Scorch marks

[sherriemarie1976]

For the life of me i cannot get the cut clean . I Put it on white acrylic setting . I have cleaned both fans and all lens . It still is making the black marks so bad that it is turning the white acrylic black and brown on the edges . Any clue why ?

[evansd2]

If it were me I would switch to the dish soap masking method and elevate the acrylic.

Suspended ablation

When cutting acrylic, I’ve observed what looks a bit like chipping along the cut edges. It’s one of those things that once you see it, you can’t stop seeing it - so consider that before continuing with this post Initially it seemed random, such that some edges were clean and others beset with ‘chips’: [Drawing3] Root cause is the build tray. When the laser cuts through the acrylic and hits the metal grid of the build tray, some of the photons are reflected back up to the acrylic, cr…

Laser Hack: Using Dish Soap on Acrylic Engraving

[sherriemarie1976]

Interesting … do i take off the masking paper off the acrylic before i put soap on ?

[evansd2]

Yes. That’s the whole idea. It protects the surface of your acrylic but then just rinses off after the job is over

[sherriemarie1976]

Thank you I will give this a try

[bill.m.davis]

Elevating the acrylic also helps protect from the “flashback” as the laser bounces off the crumb tray. I used to do this a lot to avoid marring the back of the clear acrylic I was cutting.

[sherriemarie1976]

How do i do that sorry

[evansd2]

There was a detailed post about elevating it that I already linked here. I’ll post it again, since you missed it in the other reply.

Suspended ablation

When cutting acrylic, I’ve observed what looks a bit like chipping along the cut edges. It’s one of those things that once you see it, you can’t stop seeing it - so consider that before continuing with this post Initially it seemed random, such that some edges were clean and others beset with ‘chips’: [Drawing3] Root cause is the build tray. When the laser cuts through the acrylic and hits the metal grid of the build tray, some of the photons are reflected back up to the acrylic, cr…

[davidgal2]

Also don’t forget to use “set focus” .

[sherriemarie1976]

I do set focus everytime. i am wondering if the one thing didnt get put back in right inside the head possibly?

[ekla]

@sherriemarie1976

turning the white acrylic black and brown on the edges .

Are you 100% certain your material is actually acrylic? It doesn’t typically turn brown unless it’s on fire - as in active flames. And if you have active flames you should really be watching closely and putting them out immediately.

[Aloha]

If the focus lens in the head is in upside down it casts a wider beam I have read.

[ellencadwell]

I’m glad you reposted this. I missed it, or it was before I got my GF. I’m definitely making some of these today, as I use acrylic a lot.

@sherriemarie1976, the dish soap also prevents the little ridges on the cuts that the masking leaves. And if you want to paint any engravings on your acrylic, use @evansd2’s other method of using wood glue to cover your acrylic. It peels off easily and doesn’t allow seepage like masking does. I’d link it, but not sure how to do that. Just search “using wood glue as masking” and it’s the first one that pops up.

[evansd2]

You know in theory, (most) wood glue is water soluble. You could in theory just throw your woodglue-masked acrylic into some water and wait a bit. Probably rinse right off after a while.

[ellencadwell]

Didn’t know that. But then I’d probably worry that it would loosen any paint as well. Besides, it’s fun pulling and picking it off!

[ellencadwell]

Guess what I discovered today?! I was making something today to submit to the catalog and did one in medium clear acrylic. First I made a bunch of the little acrylic “lifters” out of scrap 1/4" wood that @evansd2 shared the link for above. I used the dish soap on both sides of my acrylic (habit to do both sides), placed my acrylic on the little lifters, and cut out my project, which had both scoring and engraving. Without washing off the dish soap, I went ahead and used my acrylic craft paints to fill in the different colors I wanted and went ahead and gave it a few minutes to dry. I then used a very lightly damp paper towel and wiped off all the paint. It came off the flat surfaces easily and stayed in the engraved/scored areas! The acrylic lifts worked perfectly, the dish soap did its thing, and I now have a favorite way to engrave and color-fill acrylic! Win-win!

[bill.m.davis]

That is amazing! I may have to try this the next time I am painting an engrave on acrylic!

[evansd2]

Nice, you’re rediscovered liquid masking, awesome that the paint was blocked by the soap. I look forward to other people trying it to see how repeatable it is.

[dehne1]

Not new, but new to me! Thanks for posting this.

[ellencadwell]

@evansd2

I look forward to other people trying it to see how repeatable it is.

Me too. We were out all day today so I haven’t had time to play and do something else with it. Hopefully tomorrow. And on a larger scale of something. Think I’ll make myself a nice keychain or something. Oh wait, I don’t carry keys at all! We have push button start for our truck, and electronic keypads for our house doors. I haven’t carried any keys since I quit Lowe’s, and that was only one key for my locker. I’ll have to think of something else. Maybe I’ll make a couple for our daughter and granddaughter.