This page describes a laser cutting setting published for Balsa at 1 mm, tested on a Full Spectrum Laser P-Series 24 fitted with a CO2 90W source (10,600 nm CO2, 90 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 Balsa at 1 mm does not transfer to another thickness, nor to another source. A 10,600 nm CO2 rated 90 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 Balsa, 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.
Full Spectrum Laser offers water-cooled desktop and workshop CO2 machines plus fibre markers. Active cooling allows long passes without power loss: a cutting setting holds across a whole board, which is not the case with a diode that heats up.
Balsa is the modelling wood: ultra light, very soft, it cuts at tiny powers and high speed. It is also one of the most flammable materials in the workshop.
Halve or third the power you would use on plywood. The right setting barely goes through: beyond that, heat spreads into the fibres and the edge turns black and powdery.
Balsa density varies enormously between sheets — sometimes twofold. A test per batch is genuinely essential here.
Modelling parts are often tiny and move at the slightest draught. Reduce air assist and work on a fine bed, or your parts will end up cut twice.
Balsa catches fire very easily and an ember can keep eating the fibre with no visible flame. Never leave the machine and check every sheet before storing.
The edge stays fragile: a very light 320-grit sanding on a flat block is enough, without pressure. A coat of nitrocellulose dope strengthens the edges before covering.