Feeling mighty impotent cutting 1/4 Baltic Birch ply lately

[Weston Porter]

I have a 45 watt Trotec Speedy 100, roughly two years old. Can't tell if the tube is going bad, I'm just having poor luck with wood or that wattage is just too weak, I honestly don't cut 1/4 very often so I don't know if it's a new development but I'm working through a 100+ part job and every other sheet cut is a dud, doing 100/.60 on 3 passes and I can't get any slower without dragging a flame. It's the knots, I can't phase them. Advice?

[Bert Kemp]

Yikes knotty Baltic Birch where do you buy it? I get pretty clear from woodworkers Source
Well anyway 45 watt will be slow to cut 1/4 and the edges will char. Of course I don't have an epilog but I'll assume that wattages run about the same form different brands meaning a 45 watt what ever should take approx same pwr to cut give or take a little. My 60 Chinese will cut it but its still pretty slow and the edges char. So I'm thinking its probably normal for you. If not I'm sure other will let us know:D

[Weston Porter]

Yikes knotty Baltic Birch where do you buy it? I get pretty clear from woodworkers Source

Just a local hardwoods store, it's convenient (2 min drive) and cheap enough. I've never tried any other so I wouldn't know how to gauge it, looks great on both sides but I hit something, presumably knots, hidden in the middle every board. Looking at that website, unless I order in huge quantities it's a lot more expensive, is it likely to be much better?

[Gary Hair]

Just a local hardwoods store, it's convenient (2 min drive) and cheap enough. I've never tried any other so I wouldn't know how to gauge it, looks great on both sides but I hit something, presumably knots, hidden in the middle every board. Looking at that website, unless I order in huge quantities it's a lot more expensive, is it likely to be much better?

I guarantee you won't find any better wood than here:
http://www.coloradoheirloom.com/

Maybe cheaper but not better.

[Ross Moshinsky]

Advice?

1. Think about buying better material. Sometimes spending $5 more will save you hours of time.
2. If you have flame, start thinking about tweaking your air assist.
3. Don't rule out either covering your sheets with transfer tape or quickly clearing them with something like spray shellac. This has been discussed more than once and the general opinion is the time spend giving the sheet a quick sand and spraying it with clear typically is time very well spent.

[David Somers]

Weston,

You might check with Dave Sheldrake on the forum. I remember about a year and a half ago he had a ton of plywood that he had bought and stored that was moist due to ambient air in the room he stored it in. It made cutting it misery and I seem to remember to got rid of it all and repurchased it and stored in a better, more controlled environment.

Dave

[Keith Winter]

I have a 45 watt Trotec Speedy 100, roughly two years old. Can't tell if the tube is going bad, I'm just having poor luck with wood or that wattage is just too weak, I honestly don't cut 1/4 very often so I don't know if it's a new development but I'm working through a 100+ part job and every other sheet cut is a dud, doing 100/.60 on 3 passes and I can't get any slower without dragging a flame. It's the knots, I can't phase them. Advice?

That's pretty fast cutting. I think I cut 1/4" at 0.30 with an 80 Watt. Try slowing it down. And yes a flame is normal that's because you aren't making it through the board. On a multiple pass first pass almost always flames for me. Try using your skinner cone it directs more air to the cut decreasing the flame.

[Keith Winter]

And on the large amount of knots issue that doesn't sound right if it's real Baltic Birch. Is the glue red (if so it's Chinese most likely) ? Where are you buying it from?

[Neville Stewart]

I'm betting Chinese ply. The glue is harder than the wood.

[Jay Selway]

I cut 1/4" ply all the time. Getting it retail can be a crapshoot, as they usually don't specify precise manufacturing processes for the stock. I buy almost all my ply from BoulterPlywood.com, as they stock plywood that's made for laser cutting. It's a bit more than going to the local retail location, but the consistency and quality of the ply prevents any down time for bad sheets or voids, etc.

[Craig Matheny]

Well I can tell you an Epilog 45 watt (truly about 40 watts running Epilog tube) will cut slow, I cut 3mm (1/8") all the time B/BB Birch clean wood with that said I run at 100% power and around 18 speed I guess you will be around 12 on speed. Here is the other kicker if you have replaced your tube to an Epilog tube it is no longer a 45 watt laser it is really a 40 watt as they do not sell a 45 watt tube. Good luck