Help! I keep getting scorch marks

[calligraphybylindsey]

I’ve tried all sorts of cut settings…

[bill.m.davis]

What are you cutting?

We would be more than happy to help, but we need more information. The picture is great, but not quite enough.

[calligraphybylindsey]

ah sorry! Its a nonproof grade acrylic sheet

[bill.m.davis]

Non-proofgrade needs to be discussed in a different section of the forum. I will try to move this for you.

[calligraphybylindsey]

Thank you! Newbie over here

[primal_healer]

What settings have you tried? how thick is the material? results of previous tests and test methods?

[calligraphybylindsey]

1/8"
It will cut through on most settings that i’ve tried, but just leave the scorch marks
140/95 or even 150/full…

[primal_healer]

I would suggest either making or downloading a cut test template where you can try out multiple different cut and power speeds at one time. There are a bunch in the free laser designs section of the forum. they will help you work more efficiently.
like this one here

Cut Calibration Template

A few folks have asked for this so here’s a cut calibration template to use on materials you’re looking to use in the GF. The design is a series of boxes 1/2" square. You can use the cut out boxes as a way to measure your kerf as well. You can resize the whole thing to fit scraps if you’d rather and are less concerned with checking the kerf at the same time. The templates has an outline cut that you’ll want to move to the bottom of the stack so you can cut it last to keep the distance between …

There is one that takes up less material but my google fu is failing me atm.

[bill.m.davis]

I don’t have much experience with non-proofgrade materials yet, but there are a lot of helpful people here!

[calligraphybylindsey]

thank you so much! let me try that out…

[gewubs]

Does the material have any masking paper on it?

Edit; I see now that the scorch marks are in the corners. Masking is probably not relevant.

[calligraphybylindsey]

No masking, but I tried masking it and it doesnt help… it only seems to get the scorch marks in the corners…

[calligraphybylindsey]

[ChristyM]

Take a look at your file. Sometimes curves and corners end up with a lot of nodes on the path so you’re getting extra burn you don’t need. You can often simplify your paths without losing any integrity and that should reduce the number of nodes.

I’ve never actually seen acrylic do that, though. Is it just cast acrylic?

[evansd2]

@ChristyM

Is it just cast acrylic?

My thoughts too, I wonder what we’re dealing with here.

Also how clean is your crumb tray?

[calligraphybylindsey]

Sorry newbie here, so unsure of nodes… but its only at one path.
just cleaned the crumb tray and yes cast acrylic…

none of my other acrylics gets burn marks.

[ChristyM]

Are you seeing any flaming while cutting? Is that the glitter smoke (or similar) acrylic from iMaterials? If not, can you share where it’s from? What machine are you using? [I almost always use PG settings for acrylic, except mirrored. PG acrylic cuts at ~163/Full on my Basic.]

When you open your design in whatever software you’re using, there should be a tool (could be a little arrow tool?) that will show you a series of lines (the path or paths) with dots (nodes). A straight line should be simple - (the path between two nodes), but a curved line can have any number of nodes. I find with acrylic that fewer nodes is better since acrylic is so flammable.

[bill.m.davis]

@calligraphybylindsey

Sorry newbie here, so unsure of nodes…

They are referring to the number of points or coordinates in the path. You can usually view and adjust them in an SVG editing software (like Inkscape, etc.)

[evansd2]

@calligraphybylindsey

unsure of nodes

http://tavmjong.free.fr/INKSCAPE/MANUAL/html/Paths-Editing.html#Paths-Editing-Node

A thorough undertanding of nodes and how to edit them will pay you back over and over. Definitely worth your time.