Cork works fast and at low power: a pleasant material for coasters, pin boards and gaskets. Its low density is both its advantage and its main risk.
Settings: what really matters
Cork needs very little energy: when cutting, one fast pass at medium power goes through 3 mm. Apply plywood settings and you get a charred, crumbly edge.
When engraving, contrast comes from the difference between burnt granules and binder: stay light, otherwise the surface digs in unevenly and grains fall out.
Density varies enormously between sheets, especially with agglomerated cork. A test on an offcut matters here more than with any wood.
Risks and finishing
It is highly flammable: it can quietly keep smouldering after the beam has passed. Never leave it unattended and check the piece before closing the machine.
Agglomerated cork is glued: its smoke is more irritant than natural cork, and the smell lingers in the workshop.
A vacuum is enough to clear residue. Cork takes liquid finishes badly: better left raw, or given a very thin coat of wax.
Every figure on LaserSettings comes with the machine, the laser source, the material and the thickness it was tested on. A setting published for a 10 W diode says nothing about a 40 W CO2, and a setting for 3 mm says nothing about 6 mm: check those four things before you copy any number.
Settings are confirmed or disputed by the members who reproduce them, so reliability comes from cross-checking rather than popularity. Photos of the result — cut edges, engraving shades, scorching — tell you more than a single number found on a forum.
Whatever the material, treat a published setting as a starting point: run a small power/speed test grid on an offcut, clean the lens, redo the focus, work with fume extraction and air assist, wear glasses rated for your wavelength and never leave the machine unattended.