Laser Experts Show You How to Avoid Surface Burning Using Paper Mask on Your Glowforge or Laser
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- Опубліковано 26 лип 2024
- In this video we show how to improve the finish of your laser cut parts by applying a paper mask. We go over why we started doing this, masking tips we've accumulated over the years, and finally we show side-by-side laser cutting and engraving laser results using different materials with and without a mask applied.
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Links:
High Tack Paper Application Tape Mask (this is what we use)
signwarehouse.com/products/en...
Daige Solo 25" Cold Laminator
Alternative Application Tape
6" x 100': amzn.to/3aDOQPK
12" x 100': amzn.to/3ALDJz7
24" x 100': amzn.to/3PmyIkq
Alternative Laminator
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Other items used in our projects*:
Sili The Complete Silicone Glue Kit
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WORKPRO Bar Clamps for Woodworking
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Clamps
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Binder Clips for Clamping (medium and large work best)
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E6000 Craft Adhesive
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Professional Grade Aluminum Foil Tape
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ScotchBlue Original Painters Tape
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Titebond 5003 II Premium Wood Glue
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Precision Screwdriver Kit
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Castle Art Supplies 12 Large Acrylic 75ml Paint Tubes Set
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Acrylic Paints by Artist's Loft Fundamentals
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DecoArt Dazzling Metallics Acrylic Paint 2oz-Bright Bass
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Royal Brush Manufacturing Royal and Langnickel Zip N' Close 12-Piece Brush Set
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Ok. 10 months and one major machine upgrade later ( 20w diode to 55 watt CO2 ) you've sold me. I had tried expanding my hate-hate relationship with the ubiquitous blue painters tape to continued disatisfaction. But, growing even more tired of dealing with the scorch i followed your link below and sent some money to Sign Warehouse and well, I am just giddy! it's never been the weeding, a stiff martini and off we go! but the blue tape always seemed more trouible than its worth. I have even found a use for the scraps! Yeah, i was saving some of the bigger pieces i cut off... I use them when i cut my "brand" into the back of those things that get branded! thanks.
Marks on the reverse of cut items can be avoided by raising the item off of the bed... various methods exist. Most of what people consider to be burn marks is actually smoke residue being deposited on the surface of the piece being cut. If your air flow is sufficient across tghe surface of the piece being cut this shouldn't be a problem.
I really like the straight forward instruction, not a lot of chatter, Thanks! Great Information!!!
I loved finding newish UA-cam channels for Makers. Besides learning new techniques I also like seeing the channels growth over time.
Thanks so much for the great video. You are the first to actually show and recommend tape. Much appreciated
I will definitely start masking my items now! Thanks for this video! I appreciate it!
Very helpful information, thanks for taking the time to share.
Thank you for all the information; I appreciate sharing all the tips.
Thanks for doing the work.. Great reference piece!
Thanks for the information, this will help greatly I ordered some of the paper can wait to try it
Great tip specially been new to laser engraving, NO MORE BURN MARKS, YIPPEE Thank you.
interesting video. going to give the masking a try, Thanks for the video
Awesome! Thanks for sharing
Thank you for this great video!
Thank you so much for this!
Thanks! Great video - I've used this technique a few times.
This was excellent! I wonder if one day someone will make a spray that mimics the tape with better properties.
Looks like I'll be adding a lamination machine to my laser shop soon- I've just been using a lot of masking tape since so far I've been working with small things- I do aspire to design/make large layerd mandalas once I'm a little more comfortable with the software/burning itself. Thanks for the video :D
Great , very helpful.
Thanks for your knowledge. I will always mask of my laser work now.
Wow! Thank you!
