Laser Power

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
Material	Focus*	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.
Wood
Material	Focus*	Raster			Vector			Notes	Toxicity
Material	Focus*	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
Material	Focus*	Speed	Power	DPI	Speed	Power	Freq	Notes
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
Material	Focus*	Speed	Power	DPI	Speed	Power	Freq	Notes
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
Fabric
Material	Focus*	Raster			Vector			Notes
Material	Focus*	Speed	Power	DPI	Speed	Power	Freq	Notes
Canvas					50	90	100	Slot width ~1.28mm
Coated Canvas					30	90	100	Slot width ~1.28mm
Ripstop					100	35	100	Slot width ~1.28mm
Leather - 3mm		100	35		15	100	50	Slot width ~1.28mm
Wool - 2-3mm		?	?		15	100	50	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 caramelize 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
Material	Focus*	Speed	Power	Freq	Speed	Power	DPI	Notes
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
Material	Focus*	Speed	Power	Freq	Speed	Power	DPI	Notes
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.