Laser Power

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Settings for the new 60W laser using the 2" lens[edit]

Here is a link to the Epilog User Manual.

Cardboards/Papers
Material Focus* Raster Vector Notes Toxicity
Speed Power DPI Speed Power Freq
2mm bamboo veneer 40 65 30 Slot width ~1.28mm may release formaldehyde when cut
4mm corregated cardboard 35 95 20 Slot width ~1.28mm (I had to use 20/95/20 to get clean cuts - RB 15 may 2015
110lb watercolor paper 90 60 20 **tape the paper to the grid, or read the manual and use the pin grid
Chipboard 3/16" s P S P F try taping edges to reduce char
Foam Core- 3mm 70* 50* 20* ***Use EXTREME Caution... Supervised USE ONLY*** May contain polypropylene foam which is highly flammable and melty.
Leather - 3mm 100 35 15 100 50 Slot width ~1.28mm
Wool - 2-3mm ? ? 15 100 50 Slot width ~1.28mm
Wood |
Material Focus* Raster Vector Notes Toxicity
Speed Power DPI Speed Power Freq
Basswood- (3/16" 3 mm) 12 88 50
Birch - (1/8" 3 mm) 100 40 15 100 50 American made versions of this plywood are quite safe to use
Birch - (1/4" 5 mm) 100 40 12 100 5 Run Twice American made versions of this plywood are quite safe to use
Plywood - (1/4" 5 mm) 100 80 15 80 20 Slot width ~1.28mm ** moving the bed up 2.5mm (0.025 on the machine readout) is necessary for focus, may need to run two passes to go through, raise bed another 2.5mm on the second pass. May contain formaldehyde
Plywood - (6 mm) *with 4" lens* 4 100 20 6mm birch ply cuts ok in a single pass without too much char using 4" lens May contain formaldehyde
Cork - (1/4") 80 50 5 85 60
Acrylics/Plastics
Material Focus* Raster Vector Notes
Speed Power DPI Speed Power Freq
Acrylic (1/8" - 3mm) 100 30 12 100 100 Slot width ~1.28mm ** moving the bed up 2.5mm (0.025 on the machine readout) produces a nicer edge
Acrylic (1/4" - 6mm) 100 30 6 100 100 Slot width ~1.28mm ** moving the bed up 2.5 mm (0.025 on the machine readout) produces a nicer edge
Acrylic (3/8" - 9.5mm) 100 30 2 100 100 Slot width ~1.28mm ** moving the bed up 2.5mm (0.025 on the machine readout) produces a nicer edge
Delrin 100 35 55 100 100 Slot width ~1.28mm
Mylar - 0.5mm 100 35 100 25 50 Slot width ~1.28mm
Rubber Stamp & Rubber 25 100 100 25 50 Slot width ~1.28mm *** please ask first if you're going to put rubber in the machine, it makes a sticky mess.
Latex Rubber 0.5mm 100 10 50
Two Layer Etching Plastic 25 100 400 15 100 50
Metals
Material Focus* Raster Vector Notes
Speed Power DPI Speed Power Freq
Alumamark 100 25 Slot width ~1.28mm
Anodized Aluminum 100 35 Slot width ~1.28mm
Brass - Painted 100 20 Slot width ~1.28mm
Brass - Marbilized Painted 100 30 Slot width ~1.28mm
Other
Drywall, 0.5 in 4" lens 2 100 50 Two passes required
Chocolate 100 30 300 Don't cut! It melts.
Sugar (sprinkle-sized pieces) 100 30 300 These settings will carmelize the sugar and cause it to lose some of its color. Tasty. (performed on top of milk chocolate bars.)
Raw meringue 100 100 300

Settings for the new 60W laser[edit]

