I’ve noticed that after cutting and engraving there has been a smoky residue on the wood. I’ve been painting some of my projects and it takes 2 - 3 coats of primer. I thought it was my primer but now I think its this residue after cutting. Its always on cut edges. I have the Creality 10w. Cutting speed at 300, power 100. Thank You for any help.
Use faster movement
Use more passes
Make sure your focus is set to half the depth of the media. 3mm wood needs to have focus 1.5mm closer to the surface to ensure the laser spot stays in focus
Use a layer of masking tape to protect the surface from the soot
Ensure you have effective air assist to draw the smoke and debris from the cut area.
If you’re referring to smoke residue, there are a few easy things that might be useful to you.
For smoke residue on the face of the material, try a quick wipe with a shop towel dampened with white vinegar. I can’t say that it will definitely be appropriate for the wood you’re using, but I can certainly say that it’s been an amazingly effective approach for many of my projects that I’ve wanted to clean.
For char and cut residue on the actual edges, wiping/buffing the edges can make a significant difference. A dry shop towel will take off most of the surface soot, and if you really want to buff it as clean as possible, a microfiber cloth can get you even further. (Depending on the substrate, you could even try a bit of the white vinegar trick, but I’d buff it first and be careful not to over wet with vinegar if it may wick into exposed end grain.)
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Another option is to seal the wood pores with a clear coat. I have had great success with Varithane water-based Urethane before engraving. Soot is then a simple wipe with microfiber.
Sorry for slow reply, I’ve been experimenting.
It is on the cut edges I’ve been having issues with. Due to the fine cuts ive been using qtips soaked in vinegar. A pass of 6 - 8 inches and the qtips were very dirty.
After it dried I was able to paint and very little residue on the surfacè.
Thank you
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