🎁 MAKE THEIR GIFT EXTRA SPECIAL – FREE ENGRAVING ON INJECTORS UNTIL BRAAI DAY 24 SEPTEMBER
🎁 MAKE THEIR GIFT EXTRA SPECIAL – FREE ENGRAVING ON INJECTORS UNTIL BRAAI DAY 24 SEPTEMBER
Laser cut steel covers a wide range of materials, processes, and end uses, and the specific combination that works for one job is often wrong for another. The material you start with determines the finish, the maintenance requirement, the structural performance, and the cost. Choosing the wrong one early in a project creates problems that are expensive to fix later.
This guide covers the five main metals we cut at Big 5 Products, what each one is suited for, and what you need to know about maintaining finished laser cut steel parts once they’re installed or in use.
Laser cut steel is metal that has been cut using a focused, high-powered laser beam rather than a saw, plasma cutter, or mechanical punch. The laser follows a CNC-programmed path and cuts through the material cleanly, producing precise edges with minimal heat distortion and very little secondary finishing required. Laser cutting works across a range of metal types and thicknesses, which is why it’s the standard cutting method for precision fabrication in South Africa and internationally.
At Big 5 Products we run fibre laser cutting in our George Industria workshop across five main materials: mild steel, stainless steel, aluminium, copper, and brass. Full technical detail on the process itself is at the fibre laser cutting South Africa page.
Mild steel is the most widely used laser cut material in fabrication. It’s low carbon, easy to cut and bend, weldable, and significantly cheaper than stainless steel or aluminium for equivalent thickness. It’s the default choice for structural components, brackets, frames, agricultural parts, and anything that will be painted, powder coated, or galvanised after cutting.
The trade-off is corrosion resistance. Mild steel rusts when exposed to moisture without a protective finish. In the Western Cape’s coastal environment, uncoated mild steel left outdoors will show rust within weeks. The finish applied after cutting, whether paint, powder coat, hot dip galvanising, or epoxy, is what determines the part’s outdoor service life, not the steel itself.
Common uses for laser cut mild steel: structural brackets and plates, machinery components, agricultural equipment parts, gates and fencing, decorative panels intended for painting, custom fabrication for contractors and builders.
What to check before ordering: confirm whether your application requires a post-cut finish and what type. A mild steel bracket going into a foundation like the Gondwana Lodge job we documented is fine galvanised. A mild steel decorative panel going on an exterior wall in Mossel Bay needs proper powder coating or it won’t last a season.
Stainless steel is mild steel’s answer to the corrosion problem, at a higher price point. It contains chromium, which forms a passive oxide layer that seals the surface against moisture and oxygen and rebuilds itself when scratched. The result is a material that handles outdoor exposure, coastal air, humidity, and cleaning chemicals without rusting over time.
For laser cutting specifically, stainless steel produces a cleaner edge than mild steel because it doesn’t oxidise during the cutting process the way mild steel does. Cut edges on stainless are typically ready for immediate use or light finishing without the additional treatment mild steel often needs.
Grade 304 is the food-safe standard and the correct specification for most braai, kitchen, and outdoor applications. It contains 18 percent chromium and 8 percent nickel and handles the temperature range and moisture exposure of a South African outdoor environment reliably.
Grade 316 adds molybdenum to the alloy, improving chloride resistance. It’s the right choice for installations directly on the coast or in marine environments. For most Garden Route inland use, 304 is adequate.
Common uses for laser cut stainless steel: fire pits and braai components, kitchen and food-prep equipment, architectural panels and screens, signage, outdoor furniture, marine fittings, medical and pharmaceutical equipment.
This is the material we use for the Pentagon Fire Pit and Biker Braai. Laser cutting the pentagon shape from stainless steel plate gives us clean, precise edges that weld together without the fit-up problems that come from hand-cut or plasma-cut components.
Laser cut stainless steel is low maintenance but not no maintenance, and how you clean it matters. The wrong cleaning method damages the passive oxide layer that makes stainless steel corrosion resistant in the first place.
