This page describes a laser cutting setting published for Acajou at 3 mm, tested on a Gravotech LS900 XP fitted with a CO2 100W source (10,600 nm CO2, 100 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 Acajou at 3 mm does not transfer to another thickness, nor to another source. A 10,600 nm CO2 rated 100 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 Acajou, 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.
Gravotech (Gravograph) comes from mechanical and industrial engraving and offers CO2, fibre and UV solutions, often integrated into a production line. On these machines the setting is part of a documented process: the useful value is the one validated with the same optics and the same certified material.
Mahogany is a dense exotic wood, red-brown, with a tight and even grain. It is one of the finest engraving supports: the dark laser contrast on the red tone gives a warmth that plywood cannot imitate. In exchange it is slower to cut than soft woods, and its price means testing on an offcut is mandatory.
When engraving, mahogany needs less power than you would think: its density means the mark is crisp from a shallow engraving. Start around 45% power at 2,600 mm/min with a 20 W diode, and raise the speed if the line digs in instead of darkening.
For cutting, expect two passes from 5 mm with a diode, one with a 40 W CO2 or above. Lowering the speed is almost always better than stacking passes: each extra pass widens the burnt band on the edge, very visible on a red wood.
The tight grain makes mahogany insensitive to soft/hard zone differences, unlike oak: photos and gradients come out well, without the striping the grain would otherwise cause.
Watch out for resin: some boards hold enough of it to leave a sticky film on the lens after a long run. Check the lens after an hour of cutting — a haze alone costs around 20% of usable power.
Solid mahogany is mostly found in 3, 5, 8 and 10 mm, plus very thin veneer for marquetry. Beyond 8 mm, diode cutting becomes unreasonable: the edge chars before the beam goes through.
The main pitfall is cost: a ruined board is worth several times a sheet of plywood. Always run a two-centimetre power/speed test grid on an offcut from the same batch before the final piece.
The second pitfall is tone: mahogany naturally darkens with time and light. A piece engraved today will show less contrast in six months. On fine engraving, push the contrast slightly to compensate.