This page describes a laser engraving setting published for Chêne massif at 3 mm, tested on a Glowforge Basic fitted with a CO2 40W source (10,600 nm CO2, 40 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 engraving setting that works on Chêne massif at 3 mm does not transfer to another thickness, nor to another source. A 10,600 nm CO2 rated 40 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 Chêne massif, 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.
Glowforge is an enclosed CO2 machine driven from a browser, with a framing camera and automatic material recognition. Its software often expresses power and speed in its own units: before reusing a setting from elsewhere, check the conversion, otherwise the numbers do not mean the same thing.
Oak is a hard, dense, high-contrast wood: engraving comes out deep brown, almost black. Its irregular grain and tannins, however, make it markedly less predictable than plywood.
Oak alternates soft (spring) and hard (summer) zones within the same board. As a result, at constant settings engraving digs deeper into the soft zones. That is unavoidable — work with it rather than against it by orienting the artwork along the grain.
It needs more energy than plywood at the same thickness. A 10 W diode engraves oak very well but reaches its limit when cutting: past 4 mm, plan on a CO2 or many passes.
For fine engraving on a board or a solid object, two light passes give a more even result than one heavy pass, which exaggerates density differences.
Oak is rich in tannins: smoke stains the pale wood around the engraving for good. Paper masking tape is almost essential here on a visible piece.
Dense and dry, it can ignite on a slow cut. Check for embers before closing the machine.
For finishing, hard wax oil reveals the contrast beautifully. Careful: on oiled oak, later engraving becomes uneven — always engrave before finishing.