Thank You for the Advice

[Sam Wilkins]

I wanted to thank everyone on the forum who gave the advice to use wet soapy newspaper on glass. This is the first time I engraved glass and I wasn't too pleased with the results. Customer was fine with it, but it was not up to my standards. Luckily, that was a spare the customer gave me so I tried the wet soapy newspaper trick on the final piece (actually I used wet soapy cheap paper towels) and the results were perfect. I just want to tell everyone at this forum how helpful you have been with the thousands of posts over the years. Thank you

[Dan Hintz]

I know some push the method, but it serves no purpose other than to slow the engraving down (water absorbs the CO2 wavelength). There is no engraving that can be achieved using soaked paper than cannot be achieved (or better) without it. I would suggest keep playing with your settings (run a power square) until you're happy with the engraving sans paper.

[Mike Null]

I agree with Dan's point about finding the right settings. Wet paper is inconsistent at best and inadequate for large area jobs. Same is true for dish detergent.

[Martin Boekers]

I'm for what ever works best, I have seen some incredible things done on glass here by a variety of methods. Glass is not all the same, so I imagine that results may vary and settings may just get you close..... I have tried many different methods in my laser experience. I have found that soap helps, wet paper helps. Some change the density of black and find that works. I have tried the JDS laser tape and was happy with the results, but it was hard to remove. Right now I find the most consistency and effect has come with regular sign masking taped! It does take 2 passes, one to go through and one to melt the adhesive. It's easy clean up, wash in water and it readily comes off! This is the first time that have been able to get consistent results with no "drop out", It's just a guess on my part, but I think adhesive may melt in the process and fill in fractures to give a smoother effect. I do lots of JDS black mirror and finally I don't get "drop outs"!

[Isaac Clarke]

I know some push the method, but it serves no purpose other than to slow the engraving down (water absorbs the CO2 wavelength). There is no engraving that can be achieved using soaked paper than cannot be achieved (or better) without it. I would suggest keep playing with your settings (run a power square) until you're happy with the engraving sans paper.


I'm up for trying any method, but for me the wet paper trick works well. I can run 2 jobs one after another, with and without newspaper and the results will always be best with the wet newspaper. Maybe its the water cooling the glass quicker resulting in smaller fractures but whatever is happening I notice a difference each time that can't be found using different settings. I do A4 engravings(faces, pets etc) all day long and notice a difference. :)

Could the water be altering the wavelength slightly?

[Dan Hintz]

I can run 2 jobs one after another, with and without newspaper and the results will always be best with the wet newspaper.

This tells me you haven't optimized your settings, then. There is no scientific basis for wet paper making a better engraving. Ask any of the major laser manufacturers if their custom app labs use wet paper when finding the proper setting for a customer. If it's better with paper, you're not done tweaking yet.

[Scott Shepherd]

The problem I always had with the wet newspaper method was that if it was a large area, by the time it got around to the other end of the engraving, the exhaust air had dried the paper out completely. So it was now dry newspaper. If you left the exhaust off, the glass dust would build up on the lens.

[Martin Boekers]

This tells me you haven't optimized your settings, then. There is no scientific basis for wet paper making a better engraving. Ask any of the major laser manufacturers if their custom app labs use wet paper when finding the proper setting for a customer. If it's better with paper, you're not done tweaking yet. http://www.epiloglaser.com/downloads/whitepapers/settings_whitepaper.pdf :)

[Mike Null]

My experience was the same as Steve's. That said, if you like it and you're happy with go ahead.

[Dan Hintz]

http://www.epiloglaser.com/downloads/whitepapers/settings_whitepaper.pdf :)

<chuckle> Fair enough, Martin ;) I wonder what their app lab guys would have to say about that. I think this is one of those things where you can tweak the settings and the paper (or soap) doesn't hurt you, but it's completely unnecessary.

[Dave Sheldrake]

There is no scientific basis for wet paper making a better engraving.

Yup, quite true. The only time water is an advantage/requirement is on Fluidic Flow lasers that use a water jet as a beam profiler.(like a water jet and laser combined) or unless you are using a laser to prepare nano-particles by laser ablation in water although the colloids absorption intensity was a rather moot point based on dynamic changes in their morphology.

cheers

Dave

[Dan Hintz]

The only time water is an advantage/requirement is on Fluidic Flow lasers that use a water jet as a beam profiler.(like a water jet and laser combined) or unless you are using a laser to prepare nano-particles by laser ablation in water although the colloids absorption intensity was a rather moot point based on dynamic changes in their morphology.

That's a new one on me, Dave. Ever heard of a fiber-guided CO2? Didn't think it was possible due to the wavelength, but the name is actually a bit of a misnomer. Found out a couple of years back they use a hollow fiber to act as the waveguide. Interesting tech.

[Martin Boekers]

<chuckle> Fair enough, Martin ;) I wonder what their app lab guys would have to say about that. I think this is one of those things where you can tweak the settings and the paper (or soap) doesn't hurt you, but it's completely unnecessary. Sorry... I couldn't resist... :)

[Dave Sheldrake]

That's a new one on me, Dave. Ever heard of a fiber-guided CO2? Didn't think it was possible due to the wavelength, but the name is actually a bit of a misnomer. Found out a couple of years back they use a hollow fiber to act as the waveguide. Interesting tech.

http://www.gcip.co.uk/pdf/laserandwatercuttinginfo.pdf

Section F Dan,

And one of the earlier models

http://www.worldlasers.com/articles/research/sdarticlewaterjet.pdf

http://cao.mech.northwestern.edu/waterjet_guided.html

The technology seems to be the reflective index at the water/air boundary that does the work.

cheers

Dave

[Sam Wilkins]

Well no matter what, I know this method worked and I plan on doing it again.

[Ross Moshinsky]

We use wet newspaper (no soap) or JDS's glass laser tape. For the wet newspaper, we keep the exhaust off. Haven't had any issues with the lens or mirrors. I don't like running lower DPI because the engraving quality suffers. Anything under 500dpi is unacceptable in our shop other than on trophy plates. I tried running with 70% black and still got some chipping.

Lasering glass is what it is, but wet newspaper definitely works. Not saying you can't figure out a way to engrave without it, but I'd say it's easier to get good results with the wet newspaper than it is without it.