What power and speed to cut 3 mm plywood? There is no single value: a 10 W diode needs two or three passes where a 40 W CO2 goes through in one, and poplar cuts faster than birch. The reliable method is to start from a setting published for your exact machine, then validate it on an offcut. When cutting, set power to maximum and vary the speed: speed decides whether the pass goes through.
Why won't my clear acrylic cut with a diode laser? Because clear acrylic lets blue light straight through: the beam crosses the sheet without being absorbed. It is not a settings problem, and raising power will not help. Only a CO2 source cuts clear PMMA. Black or coloured acrylic, however, cuts well with a diode.
Which materials must never be lasered? PVC and anything containing it (vinyl, faux leather, tarpaulin, PVC foam): it releases hydrochloric acid that attacks your lungs and corrodes the machine. Also excluded: PTFE (Teflon) and fluoropolymers, raw ABS, polycarbonate, carbon fibre and epoxy resin. When in doubt about an unlabelled sheet, do not run it.
Can you laser engrave glass? Yes, with a CO2, but you never cut it: the laser frosts the surface, giving a milky white finish like sandblasting. The pitfall is too much energy, which produces rough chipping. The most effective trick is to stick wet newspaper over the engraved area: the water carries heat away and the frosting becomes even.
How do you engrave metal with a diode or CO2 laser? Bare metal only marks with a 1064 nm fibre source. Two useful exceptions: anodised aluminium, where a diode removes the coloured layer to reveal bright metal, and painted metal, where you strip the paint. Otherwise, a marking spray lets a CO2 fix a permanent black mark.
Why are my edges black after cutting? Because smoke lingers at the focal point and burns the material around the line. Three fixes, in order of effectiveness: turn on air assist, raise the speed rather than lowering power, and tape paper masking on the visible face before cutting. On MDF the edge stays dark brown regardless: that is the glue.
A setting that used to work no longer does — why? In the vast majority of cases the lens is dirty: a few tens of minutes engraving MDF is enough to fog it and sap usable power. Then check focus, then board moisture: a panel stored in a damp garage does not cut like a dry one.
What is a test grid and why make one? It is a file that engraves a series of squares side by side at different powers and speeds. In one operation on an offcut you get a map of what your machine can do on that material, instead of guessing ten times. It is essential for anything on a narrow threshold: colour marking titanium, fading denim, frosting glass.
Are the settings on this site reliable? Every setting states its machine, source, material and thickness, and can be confirmed by other workshops or disputed. That cross-checking drives the reliability shown, not popularity. A disputed setting is pulled from the count while it is reviewed by hand. Even so, a setting remains a starting point to validate on an offcut.
What does the Premium pass give me? Access to the numbers of every setting in the database, across all brands, plus exports to your software and the recipe book. Viewing a first setting per search, the material guides, the safety rules and the test-grid generator stay free. Passes range from 24 hours to lifetime access, with no auto-renewing subscription.
How do I publish my own settings? Create an account, then use the three-step add form: machine and source, material and operation, then parameters and notes. Publishing a complete setting earns points in the monthly ranking, and confirming another member's setting after testing it earns points too.
Does the site work offline in the workshop? Partly: install LaserSettings from your mobile browser menu ("Add to Home Screen") and pages you have already visited stay readable without a connection — handy in a garage or a basement with poor coverage. New content still needs a connection.
My machine is not in the list, what should I do? Use the "My machine is missing" button in the search filters: give the brand, model and source, and leave your email if you want to be notified. You get a message as soon as the exact machine is added, and also if a close model from the same brand arrives first. Meanwhile, pick the machine with the closest source power: the source, not the frame, decides the setting.
Why does a published setting give a different result on my machine? Four causes come up before power: focus (a few millimetres change everything), lens cleanliness, air assist, and the material itself — two 3 mm plywood sheets from different suppliers do not cut at the same speed. On a CO2 machine, tube age matters too: at the same displayed power, a worn tube cuts slower. Engrave a small test grid on an offcut before drawing conclusions.
Are the AI visuals free? No, and we state it plainly: generating images and vectors costs real money per visual. The free tools on the site are the test-grid generator and the engraving cost calculator. AI visuals use the allowance included with a Premium pass, or a recharge pack bought separately — recharge credits stack and never expire.
Can I engrave or cut PVC, Dibond or chrome-tanned leather? No. PVC and faux leather release chlorine, which forms hydrochloric acid: toxic for you and destructive for the machine. Dibond has a plastic core that varies from batch to batch, and chrome-tanned leather releases chromium VI compounds. The forbidden materials database lists what to refuse, with alternatives material by material.
Can a brand or a shop appear on the site? Yes, in two distinct ways. Shops, fablabs and schools list themselves free in the partners directory. Makers and resellers have a separate offer: "brand of the month" exposure, full machine pages and tracked merchant links. In every case, published settings do not depend on any partnership: a value stays exactly as it was tested.
How do I get an invoice for my purchase? The invoice is available right after payment, and at any time afterwards in the "Purchases" tab of your member area: one download button per purchase, as a PDF, with the legal details a professional bookkeeping needs.
Are the settings on the site tested or calculated? Both, and the card always says which. An “estimate” is calculated from the source type, its power and the material: a starting point to validate on an offcut. A setting “confirmed by the community” has been tried and validated by one or more makers on that exact machine. No value is invented to fill a gap: when a combination has not been tested, the card says so.
My machine is not listed, what should I do? Send an add request with the brand, the exact model and the source power stated by the manufacturer. The machine is checked then listed, and its estimated settings are generated as soon as it is listed. If your model is a power variant of a machine already present, start from the existing card and scale the speed accordingly, validating on an offcut.
Do I have to pay to read the settings? No: one full brand is free to browse, along with the material guides, the test grid and the safety pages. The Premium pass unlocks every brand, the exports and the calculation tools. Your saved settings stay accessible even if the pass expires.
Can I use the site in the workshop without a connection? Yes. The site installs as an app (PWA) from the browser menu, and cards you have already opened stay readable offline — useful in a workshop where Wi-Fi does not reach. New searches do require a connection.
Do my published settings stay credited to me? Yes, your display name stays on the card, and you can fix it or ask for its removal at any time. Confirmations from other makers add to your card without overwriting it: that is what moves a setting from estimate to confirmed value.