For general cleaning: a damp cloth or soft sponge with warm water and mild dish soap handles most cleaning without damaging the surface. Wipe in the direction of the grain where visible. Rinse and dry thoroughly, since water sitting on the surface, particularly in humid or coastal areas, leaves mineral deposits over time.
For grease and braai residue: a purpose-made stainless steel cleaner or a small amount of methylated spirits on a soft cloth cuts through grease without scratching. Apply, wipe in the grain direction, and rinse off.
For discolouration and heat tinting: stainless steel exposed to high braai heat develops a blue-gold heat tint around weld zones and high-heat areas. This is normal and doesn’t affect the steel’s performance. A stainless steel polish restores the appearance if aesthetics matter. Bar Keepers Friend works well for this on flat surfaces.
What to avoid: steel wool scratches the surface and deposits iron particles that rust and contaminate the stainless. Abrasive scouring pads do the same. Bleach and chlorine-based cleaners damage the oxide layer and accelerate corrosion over time. Never use a carbon steel wire brush on stainless steel.
For outdoor laser cut stainless steel panels and screens: rinse with fresh water periodically, especially in coastal areas where salt deposits accumulate. An annual wipe with stainless steel polish keeps the surface sealed and looking sharp.
Aluminium is lighter than steel, naturally corrosion resistant without a coating, and non-magnetic. Its density is roughly a third of steel’s, which makes it the correct choice for any application where weight is a constraint, whether that’s a vehicle component, a panel that needs to be handled frequently, or a structure where dead load matters.
Laser cutting aluminium requires higher laser power settings than steel of comparable thickness, because aluminium reflects light and conducts heat away from the cutting zone faster than steel does. Done correctly, laser cut aluminium edges are clean and consistent. Done incorrectly or on underpowered equipment, aluminium produces rough edges and inconsistent cuts. It’s worth asking a supplier whether their machine is correctly specified for aluminium before placing an order for it.
Common uses for laser cut aluminium: vehicle body parts and accessories, signage and lettering, architectural panels, marine components, lightweight structural brackets, industrial enclosures, solar mounting hardware.
Note on finish: raw aluminium develops a natural oxide layer that protects it from further corrosion. It doesn’t need painting for most applications. Where aesthetics or additional protection are required, anodising is the standard finish.
Copper is one of the more demanding materials to laser cut well. Like aluminium, it’s highly reflective, which means it absorbs less laser energy and requires higher power to cut cleanly. It’s also an excellent thermal conductor, which causes heat to dissipate rapidly during cutting, requiring precise machine parameters to maintain a clean cut line.
The result of well-executed laser cut copper is a material with excellent electrical conductivity, natural antimicrobial properties, and a distinctive aesthetic that ages into a patina many designers and architects specifically want.
Common uses for laser cut copper: electrical bus bars and conductive components, decorative architectural panels and screens, plumbing fittings, roofing and cladding details, custom decorative signage.
Cleaning laser cut copper: copper naturally oxidises to form a brown and eventually green patina over time. If you want to maintain the bright copper appearance, clean regularly with a mixture of lemon juice and salt, or a commercial copper cleaner, and seal with a lacquer or beeswax finish to slow oxidation.
Brass is a copper-zinc alloy that machines and cuts cleanly, holds fine detail well, and produces a warm gold finish that’s distinct from both copper and steel. Like copper, it requires specific machine settings to cut without burr or discolouration, but quality fibre laser equipment handles it consistently.
Brass holds detail at a resolution that makes it well suited for decorative work where sharpness and finish matter as much as structural performance.
Common uses for laser cut brass: decorative panels and inlays, signage, hardware and fittings, musical instrument components, jewellery and awards, nameplate and plaque work.
Cleaning laser cut brass: mild soap and warm water for regular cleaning. A brass-specific cleaner or a paste of flour, salt, and vinegar removes tarnish without scratching. Lacquering the surface after cleaning preserves the finish for longer.
