Is anyone successfully scoring cork?

My son wanted his own coaster (since he saw me testing slate coasters the other day), and I tried to score a Pokemon onto .25" cork so that he could have his own coaster that would not be dropped and broken.

Even at 500 speed and 1 percent power, scoring is leaving some burn marks. I was able to engrave cork using 1000/33 settings I found in the forum with no such marks.

Also, is there a reason that scoring is limited to a slower speed?

Edit: Moving my own post to Beyond the Manual.

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I scored the cork map here (Maps, Maps, Maps) at 200 speed/20 power, focused at a height of 0" rather than the .25" at the top of the cork so the lines would be a little wider.

Are you using a masking material? You’re bound to get smoke and scorch marks if you don’t, and I can’t imagine it would be easy to clean off.

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And scoring is limited to a slower speed because you’re moving both X and Y, and that’s a big honking gantry to be throwing around. Engraves just move the head (and then the gantry a tiny little bit between lines).

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That’s somewhat obvious now that you mention it. I should have thought of that given how much the table shakes even at the current maximum.

I am so used to CNC instead of the laser that I completely forgot I had masking material. I ran a job early this morning and it came out better, using the 200/20 settings you mentioned, but even with the masking there was some scorching. I will have to try a few more settings.

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