I found masking my engraves was a great improvement purely by experimenting with different types of tape. The white masking tape seems to work best for me. I use air assist at a low flow rate to keep the laser lens clean. Great information for those that want a clean burn on engraves. Thanks for making the video ! Cheers. (thumbs up ) ;-)
That’s genius as no need for an air assist, thanks for sharing 👏
If you have a machine, DONT turn the air assist off . Those tarry fumes will soon coat the face of your lens, bake on and irreparably damage your lens. Trotec make amazing and elegant mechanical machines but sadly they have never put as much effort into understanding the laser tecnolgy they "bolt on" . The relationship of power, air assist flow rate, nozzle orifice diameter and the gap between work and nozzle are diametrically opposite needs for efficient cutting or efficient engraving. The fact that this is an RF laser source makes this poor at cutting but great at engraving. For engraving you need a big nozzle orifice, just a whisper of air assist to keep fumes away from the nozzle and a BIG gap between nozzle and work. Unfortunately you have to use what Trotec has designed. and the result will always blow the tarry fumes back onto A) the engraved work area and B) the surroundong areas.. It is 100% possible to do clean engraving without masking but not with the parameters and conditions Trotec force you to use. Hence this tedious workaround of masking everything. . Take a look at the first 2 minutes of this video to see fume-free engraving with a cheap K40 machine at 1000mm/s ua-cam.com/video/zu-hccXJPBg/v-deo.html
If this piques your interest then skip through this video to see tar-free cutting and more UNMASKED engraving ua-cam.com/video/i1M39dzyCOw/v-deo.html
So, as you will see, I am not maing baseless claims. and I am doing this on a $500 machine not $50K
thank you ! Subbed
I made some calculations and for each item I sell on etsy would be about 3.5$ more per item just for the making tape. I use that method for smaller jobs or when in need of painting in the creases of the etching, but usually I pas a light danger over the little marks and it's removed with no problem. It also depends on the quality of your laser, and your etching intensity, deeper burn = more to clean. Great video and thanks for all the information and the links for the making tape applicator. It will come handy for some projects I have in mind
Hi Jonathan, Thanks for sharing. That price per piece does sound really high, unless you're selling large items. We calculate our cost based on square inches and given the rolls are sold in yards, the rolls we're purchasing are 300 feet in length (100 yards) and our per square inch cost is $0.013 (times 2 if masking both sides).
@@smedleyworks yes most of my items take between 3 or 5 pieces of Baltic birch 20"x30"
New sub. Thank you so much.
If you need to remove a lot of masking in a small area (say text) get a plastic razor blade (they come with scraper holders) they make quick work of lots of small stuff without scratching anything.
We actually have plastic razor blades, but never thought of using them that way. Thanks for the tip! :-)
I was actually thinking of something like thatto remove the paper while I was watching this.
A couple other things I thought you could try are guitar pics & plastic tools for opening devices like cell phones
@@bwselectronic Yea, they would probably work but the plastic razor blades are like $0.07 each so when they get dented (they will) you can just toss them.
thank you! very helpful. have tried cleaning instead of masking, and really wasn't getting the professional look I wanted.
New subscriber. Thanks for the video. Very helpful. What was the blower thing you used?
Thank you for that demonstration! Have you tried this on metal material as well?
Thanks so much! I was wondering about it for painting (your video about filling techniques was awesome as well), and was curious what happened to the tape that was engraved? Not sure if that makes sense, but did it just burn off? As in I can tell the surrounding looks good, but is there any special cleaning needed for the engraved parts or is it just a regular wipe down?
Thanks for this tip, especially for the paint fill tip at the end.
Have you tried an embroidery tool called a weeder? It's made to remove the mask.
Also, embroidery suppliers have the mask material you are showing
Great tip! We use tweezers for weeding small pieces, but we've heard the embroidery tool works well, too. :-)
@@smedleyworks knock off dental tools work great for weeding in the making of vinyl signs. A good brand of pic set works good too, but not super cheap ones.
Oh my gosh. Thank you so much for this. I have been looking all over for masking tape that will work. I have an xTool S1. Do you have to increase power or speed to break through the masking tape? I’m wanting to paint engraved wood and acrylic.
