Cardboard Settings Help

Can some someone tell me the setting for ‘cardboard’ please?

-Thanks (in advance)

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For cutting, I have good success with 350 @ Full power. Nice clean edge.

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Thank you So MUCH!.
Much appreciate it.

Sure. As you will see in many other posts, definitely stay close and keep your eye on the machine when cutting cardboard.

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You can also check the google docs spreadsheet for suggested settings: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sWOebDU94HwezYPbHa3YdtXjpLbEl_vEPvCb1dSByL4/edit#gid=2079951607 a few different cardboard settings.
I find that if I am cutting small pieces I like a slower speed and raise the power.

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Ok, good safety tip…will do

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Wow, nice link. It has all the settings
Thanks.

@MechanicalGoose @lmk
Works like a charm
Thanks again

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Yes, NEVER leave the machine when cutting cardboard.

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And NEVER ask for settings without searching the forums for “cardboard settings”. There are a truckload of setting posts, definitely give that a try before just asking.

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Ok maybe not never. Like I’m still wondering what settings to use to engrave a beetle I found in the backyard. :slight_smile:

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Speed 100, Power FULL

What a lovely piece of ash you’ve created!

You forgot to mention that it should be with a highly detailed dark piece of art.

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Ok I got it. I did try searching.
Take it easy. I’m just reaching out for help.

TL;DR: give a man a fish…

The longer version:

This is me taking it easy. That was good advice, given straight.

https://community.glowforge.com/search?q=cardboard%20settings
Look at all the results!

“<material> settings” can find you almost anything, we’re a bunch of geeks with a lot of time on our hands, so we’ve tried a lot of materials. (Rice, skulls, leaves, you name it)

But, since you pushed back and read my tone as snippy, let me take it less easy and spend some time breaking all of this down. You might think I am being a jerk again [since you read it that way before], but trust me, I’m about to give you the goods.

As for reaching out for help, sure, we’re all happy to help, but any request for help is asking for other people’s time and energy, so the best thing to give people is advice about how to do it themselves. That way the person won’t have to ask at every turn, taking up even more time and energy from the forum at large on things that are readily available. Settings are one of the most repeated requests out there, and… this is the kicker… giving someone settings is actually not always helpful.

The best piece of advice I can give you is to learn how to do a one shot material test. Once you get a solid workflow for testing new materials, you won’t ever have to ask about a new material again. If you search for “material test”, you’ll find a lot of discussion. There’s no absolute right way to do a material test, everyone has a slightly different technique… once you find yours, it’ll be faster to run a test than to ask the forum in the first place, and more certain.

Take cardboard for example: Sure, I use 300/80/1x for amazon cardboard, but there are as many weights and thicknesses of cardboard as you can imagine. 300/80 won’t get through heavy duty Uline boxes, for example. Testing is the only way to be sure, so even if someone gives you settings that work for them on their specific material, it might not work for you and you’ll have to test anyway.

So anyway. Sorry if you thought I was being crappy before, I was tongue in cheek mirroring the ALWAYS part of the previous post and giving you the advice I’ve given countless times to other new(ish) forum users: search first, there are lots and lots of posts.

INB4: Yes I know discourse search isn’t always simple or intuitive, it kind of stinks. I don’t doubt that you tried to search first, because I have had problems finding stuff in the past too.

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No. I did not push back. I responded to a ‘tone’ that was unnecessary in my opinion.
And yes, I’m new to this GF. And to let you know, I did a search. maybe I did not dig deep enough. ok , so be it. But, its my understanding that this is a ‘community’ to ask for help. No offense, but if you feel that its repetitive don’t help. Eventually, I will find or get a proper response.
Now, the last post you sent…most of it was very informative. And thank you for that information.
So, I assume my lack in searching effectively for the information on ‘cardboard’ gave me that great information you sent in reference to work flow… So thank you. It appears my ignorance did yield me some important information that I will began to use.
And thanks to the community that did help without the need to chastise.
I understand your repetitive, newbee point. But, there are going to be more newbees like myself that will need help. And if I have the answer, I will reply to them with an answer no matter of repetitive it is and no matter how elementary the question may be. Because , the fact of the matter is that there will always be someway who may not know something.

So, Thank you again.

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That was for your beetle.

I know, and I assume a joke :wink: That would destroy any trace of beetleness.

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I assume that’s for fire safety reasons? Has anyone actually had a fire and if so how did you deal with it?

Previously:

https://community.glowforge.com/search?q=cardboard%20fire%20%40evansd2

https://community.glowforge.com/search?q=corrugated%20fire

https://community.glowforge.com/search?q=cardboard%20fire

https://community.glowforge.com/search?q=fire%20extinguishers

Lots and lots of reading you can do about fire suppression, but bottom line is that cardboard does have a pretty good potential for fire, so be careful.