Material Focus* Vector Raster Notes
Speed Power Freq Speed Power DPI
Cardboards/Papers
2mm bamboo veneer 40 65 30 Slot width ~1.28mm
4mm corregated cardboard 35 95 20 Slot width ~1.28mm (I had to use 20/95/20 to get clean cuts - RB 15 may 2015
110lb watercolor paper 90 60 20 **tape the paper to the grid, or read the manual and use the pin grid
Foam Core- 3mm 70* 50* 20* ***Use EXTREME Caution... supervised USE ONLY***
Leather - 3mm 15 100 50 100 35 Slot width ~1.28mm
Wool - 2-3mm 15 100 50 ? ? Slot width ~1.28mm
Wood
Basswood- (3/16" 3 mm) 12 88 50
Birch - (1/8" 3 mm) 13 100 50 100 40
Birch - (1/4" 5 mm) 12 100 5 100 40 Run Twice
Plywood - (1/4" 5 mm) 15 100 20 80 100 Slot width ~1.28mm ** moving the bed up 2.5mm (0.025 on the machine readout) is necessary for focus, may need to run two passes to go through, raise bed another 2.5mm on the second pass.
Plywood - (6 mm) *with 4" lens* 4 100 20 6mm birch ply cuts ok in a single pass without too much char using 4" lens
Acrylics/Plastics
Acrylic (1/8" - 3mm) 12 100 100 100 30 Slot width ~1.28mm ** moving the bed up 2.5mm (0.025 on the machine readout) produces a nicer edge
Acrylic (1/4" - 6mm) 6 100 100 100 30 Slot width ~1.28mm ** moving the bed up 2.5 mm (0.025 on the machine readout) produces a nicer edge
Acrylic (3/8" - 9.5mm) 2 100 100 100 30 Slot width ~1.28mm ** moving the bed up 2.5mm (0.025 on the machine readout) produces a nicer edge
Delrin 55 100 100 100 35 Slot width ~1.28mm
Mylar - 0.5mm 100 25 50 100 35 Slot width ~1.28mm
Rubber Stamp & Rubber 100 25 50 25 100 Slot width ~1.28mm *** please ask first if you're going to put rubber in the machine, it makes a sticky mess.
Metals
Alumamark 100 25 Slot width ~1.28mm
Anodized Aluminum 100 35 Slot width ~1.28mm
Brass - Painted 100 20 Slot width ~1.28mm
Brass - Marbilized Painted 100 30 Slot width ~1.28mm
Other
Drywall, 0.5 in 4" lens 2 100 50 Two passes required
Chocolate 100 30 300 Don't cut! It melts.
Sugar (sprinkle-sized pieces) 100 30 300 These settings will carmelize the sugar and cause it to lose some of its color. Tasty. (performed on top of milk chocolate bars.)
Raw meringue 100 100 300

WARNING: THE NUMBERS BELOW ARE FOR THE OBSOLETE 35W CUTTER[edit]

Figure out good values for a material not in the manual? Add them here!

This data was generated using NYC Resistor's Legend Mini 24, 35W laser cutter. Please keep that in mind when using this information for other cutters.

If you have critical dimensions in a design to be cut out of Delrin on the laser upstairs, add an extra 0.056mm to each line to compensate for the laser's kerf.

People using Adobe Illustrator should set their cutting lines to 0.216 pt, which Corel Draw 5 will read as a hairline.

