Laser VERY bright

So, because Glowforge is out-of-stock on everything I need, I have ordered laser-grade acrylic sheets elsewhere. However, on some of the stock when cutting, the laser is VERY bright. I wonder if I need to change the settings, and if so what that would be… (I’m new to this wonderful world of lasers!!! :smiley:)

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I usually just try to use the Proofgrade settings on similar material. If it doesn’t work, I make minor adjustments and test until it does work. (But, most of the time, the original settings work just fine.)

I think testing is key when using non-Proofgrade materials.

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Normally I just use the matching proofgrade setting too. However, with acrylic you can get nasty “chipping” where it is reflected off the honeycomb crumb tray, so it might be worth experimenting to make sure you are only just cutting through on acrylic.

Or, do what I do which is raise the acrylic off the crumb tray with a few carefully placed scraps

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I put a sheet of paper under acrylic to avoid chipping. Generally, I’ve had no issues with PG settings.

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The “chipping” is more properly called flashback. Searching the forum will find discussion after discussion about this concept, which is not just limited to acrylic.

https://community.glowforge.com/search?q=flashback

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I am also seeing this very bright laser effect on a non-proofgrade 1/8" masked cast acrylic. The glowforge medium clear acrylic material settings cut it just fine, but the laser light is indeed extremely bright which makes also me think it is too much power?

If there is a lot of burning on the bottom side of your acrylic, like it is melting and not just burning the paper, you may want to decrease the power. Otherwise, if the cut is fine (not melting) you’re probably good. The laser itself is invisible to the eye. The light you see is the interaction of the laser with the material and does not necessarily correlate to whether or not you are using too much or too little power. Your acrylic may have a slightly different chemical composition.

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Thank you @caribis2! I decreased the power and it was just as bright but did not cut through so I will stick with the normal settings. No burning or melting anywhere, just a nice cut. I really appreciate the response.

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Mine is beyond bright when cutting all materials, including proof grade, regardless of the settings. I have a set of torch welding glasses on hand if I want to look at it. The glass blocks the infrared from the laser, so it probably isn’t boiling your retina, more like looking at a halogen bulb. I avoid it. Stay safe.