new project letters burnt

[Bert Kemp]

I'm trying to vector engrave some small letters in a key fob even at 100 % spd and 10% pwr the letters are a bit burnt.:( 10% is the lowest I cab set my power and still fire laser. Is there anything I can do to get a lighter cut line??

[Dave Sheldrake]

You need an attenuator Bert, it's a lens that goes in the optical path and reduces the power of the beam it allows to pass through. Usually water cooled but it's the only real way to drop the power below the tube minimum

[Bert Kemp]

Thanx Dave I'll look it up see if I can find one


You need an attenuator Bert, it's a lens that goes in the optical path and reduces the power of the beam it allows to pass through. Usually water cooled but it's the only real way to drop the power below the tube minimum

[Bert Kemp]

Didn't find a whole lot of places that sell them and what I did find didn't show price's ,So that kinda tells me their expensive .

[Keith Winter]

what are you calling 100% speed bert? What mm/s? Is this a wood fob? If so 60watt should be fine for it.

[Ross Moshinsky]

Try raster engraving rather than vector. Type in your text. Set the stroke to a reasonable width. Convert stroke to curves. Vector engrave it. You'll get more control over the power and speed.

[Makrel Johnson]

Can you put a sacrificial layer between, like masking tape, to take some of the heat off the cut line?
Something just thick enough to reduce the power getting to the plastic...

[Chris DeGerolamo]

Would it be an option to soak or spray the leather before engraving?

[Mike Null]

+1 on putting tape on them.

[Keith Winter]

Can you put a sacrificial layer between, like masking tape, to take some of the heat off the cut line?
Something just thick enough to reduce the power getting to the plastic...

great idea!

[Dave Sheldrake]

A lot of the problem brother is with small vector engraves the laser has to fire at the start of the line, if the letters are small (1.5mm or less) a lot of heat will build up in the project.

[Bert Kemp]

I don't understand what your telling me here


Try raster engraving rather than vector. Type in your text. Set the stroke to a reasonable width. Convert stroke to curves. Vector engrave it. You'll get more control over the power and speed.

[Bert Kemp]

Keith its leather and I don't really know what the mmps is as speed is set by %.


what are you calling 100% speed bert? What mm/s? Is this a wood fob? If so 60watt should be fine for it.

[Bert Kemp]

Thanks for this Idea I'll try masking.

I just tried masking tape and that made a real mess on the leather, waters not an option because the leather is treated and will just roll off and not be even. I'll try some different tape maybe painters tape not so sticky.


Can you put a sacrificial layer between, like masking tape, to take some of the heat off the cut line?
Something just thick enough to reduce the power getting to the plastic...

[Dave Sheldrake]

Keith its leather and I don't really know what the mmps is as speed is set by %.

Lasercut is set mm per second Bert, that may be a lot of the problem

[Bert Kemp]

:eek:OMG So for the past year and a half I'm thinking my speed settings is in %. Well in my own defense if I can defend stupid smack me on the head. I have never cut anything more the 60 speed so when the letter burnt at 60 I went to 100 thinking this is as high as it would go:D But now You tell me its mmps, why didn't you tell me that a year ago?:p
So OK now 2 things I kept upping speed now I'm at 400mmps and its better but It won't go any faster and the specs say I should be able to go to 600mmps but it won't go above 400, go figure.
Thank you Dave your always teaching me something, don't know what I or the forum would do with out you.:)


Lasercut is set mm per second Bert, that may be a lot of the problem

[Dave Sheldrake]

The max speed is set in the sysconfig.ini file in c:\LaserCut53 folder, if you open it in notepad and look through you will find the maximum engrave / cut speed setting, change that from 400 to 650 and the machine will go higher :)

If you are line marking (vector *cutting*) at low speed to draw lines then it's the max cut speed you need to change :)

[Keith Winter]

Hey, hey, I was the one asking you about mmps!

:p Actually, I learned everything I know from Dave too, the man is legendary!


:eek:OMG So for the past year and a half I'm thinking my speed settings is in %. Well in my own defense if I can defend stupid smack me on the head. I have never cut anything more the 60 speed so when the letter burnt at 60 I went to 100 thinking this is as high as it would go:D But now You tell me its mmps, why didn't you tell me that a year ago?:p
So OK now 2 things I kept upping speed now I'm at 400mmps and its better but It won't go any faster and the specs say I should be able to go to 600mmps but it won't go above 400, go figure.
Thank you Dave your always teaching me something, don't know what I or the forum would do with out you.:)

[Bert Kemp]

Yes Keith you asked about MMPS but then I told you it was % and you didn't tell me no no Bert its mmps ;) so Dave gets the credit on that one. Now tell me how to get 600 nnps out of it cause the book says max speed is 600 ( I looked it up after Dave told me it was mmps LOL )


Hey, hey, I was the one asking you about mmps!

:p Actually, I learned everything I know from Dave too, the man is legendary!

[John Blazy]

I was going to mention the mm/second point too Bert, but Dave beat me to it. My bunny does 400 mm / second when I want to mark masking tape to preview where the cuts will be, so Im sure your bunny has the same ability. However, there are many times in which I have completely missed the obvious, and went on for years doing things the hard way like right click for copy / paste commands til i learned simply cntrl "C", "V", etc.