Just saw on the Trotec site, that they use wet towel paper on the bottom of Acrylic sheets for optimum results.
Nicely done and a super good tip. Where can I find the masking? Can I use regular masking tape on small projects?
Yes, you can definitely use regular masking tape. Please see the link in the description for the application tape that we like. You can also find a lot of choices on Amazon too.
Excellent video! Do you do anything to the sides of the wood? The burned sides. Especially on intricate cuts. Thanks.
Thank you! We only do when we're painting or staining the wood, then we'll seal and paint or stain the sides as appropriate.
Correct air flow and fume extraction achieves the same result with a lot less work. No peeling required!
Masking a good option for acrylic or if colour filling.
Use a pin or knife bed rather than honeycomb. Too much back burn from honeycomb grid.
In my experience, a pin bed and proper air flow gives clean work every time.
Thanks for the insight. In regards to the pin bed, we've used a small one in the past for small pieces. We do not have experience with larger pin beds and are not even sure if it is available for larger lasers. Our machines have good air flow and fume extraction and we've still found that masking this way eliminates any issues.
I like your channel as you have a lot of useful information. Months ago, I tried the TapeManBlue 12-inch x 100-foot you mentioned in your "Alternative Application Tape" section. I had terrible results. I applied it to three 8x12 inch pieces of Basswood. By the time I had it applied to the third piece the first one was peeling off. So, I grabbed my J roller (used to apply Formica to counter tops) and press rolled the tape onto the wood. Prior to applying the tape, I had blown off the surfaces, so I knew there was no dust on them. As I was cutting the first piece the tape kept peeling up. So, I returned the tape.
Was this problem caused by a bad roll of tape, something I was doing wrong, or normal?
Different surfaces will require different levels of tape tackiness. It sounds like you either need to try a different brand or something with a much higher tack level. You can also try something like blue painters tape.
Thanks for sharing that tip😀
Would I need to mask the surface if I had an air-assist system fitted?
Thanks in advance,Cam
Yes, pretty much everything we do uses air assist and we still mask most things for best results.
Have you tried using a heat gun to help remove the masking? Great video! Thanks for the tips
Yes, we actually tried that when removing mask in our cupcake holder video! It does make sense. It's something we've always done to remove stickers and adhesives especially in automotive applications.
What was the brand of laminating machine do you have
Subscriber 500 :) Watching this video, and your channel, take off! Where did you get that laminator?
Yay! :)
The link to where we get the laminators is in the description, but just in case, here it is again for anyone reading the comments:
Daige Solo 25" Cold Laminator:
daige.com/solo-cold-product-details.html
They're relatively cheap as far as cold laminators go, and they self-adjust which works well for different material thicknesses. :)
@@smedleyworks thanks, that's what I get for not reading the description. I didn't even know they were a thing, but it is going to be so useful.
What type of laminator did you use to apply the paper masking tape to the larger boards?
The Daige link looks like it isnt working anymore. Any recommendation on laminators?
Hello! Great videos you make! Can you show my projects for laser cutting?
thank you very much
but do you know where to find such wide tape in Europe/Spain? Maximum here is 50mm (~2inches)
Awesome video thank you. Where is the best place to get the paper mask? Baring in mind I’m in the UK.
Thank you.
If you can't find a sign making supply store/site that will ship to the UK, I would try Amazon.co.uk.
Do you mask both sides?
Does this mask work ok on MDF with veneers? No issues with it removing the veneer since it’s high tack?
Gr8 video, how much of a difference do you need in power depth settings between non masked and masked? thyx
In our experience with our lasers, there is little to no difference in power settings when adding application tape to material. I have noticed a slight need for more power when cutting through some factory applied acrylic masks though, but not much.
@@smedleyworks brilliant.. thank you
Is the mask that you're using better than using blue painters tape?
