I have a 5.5w desktop laser that I bought specifically for cutting and building model railroad structures in N Scale.
Most of the material that I work with is 1/16 of an inch or lower. The laser is doing fine for what I need, but my question is: With the lower wattage I have to actually go slower, so is it better to go slower at 100% with One Pass or faster at 100% with a Two Pass cut?
This really depends on how the material breaks down when exposed to light, specifically Blue light in this case. Long infrared CO2 lasers, UV, and Fiber Galvo lasers are likely to make a given material behave differently.
If you have a link to the material you’re cutting, I’d like to see what the safety sheets say about it.
In loose general terms, most manufacturers recommend reducing the output power to about 90% of the maximum so the laser module or diode will last longer.
If the material distorts or appears burnt while cutting, then running the second (or third) pass at a higher speed and lower power might be the best approach.
Again, depending on the responsiveness of the material, air assist may be the best single upgrade for your laser engraver.
I am new to all this, including the wood part. I am specifically talking about 1/32” Birch Plywood: 1/32 BIRCH PLYWOOD 12x24
I will saw this stuff is really stiff for how thin it is. But I’ve never used anything else, so I don’t have anything to compare with.
FYI: I’m only sourcing it at NES because I don’t know anywhere else.
I’m cutting right now and will post a photo when it’s done.
And yes, I am using air assist.
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