Glow Ghost Lantern | Laser Cut, Halloween, Desk Decor

Happy Halloween! With Halloween creeping up, I couldn't resist whipping up this Haunted Glow Ghost Lantern—a laser-cut plywood project that turns a simple desk corner into a spectral hotspot. Whether you're decorating for trick-or-treaters or just want some haunted desk vibes, this project's got your back. Let's cut, color, and conjure!

Materials

1. 3mm thick plywood sheet (about 50x40cm—balsa or birch works great for clean cuts)
2. Acrylic paints: black and white
3. Wood glue (quick-dry formula)
4. Small paintbrushes (one fine-tip for details)

Equipment

1. NEJE 20w Laser Cutter
2. Design software (LightBurn or similar for prepping files)
3. Drop cloth or palette for painting

Fire up your design software and import the shared SVG file.

Clamp your plywood sheet securely on the laser bed—double-check alignment so the ghost doesn't end up sideways! Set your parameters for clean cuts:

1. Settings: Speed 400mm/min, Power 95%, Passes: 1 (with air assist on for crisp edges)

Gently sand all edges with 220-grit paper to banish and lay pieces and color the ghost. Then glue the body and head together.

Start with the base. Glue the side walls perpendicular to it using wood glue dots. Slot the ghost insert into the upper panel cutout. Attach the upper and lower box to the sides to form a box.(For the sake of beauty, you can use some cut sulfuric acid paper to make it light-transmissive.)

Pop in your tea light or LED bulb inside the box, your Haunted Glow Lantern is ready to spook and sparkle.