I’m so excited to finally have my Glowforge!
However, I’m having issues with small (sometimes large) areas not cutting all the way through both 1/4" and 1/8" plywood. Cutting the whole job again seems like overkill and will surely lead to additional charring. It was working great this morning, and now it’s happening regularly. I’m checking settings and changing cut speeds, but it isn’t making a difference. The skipped spots are never in the same place twice, so it’s not my file. I was easily cutting 1/8" at 240/full earlier, but now even at 200/full it’s still skipping. The 1/4" was cutting like butter at 140/full and now skips even at 120/full and is significantly more charred. I’m not sure what to try to rectify the situation.
So I’m an idiot who forgot to switch the focus height. FYI to anyone who has this problem, change the focus height.
I have run into this with default settings on Proofgrade from time to time. Not always, but it’s annoying enough that my “Default” approach is now to reduce the speed by ~10 zooms (I leave pews untouched). Haven’t had an incomplete cut on my Basic since adopting this practice.
But if you hadn’t posted about it here, it would have taken you hours to find that.
Been there, done that.
Also, plywood can be unpredictable with cuts. Often there will be knots or glue or some other obstacle in one of the plies that you can’t see. It will totally absorb the laser and not let it cut all the way through.
Exciting to know you got your laser! I hope you will soon be posting some of your unique pieces created completely in the Glowforge.
Already hard at work refining files for toys I hadn’t been able to cut until now. I have four new designs almost ready for painting!
Like when your tech isn’t working until you ask for help and it magically starts working? Yep, it was just like that.
@marmak3261’s suggestion is right on. Other sourced ply wood may have things in it, I have even seen Bondo body filler used to fill knots or voids.
Also double check that your wood is totally flat. It makes a huge difference!
Yup, can totally identify with this!
Between focus height (both your own manual entry and the flatness of the material) and variation in the material’s composition you’re in a perpetual tug of war between POWER! POWER! POWER! and extra crispy edges versus a perforated cut.
One labor intensive option is if you don’t move your artwork, just cut it where it falls in the GFUI, and don’t move the piece (pick test to see if it is cut all the way through), you can go back into your file and change the color of only the spot(s) you want to recut. Then when you do a recut you ignore the cut areas and limit your second pass area(s).
Always a learning process! Mine will be here Tuesday!!! You meet any more dfw area forgers yet!?
I am curious why it doesn’t auto focus?
I have now! Feel free to reach out if you need anything.
Why thank you