Removing the masking on the new Glass Green Acrylic and I cannot get it to come off cleanly. I haven’t even cut or engraved the material yet.
Are you asking for tips on masking removal? (I’m asking that because you might be providing feedback on the product – in that case, Glowforge is not going to see it here in the community forum, you should send it directly to them at https://support.glowforge.com/hc/en-us/requests/new).
A lot of people use Gorilla Tape to help pull off the masking, it’s extra sticky. Another thing that can help is to use a plastic “razor blade” scraper. You can find them on Amazon.
Also, since you mentioned you’re removing it before cutting… you may already be aware of this but I figured I’d bring it up: typically the masking is left on, as it protects the surface from residue while lasering (and from scratches while handling it). Though for photo engraving it can turn into a bit of a sticky mess, so sometimes it’s better to remove it first.
6 Likes
Yes I do all of that and have been a GF user since its inception but the masking seems different than it use to be. Paper peels apart - glue is super sticky. Wondered if anyone else has seen this or it is just the green glass I am using. I have black acrylic that I am using but I bought it years ago and it peels cleanly. I peel off all masking now before engraving anything.
I’ve only seen that on material I bought a long time ago. If it’s new material I’d definitely reach out to support and let them know!
2 Likes
One thing I have found that sticks best to masking (without sticking to everything, as Gorilla tape does) is other masking 
If you drag masking across other masking and there is the slightest turn-up of a corner the sticky will grab the other sticky and hang on like a bulldog but not grab anything else. There was a time when I dissolved the adhesive in hand sanitizer, but this is so easy that I no longer bother.
1 Like
The Proofgrade acrylic I got in the mail this week has a different kind of masking than they’ve used the past ~5 years. It’s brown not white among other things. That said, I just removed a bunch of it from a sheet and it came off in one piece like it should. If yours isn’t coming off in one piece, maybe there’s a QA issue the company should be aware of. Reach out (support ticket or email support@glowforge.com) with some pictures and I bet they replace it for you.
3 Likes
This topic was automatically closed after 30 days. New replies are no longer allowed.