1/4" birch cutting issues

Thanks @jamesdhatch. I’ll try these suggestions. I appreciate the help.

Which is not permitted in the BB standard (there’s an EU standards definition that applies - kind of like champagne).

There is some standards compliant BB in the 4x8 size made by some Russian companies and I believe there is one domestic manufacturer that makes it as well but it’s a special order large dollar product - I doubt any mass marketer like Menards would ever sell it.

The whole point of the standard is that it’s consistent. Different glues don’t support consistency. And that’s a big issue in laser cutability.

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@jamesdhatch , I tried cutting several pieces of 1/4" baltic birch with your suggestion of 2 - 3 passes at 150-200 today . I had mixed results so I tried a low tech version of your suggestion of doing 3 passes at different focus heights. That seemed to do the trick. It took 4 -5 tries to get the settings right, but I had about a 95% success rate. I just made three custom settings and cut the same design 3 times doing one pass at 200 full power at .23, one pass at 200 full power at .115 and one pass at 130 full power at .1. That cut fully through @95% of the lines. Most of the pieces just fell out and the few stubborn ones just took a couple of swipes of an x-acto knife to release them. Many thanks for the suggestions. I really appreciate your help.

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Glad it worked. A little experimentation always seems to be worth the time - otherwise I just burn up more time redoing things. Apparently there really aren’t any shortcuts in life :blush:

(I hate it when my mother turns out to be right :wink:)

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I have had the same issue and scorching starts at 125 and multiple passes would just ruin the cutout Especially words it just torches it useless and crumbles. I have tried settings from 160 all 3 passes nope still no cut through or some cuts through and not all the way on other parts. then there is 155 150 145 140 same problem then there is multiple passes on 135 130 120 all again still torches the wood so bad it ruins the words or anything that is not large and wide pieces but the outside edges are burnt to hell. So The reality of things is we need more than 3 pass options. Especially for the ones who know how to use the machine and have been for a while. We need to be able to use faster full speeds on like 5-6 passes and we will have very clean cut 1/4 plywood cuts. The other option I have seen people post to is Run it through Again to get more passes . Well lets be realistic here. I have never on a 2nd run of cutting ever had the laser cut 100% in the same exact spot even when not moving the material at all. So What it really boils down to is we need more pass options than 3.

I do it all the time. Pin the backing material down with the honeycomb pins here before running the job. (And don’t move the design on the screen.)

For issues cutting through on 1/4" material - try buying a better grade of material. One thing most people don’t understand is that cheap plywoods tend to have all kinds of really nasty fillers, glues, knots and holes in it that will not cut through with any laser. No matter how many passes you use. Charred and crumbling is not the desired results.

Either real Baltic Birch plywood or the Proofgrade materials are by far the most consistent that I’ve found so far.

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Try this to learn more

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Thank you for your help . Yes it is real Baltic birch Plywood. I purchased this machine based on the fact it can use other materials and was advertised all over as a business machine. paying 16.00 for one portion of a project defeats the purpose of being in business. Hopefully I don’t keep having this issue without the expense of High-cost materials. I just wish there was more info explaining this before I made the plunge and spent 7k on something most people consider a hobby. I purchased this specifically for a business not for hobbies and it seems to me costing me and arm and a leg out of profits. If there is anyone who sees this post and can say hey Ang Home depot or Menards or this place sells this stuff and it cuts excellent and is more cost effective that would probably help me the best. Thanks again to you and anyone else helping.

There is a step you can take to check the plywood out before placing your design if the economics dictate that you have to use less expensive materials.

Grab a strong flashlight and shine it through the wood from behind…you will see any dense spots and voids. Mark them on the surface with a pencil and then avoid placing cuts across that area. (You can have them in the middle, just don’t run the cuts across it.)

Best materials found so far:

Proofgrade. (There’s a reason it costs a little more to purchase, you actually wind up wasting less material.)
Baltic Birch. (It can still have some issues, but much fewer than other cheaper plywood.)
Some MDF. For that you need to check your local hardware stores, bring a sheet of each home, and run some tests. It just depends what you are making with it, but some will cut better than others.

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Well you’ve got some other problem than simply material if you’re having all that trouble with real Baltic Birch (I get mine from Woodpeckers or my local Woodcrafter).

But if you want to try something else, Home Depot now has 1/8 & 1/4" ply by Columbia that’s good for the GF. You’ll have to order it in their website as they don’t stick it in stores.

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Can you post some photos, wondering if your lens is in upside down. I have no problems cutting through quarter inch Baltic, and my favorite quarter inch is the cedar closet lining planks. Have to drop the speed, but comes out great.

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Is there a certain seller you’d recommend from amazon?

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Unfortunately, I can’t remember who I bought it from there. (Assuming you meant the Baltic Birch.) But it still had the occasional vug in it so I wound up going back to Proofgrade materials when it was gone. (It’s just hobby use for me.) :slightly_smiling_face:

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Not always the cheapest but often close, and certainly the most reliable and a good representation of what is available.
https://ocoochhardwoods.com/plywood/

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I have tried numerous times to cut thru 1/4 BB From Woodpeckers and nothing, doesn’t even partially cut thru. May I ask your settings?

Darcy

I tell it that it’s thick PG Maple :slight_smile:

Some folks here just do 2 copies on 1/8" and glue them together to get 1/4". They are of the mind it’s more consistent.

BTW, I have a Pro.

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Woodpeckers is Russian ply and 3x the price of Ocooch

That’s what I was trying, finally got it to cut at 140 speed. Thank you

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Thank you for your reply but after shipping costs, Woodpecker thru Amazon is only $2 more for 20 boards and it arrives in 2 days.

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I have friends with top quality, US made 60-80w lasers and they have problems with 1/4" BB plywood. It’s not the GF so much, but 1/4 BB is a challenge for any laser. Look at Doug Green on YT and he has a couple of videos on cutting plywood and the reasons, and lots of other good laser tips. The higher power lasers can power thru SOME situations that the GF cannot, but they also power thru your bank account equally well.

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