Application tape adhesive (any adhesive backed paper really) ends up as a gummy mess. Try using "tea bag paper" (open mesh tissue paper used to make tea bags 😊) applied with tap water - it just blows off when finished. It's better for smaller items as it can dry out on large surface jobs. Put the paper on dry, spritz with water then squeegee.
That's an interesting idea. We haven't experienced the "gummy mess" you described.
@@smedleyworks Yes, application tape is covered in "snot glue" - like a repositionable adhesive - it breaks down under heat and leaves a deposit - you're maybe wiping it off with something - IPA/petrol or some other organic solvent :-) The tea bag tissue and water is a lot greener, works just as well (if not better as it soaks up the smoke) and is a whole lot cheaper :-)
Honestly, the app tapes we use don't leave any residue behind. I've used it on a lot of materials over the last 15 years or so, and I've never had to do any cleanup after.
@neilgillies6943 - where do you get your tea bag paper? I’d like to try this method.
Appreciate the video. So based on your description I want to validate you use high tack tape, I find the tape I have peoples up during the laser process especially when my airflow hits it. One question - sounds like you mask the front and the back, is that correct?
Yes, we use high tack tape, but a medium tack will work well for very smooth materials like acrylic. We do cut some rougher stuff like Baltic Birch sheets that definitely needs the HT tape or it will lift up. We almost always run our air assist, and don't have any issues with the high tack tape. We almost always use tape on the bottom of materials, unless that surface will be hidden or presentation doesn't matter. We use the app tape on the top a lot, but it depends on the material and the result we want.
So masks do work! I knew it! 😉
You could also use air assist.
Air assist was used on all jobs in this video. We pretty much have it turned on for everything, except things that could blow away like paper. 🙂
@@smedleyworks
I found some air assist to be weak.
If you re-purpose / install a Dual Air pump for a Salt Water Fish Tank it’s Much Stronger & Quieter.
Can you please include a link or provide information on where you purchased the laminator
We've been buying the Daige Solo 25" Cold Laminator directly from Daige:
daige.com/solo-cold-product-details.html
We purchased our first one from Beacon Graphics many years ago, but they do not currently have it listed for sale on their web site.
We'll add the link in the description as well. :-)
Thank you so much for the information it is greatly appreciated
Great video! Now let's hear about how you guys get rid of that burnt wood smell on finished items.. So far nothing works :(
We're probably so used to the smell that we don't really notice it. It seems to go away over time, though. :-)
Do you guys use any kind of transfer materials that will resist Ferric Chloride and can be burned with a laser to make etch resiststencils such as circuit boards?
No. I'm sorry, but this isn't something we're familiar with.
Just curious , what model Trotec laser were you using?
For this video, we used one of our Speedy 400 120w lasers.
Can you use the masking technique when doing powder coated or stainless steel tumblers?
That's a good question. We have engraved coated tumblers before, but not masked. I don't remember any burning or residue being an issue. I would think a mask would work fine, but I'd test it first if possible. For stainless steel, unless I'm mistaken, you'd need to coat the surface with something like Cermark (unless you have a fiber laser). With a Cermark coating, I don't think you'd need a mask as the coating protects the surface and you wash it off after engraving.
@@smedleyworks The reason I asked, was to use the masking as a mask to add color to the engraved portion. Example: engraving the item then spray paint the engraved image with gold spray paint. Such as black tumbler with gold letters. Ace Hardware makes a REALLY nice GOLD metallic paint. I like the color better than Krylon. More realistic gold color. THere is also a additive to add to powder coat to make it a sprayable water based mixture. After engraving, Partially bake at low temp to melt the color, remove masking then finish baking at normal temp to cure.
