Proper settings for cutting 1/16" plywood without charring?

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Proper settings for cutting 1/16" plywood without charring?

Postby scrappyjedi » Tue Jun 11, 2013 10:05 pm

I've spent a good deal of time the last few days combing through previous posts in hopes of answering my problem, but I thought I'd finally just come out and ask directly! :D

I'm doing just fine getting the laser to cut through 1/16" baltic birch craft plywood, but I simply cannot manage to do it without charring the edges so badly that they leave carbon on my hands when I pick them up. I tried Dirk's method in this very helpful post http://buildlog.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=958&start=10#p7399, but unfortunately no matter what balance of setting I try, I either end up not cutting through the wood all the way or with badly burned edges.

I'm using a 2.0 build, 40w tube with a DSP controller. Does anyone have settings that they can recommend for me as far as power, speed, and PPI (or anything else I might need to set) go?

Thank you so much!
Melissa
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Re: Proper settings for cutting 1/16" plywood without charri

Postby BenJackson » Wed Jun 12, 2013 5:27 am

You want about 500 PPI (or about 20 pulses/mm) but you may not be able to cut all plywood with those settings. I have some "nice" hobby plywood (4 and 5 ply in fairly thin thicknesses) but the glue is impervious to the laser. The only way to cut is with power settings that burn the wood so hot they burn the glue. The edges end up charred black. I have other "cheap" 3 ply plywood that cuts golden brown with a nice toasted smell.
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Re: Proper settings for cutting 1/16" plywood without charri

Postby scrappyjedi » Mon Jul 01, 2013 4:47 pm

Thanks for the input, Ben! I've done a little more testing and posted the results here http://buildlog.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=2094&p=19962#p19961.
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