When using a CO2 laser engraver/cutter to work on wood, smoke or burn marks may appear on the edges. Though the stains are difficult to avoid, they are not completely unavoidable. Here are 3 ways to prevent the edges of the wood from getting stained. 

     1.Cover the wood surface with masking tape

     Before you start engraving on wood, cover the working area with masking tape. The masking tape will prevent the edges of the engraving from getting stained and will not leave any residue behind. This is a common method not only because the tape is cheap and at hand, but also because masking tape can be easily removed, leaving no trace on your creations. Give it a try next time when working on wood materials. 

While the upper wood engraving is covered by masking tape, the lower one is not, causing obvious burn marks on the one without masking tape. 

     2. Adjust the focus of the laser to an optimal distance

    An optimal distance of laser focus will keep the burn marks at bay while still allowing for fine results. There is no worry about how to adjust an optimal distance of laser focus for varied types of wood materials. Try out different focus settings to see what works best. With the built-in autofocus system in FLUX beamo, you can easily find the right focus without the hassle. After the adjusted focus, you will find your works clearer and better.

     3. Testing various types of wood in advance

     Different kinds of wood have different optimal working speed and power. Certain types of wood get burned easily, this usually has more to do with the glue binders embedded in the material rather than the original property of the wood. The glue binders cause more smoke and burn stains when being laser processed. It is advised to test the speed and power in advance to reduce burn marks on wood crafts. The Material Testing Suite in Beam Studio that comes with different working speed and power combinations enables users to test out the parameters on the material, so you can determine the combination that best suits your needs.

When working on wood next time, give these tips a try and make your creations better!

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