Here is a common occurrence on laser forums and groups. Post a picture of something cool and within about 4.1643 seconds someone will ask, “What Are Your Settings?”
Unquestionably a valid thought from someone who saw what you did and seeks to emulate it. And most of us want to help answer that question. We really do.
But there are a LOT of variables involved in a burn. My settings could produce great results but could start a fire at your house. Here’s an example worth noting that happened to me just today. I have a K40 laser and have settings saved for Baltic Birch Plywood. I bought a new lens and cleaned all the mirrors and ran a job. That which was supposed to etch my plywood burned slap through it. New lens was a heck of an improvement, I guess.
Here are some variables:
- The type of wood or material you are burning on. I may have 3 layer Baltic Birch and you may have 7 layer. My plywood may have glue made by virgins with harps and your glue may have been produced by the Communist Chinese.
- The direction of the grain. Lasers etch and burn better in some directions than others.
- Air Assist. If I have an air assist and you don’t then my settings may not be relevant to your setup.
- Focus. I may be focused using a microscope and you may have no idea of what the actual state of your focus is.
- Temperature. If using a CO2 laser, cooler water temps can produce more efficient burns.
- Lens cleanliness. If my lens is clean and yours is dirty my settings are useless to you.
- Diode intensity. I may have a brand new diode laser and you may have been burning at 100% power for 6 months. Diode lasers wear out. CO2 in a laser tube depletes. Also you might have a 4.5 watt output and I might have a 5.5 watt output laser.