# Your first project: make a name keychain > Design a name keychain, then laser-cut it, 3D print it or add vinyl lettering to a ready-made blank. Make a name keychain while learning the settings, export preview, downloads and import size. The steps below follow the laser version: cut the letters and backing from two colours, then glue them together. Using a 3D printer or a blade cutter? Design the keychain in steps 1–3, then jump to [the instructions for your machine](#reference-2). ## What you need - A laser that cuts 3 mm acrylic or plywood, and its software (LightBurn, xTool Studio or similar) - Two offcuts of 3 mm acrylic or plywood in contrasting colours, about 120 by 60 mm each - CA glue, or a 3M 468MP adhesive sheet - A split ring or keychain clip ## 1. Type the name Open the [Keychain Generator](/keychain-generator) and leave the style on **Layered**. Type the name into **Your Text**. Names of three to eight letters work best; a long name gets thin at keychain size. Script fonts such as Pacifico join their letters, so the name cuts as one piece. ![The Keychain Generator with the Layered style, Maya typed into Your Text and the Export Preview tab, each marked with a number](https://www.mylasertools.com/learn/start/annotated/keychain-settings.webp) 1: the Layered style. 2: the name goes into Your Text. 3: Export Preview, which you open in step 3. ## 2. Set the size **Keychain Width** is the finished width. 60 to 80 mm suits keys or a bag. **Outline Size** sets how far the backing sticks out past the letters; if the backing looks thinner than about 2 mm anywhere in the preview, raise it so it does not snap. Open **Hanger Hole** and leave at least 2 mm of material all the way round the hole. ![The size settings and download buttons of the Keychain Generator, each marked with a number](https://www.mylasertools.com/learn/start/annotated/keychain-downloads.webp) 1: Keychain Width. 2: Outline Size. 3: Hanger Hole. 4: Download SVG for a laser or a cutter, used in step 4. 5: Download 3MF or STL for a 3D printer. ## 3. Check the export preview Click **Export Preview** above the picture. This is the file you will download: the backing outline in red and the letters in blue, side by side, so each one cuts from its own sheet. If a letter is missing or a line looks broken here, fix it in the settings before you download. ![Export Preview of a name keychain: the red backing outline on the left and the blue lettering on the right](https://www.mylasertools.com/learn/steps/keychain-generator/screen-export.webp) ## 4. Download the SVG Click **Download SVG** under **Vector export**. The file is saved at the size you set, with one colour per layer. Printing it on a 3D printer instead? Use **Download 3MF** and follow the [slicer guide](/learn/guides/3d-printing-slicer-workflow). ## 5. Import it into your laser software In LightBurn, use **File > Import** and read the width in the size boxes at the top. It should match **Keychain Width**. Each colour lands on its own layer. In xTool Studio, import the file and check the size the same way. A width that is off by a third or a quarter means the software read the file at the wrong DPI: [here is the fix](/learn/troubleshooting#size). ![A keychain SVG imported into LightBurn, with its layers listed in the Cuts and Layers panel](https://www.mylasertools.com/learn/software/engraving-keychain-lightburn-import.webp) ## 6. Cut the two layers Put the letter colour on the bed and cut only the blue layer, with the red layer's output switched off. Then swap in the backing colour and cut only the red layer. No power and speed for this material yet? Cut a [material test grid](/learn/guides/laser-material-test-workflow) first, on the same sheet. ## 7. Glue it together Peel the protective film off both pieces. Run a thin line of CA glue along the back of the letters and press them onto the backing, lining up the hole end first. Give it a few minutes before you add the ring. ## Troubleshooting - **The letters came out as separate pieces:** the font does not join its letters. Pick a script font such as Pacifico, or glue each letter where it belongs. - **The keychain is the wrong size:** check the units and the import size in your software before you change the design. - **The ring around the hole snapped:** make the hole smaller or move it inwards so at least 2 mm of material surrounds it. - **Brown or melted edges:** lower the power or raise the speed, and cut with air assist on. ## No laser? Make it on a 3D printer or a Cricut **On a 3D printer:** keep the Layered style and set **Extrusion Depth** under **3D print design**, then click **Download 3MF**. The backing and the letters come in as two parts, so you can give each one its own filament in the slicer. With one nozzle and no AMS, add a filament change at the layer where the letters start. The [slicer guide](/learn/guides/3d-printing-slicer-workflow) shows each slicer. **On a Cricut or Silhouette:** a blade cutter does not cut 3 mm acrylic, but it cuts the letters from vinyl. Download the SVG, upload it to Design Space or Silhouette Studio, cut the letters in adhesive vinyl and press them onto an acrylic keychain blank. The [Cricut guide](/learn/guides/cricut-design-space-print-cut) covers the upload. ## Make it yours - Make a set at once: switch **Single** to **Batch** and type several names. They all come out in one file. - Try the **Truck**, **Photo** or **Alphabet** tabs at the top of the tool for a different style. - Click **Open in Design Editor** to add a date or a second line. The [Design Editor guide](/learn/guides/design-editor) shows how. --- Open the Keychain Generator: https://www.mylasertools.com/keychain-generator Read online: https://www.mylasertools.com/learn/guides/first-laser-project