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The Secret to Preventing Burn Marks When Laser Cutting

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The Secret to Preventing Burn Marks When Laser Cutting

There’s nothing worse than carefully deciding which project among the millions of project daydreams will be tackled next, painstakingly preparing all the materials, and then ending up with a dissatisfying result. There are no do-overs. You’re left with trying to find a way to creatively correct or hide the imperfections or toss it.

When it comes to working with a Laser cutter, the best starting place is choosing a quality machine. Regarding any problems,customer complaints can be found on the Better Business Bureau webpage. If the laser is not well made and calibrated, the results may not be up to par.

A laser cutter is an advanced piece of machinery, but there’s just no way around the fact that there will be some residual shadow left behind on the project unless you take some precautions. Choose among these tips to ensure the cleanest possible results on your next laser project. Please note that some of these options may not be possible when using certain mediums.

1. Choose The Most Appropriate Laser Bed

Depending on the type of material you are planning to use, make sure you have chosen the best support base for the laser bed. The project must remain perfectly flat during the cutting or engraving process. It may be that you are already doing everything as you should but your laser bed does not provide enough stability to support the project.

2. Pretreat The Surface

Pretreat your project with any shellac or other finishing spray in advance of cutting. This will create a protective barrier between the smoke and residue of the laser and the fresh surface. The choice of product will depend on which medium you are working with.

With the protective coating in place, the design can be completed without concern. Once the cutting is done, the smoke and residue can be easily wiped away. Check out this video at The Average JoeAnn to see how this crafty treatment helped prepare the wood surface in advance of an engraving.

3. Make Use Of Masking Tape

Another option is to cover the surface first with masking tape. This may be a good alternative for projects that are not intended to have any type of finishing or sealing product. The masking tape becomes the boundary and protectant as the tape can be carefully removed, along with the smoke and residue, once the lasering is complete.

4. Try Compressed Air

If you find that you’re still experiencing unsightly scorching, try to incorporate compressed air. In this method, aim the air toward the area where the laser meets the surface. The force of the continuous gust will cause the residue to disperse away from your design.

If you don’t first use the compressed air while the laser is doing its work, you can always come back later and see if the force of the compressed air can lift off the particles. This makes compressed air a great resource that can use while your cutting, after, or both when necessary.

5. Sand Away

Unfortunately, this option won’t work for every project. But if you are using a medium that will not be noticeably damaged by the friction, some fine sandpaper can be a quick and easy way to work away from the remnants of the laser.

6. Chemical Cleaners

This option may work well on plastic or acrylic surfaces. Try a spritz of window cleaner and wipe. Another typically found around the home item that works well is denatured alcohol.

Clean Cuts

Whether you opt to prepare the surface of your project in advance of cutting or clean up the remnants after the fact, scorch and burn marks should not force you to comprise your design or vision.

I am the founder of Startup Today. I am the main writer and have put in many hours of work into creating this blog. If you want to find out more about me then lets get in contact.

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