Hi-
I searched the forums for cocobolo, found a pen stand (with a cocobolo pen) and references saying it was a bear to work with.
I LOVE cocobolo, although I feel I have to sacrifice a band saw blade each time I bring it into the shop.
I am trying to use it on the glowforge with mixed success. I have .20 inch thick cocobolo, it almost cuts it, but does not make it through the growth rings.
I am cutting out turtles to use as bowtie joints on a table, I LOVE how cocobolo polishes, and contrasts most woods.
If anyone has successful settings/thickness I would love to hear it.
I am trying 125 speed, Full power, 2 passes, with masking tape to limit the burn.
it does not cut all the way through, I end up breaking it out, and dremmeling a chamfer edge to fit easily. (the photo is one cocobolo, and one cedar, the cedar cuts trivially)
I tried the file twice with different results, at 100, it almost cuts through, but still leaves some around the growth rings.
the problem is at 100, there is lots of burn & char left, and the cut is not clean.
I need to try again with 2 & 3 passes, see how that works, if the higher speeds at 3 passes is better than slower with 1 pass.
I was hoping someone would post this works for me, kind of thing. But I think even on the same board, it will vary to much for cocobolo. It maybe something I won’t get to work perfectly. (or consistantly)
I tried it with 2 passes—> no success to report, bummer
Another point of caution on this topic…
I tried to cut normal proofgrade medium draftboard right after the cocobolo test strips. (not successfully)
I tried slowing it down, and slowing it down to 120, with no luck.
I tried the Set focus and got an error— > this is important, it should tell me/you to check your lenses when set focus does not work. (Glowforge, more informative errors would be appreciated)
The little lenses either side of the main lense were coated with black soot (again).
I love to try all sorts of materials on my glowforge, but there are consequences.
If you do try to cut cocobolo, clean up those lenses after you use it.
I will see if I can test again with clean lenses, to see if it improves, but I’ve got a lot of projects to get done before Christmas, so I may need to put it off for a little bit.
(an elfs life this time of year is rather busy)
I TOTALLY love this tool! (I love it for what I can make on it, or even for the fact I can work inside if my garage woodshop is too cold during California winter months—> yes I know there are colder places).
I was wondering if there is any consideration for a model that not only had the pro pass through front and back, but had the ability to handle thicker stock? I would love to be able to laser larger/thicker slab or rounds.
I used the cocobolo turtles on the table top, but had to sand off the shell patterns getting them flush.
If I were to redo it, I would route out the turtles normally using thicker stock , and etch the shell patterns deeper. Lasering, trying to cut thicker cocobolo, seems to be asking for trouble.
I would love to hear if someone has a recipe to do it successfully. How thick, what settings.
