXF: a 302 mm disc at 33⅓ RPM or a 178 mm disc at 45 RPM. xTool P2S exports SVG with the groove divided into 20-revolution paths. Glowforge exports a 254 mm disc as SVG files split at 10-revolution intervals.

Profile names describe the intended workflow. Verify your own bed dimensions, software import behaviour, and material compatibility before fabrication.

From audio to a test cut

1. Open the converter, upload a WAV, and select your cutter's preset.
2. Choose a short clip. Measure the groove width produced by your intended line/score operation on scrap material.
3. Enter that width as Laser kerf under fine-tuning. If validation says adjacent grooves would touch, increase groove pitch or reduce modulation amplitude.
4. Generate and extract the ZIP. Import the SVG or DXF in millimetres and check the outline diameter.
5. Assign the groove to a shallow scoring operation. Assign the hole and outline to cutting operations suitable for your machine and approved material.
6. Score the groove first, then cut the hole, then the outline so the disc stays in position while its groove is made.

What do the layers mean?

• GROOVE / red: the audio spiral; score a channel rather than cutting through the sheet.
• HOLE / blue: the spindle opening.
• OUTLINE / black: the outside of the disc.

Layer colours identify operations; they do not encode a universal laser power or speed. Establish those values with material tests and your machine's operating instructions.

Keep split Glowforge files aligned

Every split file includes the same outline and spindle hole to preserve its bounding box. Keep the material in place between files. Set outline and hole to Ignore in all but the final file, so they are cut only once.

How much space must remain between turns?

The laser clearance check is pitch ≥ 2 × amplitude + kerf + minimum land. With the default 0.07 mm amplitude, 0.20 mm kerf, and 0.05 mm minimum land, pitch must be at least 0.39 mm. The default is 0.40 mm. These numbers describe the model; a wider actual channel needs more spacing.

What if the cutter pauses or the sound is poor?

Many tiny segments can stress a cutter's controller. Try a short file and conservative groove speed. Simplifying the path can remove the waveform itself. If tracking fails, inspect groove continuity, actual kerf, disc flatness, and the imported dimensions before increasing audio amplitude.

Current preset geometry

Values below come from the converter's presets. Capacity is a geometric maximum, before the web app's point limit or a shorter uploaded clip is applied.

Method and further reading

This guide describes Make a Record's source code and presets. The broader technique follows earlier digital fabrication experiments, including Amanda Ghassaei's laser-cut records. Suggested fabrication settings need validation on your machine; they are not manufacturer-certified profiles.