Hi I was wondering what material can I engrave without using a laser ink spray? Also does anyone have setting to engrave copper, brass , aluminum, and stainless steel? I know I need to spray the copper with a spray because of it reflectiveness of the material.
1 Like
The GF laser isn’t powerful enough, or the right wavelength to engrave metals. The only way to do it without Cermark or a similar spray would be to engrave anodized metals, like anodized aluminum. Then, you aren’t really engraving the metal, you are just burning away the anodized coating on the surface.
10 Likes
There are also specialty acrylics that appear metallic and specialty metal plaques that are designed to be laser engraved.
Searching around will probably lead you to Johnson plastics, inventables, and trotec, they sell specialized laserable materials.
4 Likes
Welcome to the forum.
You already have your answer (no metals can be engraved with the Glowforge) so I’m just here to say welcome and encourage you to use the search function of the forum.
4 Likes
Be very careful with copper and its alloys; they reflect the IR wavelength of the laser very well and can damage the laser head.
2 Likes