Ah, got it. Paint filling the engraving! I don't see why that wouldn't work. Depending on the design's detail, you could maybe also try just lightly vector cutting the mask, and peel away the areas you want to paint. Use the mask like a temporary stencil. We do that all the time as it can sometimes be faster than engraving. :)
Would you recommend this for card stock? Thanks, Greg
That's a good question. I don't think we've ever tried app tape on cardstock. It might work ok, but I'd bet you'd need a low tack version so you'd be able to remove it after.
@@smedleyworks Thanks. I only have a 5W Diode and I am trying to avoid visible lines on mat board for picture frames
It is not PolyPropylene that you mention that the masking tape is made of, but PVC (Poly Vinile Chloride) which is extremely toxic and destroys your electronics. Polypropylene, on the other hand, is really good for laser jobs. I even use 3 and 5mm PP plates to make outdoor signs with. But otherwise a really good video.
Oops! Thank you for the clarification. 😊
thank you! This helped me more clearly understand that I shouldn't take the risk of using some of the PVC mask that we had around for use with our cnc machine. Don't really want to breath in hydrochloric acid!!
Do you think this process will yield the same results with a Diode laser?
Honestly, we have no idea. Our experience is limited to ceramic, metal, and glass tubed CO2 lasers. It would be interesting to see a side-by-side comparison though!
Have you guys masked leather... if so, how did it do?
We tried masking the faux leather we used in a previous video, however the mask we were using did not stick very well. We think it was either the finish on the material or we needed a higher task mask. We have seen it done successfully in other UA-cam videos, but we don't have much experience lasering leather.
You don't see anyone else talking about masking tape? It's a fairly common practice.
We've seen a ton of laser related videos over the years, and this just didn't seem like a topic that's been discussed in much detail. At least, not outside maybe hand masking parts to be paint filled after engraving. It seemed like a good topic especially for someone that might be new to lasers. :)
What?? I can do that with my laminator???
I clicked on the link for the 12" X 100' paper masking and their description says that it shouldn't be used with lasers, I was wondering if you've experienced any long-term issues with the product?
We've used a number of different paper tapes and never had any issues with cutting and engraving on any of our lasers. The only issues we've experienced have been how well they stick to the material. However, we'll update the links with some alternative brands.
@@smedleyworks Thanks for the reply, I'm sorry, I honestly wasn't trying to be a Karen. The video is very informative, having the back side come out as clean as the front is a real plus. I'm going to try and get a small amount from a local sign shop to play with before I get a whole roll. Thanks again.
@@paulabbott9893 No problem at all. We definitely don't want to recommend anything inappropriate. Best of luck with your projects. :-)
We just clean with a wet cloth and its perfect. So I don't see the point in paying $100 for the masking and the additional time to remove it again. We do use masking if we do paint fill but other than that we just clean it with some water.
Yes, that's a great tip and can work, too. We sometimes use a damp magic eraser and it works well on wood with light engraving and vector cutting. For acrylic or wood with a lot of engraving, or when we're producing a lot of pieces, we feel that masking provides the best result for us and is worth the little extra time and expense. You can buy small rolls of paper mask online for under $20 and apply it by hand.
do you know any paint that you can apply over the engraving, then wipe off the excess, without affecting the rest of the surface? a kind of "light" paint .... so to speak ...
Nice video :) Try to use duct tape to remove the tiny papers
Absolutely! I bet that would have worked great too. It's something I considered when I went looking for tape to try. We stopped using it on our exhaust ducting a long time ago because it kept getting sticky and gooey over time, so we didn't have any handy to try. I also thought carpet tape would have also worked great too. :)
A good air assist avoids the need for masking
Yes, there are a lot of factors involved to getting good cutting and/or engraving results. Good air assist, strong exhaust system, materials (type and thickness), laser speed, laser power, etc. It's a balancing act. Masking is a really nice convenience, but it might not be for everyone depending on your particular circumstances. :)
Use duct tape to remove the masking tape. Much easier than picking at it with tools or your fingers and no way to damage it.
That is without air asst. 👉💩
Air assist was "on" for all the jobs shown.