Laser cut steel is what makes precision braai fabrication possible at a consistent quality level. A fire pit or braai built from hand-cut or plasma-cut components has visible variation at the joints that affects both the fit of the assembly and the quality of the weld. Laser cut components fit together with tolerances measured in fractions of a millimetre, which means cleaner welds, tighter joints, and a finished product that holds its shape under the thermal cycling of repeated high-heat use.
The Pentagon Fire Pit is fabricated from laser cut 304 stainless steel panels cut in our George workshop. Every pentagon side comes off the laser at the same dimensions, so when the unit is assembled and welded, the geometry is consistent and the structure sits true. That’s the practical difference laser cutting makes in a finished braai product compared to fabrication methods with wider tolerances.
For custom laser cut steel braai components, screens, decorative fire pit panels, or bespoke braai stand parts, contact us at 0764339602.
Laser cut steel panels are one of the highest-volume applications for the process and one of the most visible. Decorative screens, privacy panels, architectural cladding, garden feature panels, and security screens are all cut from flat sheet steel using the same CNC fibre laser process.
The advantage over other panel manufacturing methods is the level of detail achievable. Intricate geometric patterns, custom logos, organic shapes, and fine latticework that would be impossible to cut by hand or too expensive to stamp are all straightforward for a fibre laser. The minimum order for custom panels at Big 5 Products is R750 per job, with no upper limit on batch size.
Material choice for laser cut steel panels depends on the installation:
Mild steel panels going inside or in sheltered outdoor locations are typically powder coated. Stainless steel panels for exposed outdoor or coastal positions need no coating. Aluminium panels are light, rust-proof, and ideal for larger panels where weight is a consideration. Corten steel, a weathering steel that develops a controlled rust surface, is worth knowing about for exterior decorative panels, though it’s specified less commonly in the Western Cape than in drier climates.
Big 5 Products runs fibre laser cutting from our workshop at 20 Ring Street, George Industria, serving clients across the Garden Route and beyond. We cut mild steel, stainless steel, aluminium, copper, and brass, with in-house bending and welding available when the job needs it.
Files accepted in DXF and DWG. Turnaround discussed at quote stage. Beat-any-quote pricing on all jobs.
Call us on 0764339602 or 082 900 0566, or email us at admin@big5products.co.za. For more on how fibre laser cutting works, see the full fibre laser cutting South Africa guide, and for local service detail see [laser cutting in George]
Fibre laser cutting works on mild steel, stainless steel, aluminium, copper, and brass. It does not cut non-metals like wood, acrylic, or rubber, which require CO2 laser technology. At Big 5 Products we cut all five metal types from our George workshop.
Wipe with a damp cloth and mild soap in the direction of the grain, then rinse and dry thoroughly. Avoid steel wool, abrasive pads, bleach, and chlorine-based cleaners, which all damage the stainless surface. For grease and braai residue, use a purpose-made stainless steel cleaner or methylated spirits on a soft cloth. For heat tinting around weld zones, a stainless steel polish or Bar Keepers Friend restores the appearance.
Mild steel is cheaper, easy to cut, bend, and weld, but requires a protective finish to resist rust outdoors. Stainless steel costs more but contains chromium which forms a self-repairing oxide layer that prevents rust without any additional coating. The right choice depends on the application, budget, and environment the part will live in.
Not usually. Aluminium forms its own protective oxide layer naturally, which prevents further corrosion without paint or powder coat. Where additional protection or a specific colour finish is required, anodising is the standard choice. It’s harder than paint, bonds to the aluminium surface rather than sitting on top of it, and doesn’t peel.
Yes. Any design that can be produced as a DXF or DWG file can be laser cut. Intricate geometric patterns, logos, and custom shapes are all achievable. Send us your file or describe what you need and we’ll quote from there. Minimum order value is R750 per job.
Mild steel up to around 20mm, stainless steel up to 15mm, and aluminium up to 10mm for standard jobs. Most fabrication and custom metalwork falls well within these ranges. Contact us if you have a specific thickness requirement and we’ll confirm capability before you commit.