This page describes a laser cutting setting published for Contreplaqué okoumé at 3 mm, tested on a OMTech 60W CO2 fitted with a CO2 60W source (10,600 nm CO2, 60 W). It states the exact machine, source, material, thickness and operation of the test; power, speed and number of passes are shown with a Premium pass.
Why those four facts matter: a cutting setting that works on Contreplaqué okoumé at 3 mm does not transfer to another thickness, nor to another source. A 10,600 nm CO2 rated 60 W does not deposit the same energy as a stronger module, and the speed has to be adjusted accordingly. Copying a number without checking those four points is the first cause of a ruined part.
Published by LaserSettings (estimation). No other workshop has confirmed it yet: treat it as a starting point, and confirm it from your account if you reproduce it.
No photo comes with this setting yet. If you reproduce it, publish yours from your account: a picture of the result is worth more than a line of numbers.
Recommended routine before running the part: clean the lens, redo the focus, engrave a small test grid on an offcut of the same Contreplaqué okoumé, then adjust the speed rather than the power. Work with fume extraction and air assist, wear glasses rated for 10,600 nm CO2, and never leave the machine unattended.
OMTech offers a broad range of enclosed CO2 machines, fibre markers and galvo models, with many options (honeycomb bed, rotary, chiller). On CO2 units, mirror alignment quality on delivery varies: a setting that gives nothing often starts as an alignment problem, not a power one.
Okoume is an African exotic plywood: light, soft and very even-grained. It is the plywood of model makers and boat builders: it cuts more easily than birch at the same thickness, but it forgives focus errors less, because its surface marks immediately.
At 3 mm, okoume goes through in a single pass with a well-focused 20 W diode, and easily with a 40 W CO2. At 4 mm, use one slower pass rather than a second pass: going over the same line darkens the edge heavily, faster than on birch.
The grain is even but the density is low: at equal power, okoume cuts roughly 15 to 20% faster than birch. Reusing a birch setting as-is gives a burnt edge and a lasting smell.
When engraving, contrast is light, almost pinkish, with little difference between soft and hard zones. A good support for fine-line artwork, less so for photographic gradients, where the result lacks depth.
Specific to okoume: the glue between plies is often harder than the wood itself. A cut that goes through the first ply can stall on the glue line. Better to lower the speed by 10% than to raise the power.
The most common workshop thicknesses are 3, 4, 5 and 6 mm; 4 mm is widely used in ship modelling. Measure with callipers: okoume sold as 4 mm often measures 3.8 mm, which changes the joint fit of an assembly.
The classic pitfall is internal voids: standard-grade okoume contains pockets under the face ply. The cut goes through everywhere except two centimetres, and hand finishing is needed. Keep a power margin on long parts.
The surface is soft: a machine lid set down on it, or masking tape pulled off too fast, leaves a visible mark. Work on a clean offcut and remove masking flat.