Material Focus* Vector Raster Notes
Speed Power Freq Speed Power DPI
Cardboards
Bainbridge board "172" 45 60 500 Slot width ~1.28mm
Card Stock 110 lb 62 22 2500 100 5
Cardboard 1/8" 30 60 500 50 15 Conservative, try a speed of 35 or 40
Double-layer 1/4" 20 60 500
Foam Core 35 100 5000 Previously 60/90/2500 - didn't cut all the way through.
Staples Sticker Paper 100 7 500 Cuts through sticker but not backing
USPS thin envelope 95 20 500
Fabriano 140lbs Watercolor Paper 100 60 Etches in very well, leaving clean paper underneath
Wood
Cork 3/32" +2 70 100 5000 Works great. McMaster #9487K2
Luan 1/8 +2 30 100 5000 Purchased from Dyke's Lumber off 3rd Avenue (speed of 25 might work better)
Luan 1/4 +2 5 100 5000 Two passes. Purchased from Dyke's Lumber off 3rd Avenue - I THINK THIS IS WRONG - RB
Luan 1/4 +2 16-18 100 5000 I got much better results with 16-18% speed, +2 focus, one pass on 12 Feb 2013 - but it left some attached fibers on the back side. A second quick pass at +5 maybe? - RB
Poplar wood 1/4" 17 100 500 Not sure about the frequency, seems to work at lower ones too
MakerBot wood 5 mm 7 100 500 Manual focus is key. Move the bed up until the metal focusing thing just touches the plywood surface. Then move the bed up by pressing the Up button five times. Hit Reset and then Go. Rock! Then move the bed up another five pushes and run again at 50% speed.
Plywood, unknown, 1/8" 7 100 500 even 1/8" plywood takes two passes at 7 or 6% speed. Lots of charring.
Plastics
Acetal 0.02" White Sheeting 20 60 500 Needs to be taped absolutely flat to cutting sheet, otherwise it won't cut through, higher settings incinerate the delrin.
Acetal 0.93" Black 8 100 500 Mcmaster, Delrin 150
Acetal 3/16" 6 100 500
Acetal 3/16" 10 100 500 Two passes with these settings works well
Acetal black, etching 100 70 300 engraves 0.006" deep on black acetal
100 100 300 engraves 0.009"
60 100 300 engraves 0.010"
10 100 300 engraves 0.020"
7 100 300 engraves 0.025"
5 100 300 engraves 0.033"
3 100 300 engraves 0.045", transient flames visible
2 100 300 engraves 0.060", transient flames visible
Acetal 5 mm" 3 100 500
Acrylic (color) 1/8" 9 100 5000 100 35 600 Copied engraving settings from Nintendo DS - tested on colored acrylic, worked great
Acrylic (clear) 1/4" 8 100 5000 Book says 4%, 8% seems perfect after the new tube
30 80 300 engraves 0.015" deep on clear acrylic
30 100 300 engraves 0.02" deep at 1'06" per sq in
20 100 300 engraves 0.03" deep
10 100 300 engraves 0.05" deep at 3'00" per sq in
5 100 300 engraves 0.09" deep at 5'44" per sq in
Acrylic (clear) 5 mm 7 100 5000
ABS - Hammond MFG 1553D Enclosure 12 100 5000 100 65 600 Raster settings a work in progress, based on acrylic; 75 too much for busy bitmaps, 55 too little detail. Weird results 'cuz of textured finish on enclosure
HDPE 1/8" 40 100 auto Takes about 4 passes, keeps melting together
Kapton 0.005" The settings for 4 mil Mylar only cut part way through
Mylar 0.005" 100 15 5000 Make sure the aluminum side is down.
Polyethylene foam 2.2 lb 1/4" 60 100 5000 (via kellbot) [1]
Other
Chocolate 100 30 300 It melts. Don't cut! (via Squid Labs)
Compressed Sponge 100 100 1000
Leather (1-2mm) 40 50 1000 Leather can be pressed by ironing the backside with a layer of tissue between the iron and the leather. Masking tape on the backside also helps it lay flat. Smells bad.
Leather (3-4mm) 40 50 1000 Needs two passes. Depending on the tanning process, you may have burned edges.
Neoprene (2mm) 30 100 1000 Like BUTTAH. Not sure about toxicity. We'll see if I survive.
Cotton (will darken) 60 20 200
Buffalo Horn (5mm) 6 100 5000 Same settings as 1/4" acrylic, depending on depth, may work faster speed, smells pretty awful
HP Laptop - ETCH 100 23 2500 Vector etch pattern, probably could have been slightly lower-power
iPhone rev 1.0 100 40 600
Mini Moleskins ( cardboard brown ) 100 69 600
Nintendo DS 1st Ed. 100 35 600
Quartz(?) rocks 20 100
Acrylic felt (black) 40 50 800 Felt is porous; needed a cardboard or masking tape backing so the laser could focus. Also, these settings cut a wide kerf. Experimenter recommends a faster speed (maybe 100) and lower power. May help to iron the felt with a fabric iron first, so it's nice and flat.
100% Wool felt (beige) 40 50 800 May help to iron the felt with a fabric iron first, so it's nice and flat, then aid focus and flatness by applying masking tape to the back of the felt. Tape also prevents burn schmutz from sticking to felt. Smells nasty, bring a ziplock bag to transfer your cutouts into.
NiAg 752 "german silver" Doesn't work at all, even for etching. save yourself from the frustration :P

* Focus is the number of steps the bed must be raised (+) or lowered (-) after the focusing bracket just touches the material surface.