How To Cut Acrylic | Laser Cutting Acrylic Basics | Cast vs. Extruded Acrylic

[@IsabellasCorner]

Thank you James for being so descriptive.

[@TrotecLaserCanada]

My pleasure!

[@IsabellasCorner]

James, your tips gave me inspiration and motivation. Thank you!!!

[@TrotecLaserCanada]

You are so welcome!

[@kallapse4938]

Hi James I'm just starting out in the laser cutting business, love your little tricks and tips in you video's. Look forward to applying them when I get my machine.

[@esentl]

would definitely like to see a video based on achieving the smooth sides for cast acrylic, I'm running a 155 watt @ 55% power and 20% speed at 10 psi, definitely need adjusting still, as I still get the lines on the side, any suggestions on settings

[@TBL_stevennelson]

I just found the website. I want it all. Great Video. It's great that your helping customers and general public figures out the process. I'm from Caledon, closest to the Mississauga location.

[@TrotecLaserCanada]

Hi Steven, thank you so much, welcome to the channel! Are you interested to come in for a demo at our Mississauga location?

[@matthewbickham4065]

I’ve learned a lot I’ve been trying to cut mirrored acrylic with my stool and it just seems to melt or burn out from the cut area. I’m still learning thanks.

[@johnzill2125]

thanks for the tips. I am working at WSMixxer maker space and learning the methods of various materials and working in wood and acrylic. I am currently investigating a laser use starting a crafts business. The acrylic cuts I have made have been in focus and tend to melt together, this week I will attempt to run out of focus to see if it helps. I am using 1/8" cast and cast mirror

[@MarceloJNader]

Thank you for the tip on focusing the laser head. I did my first test run on some acrylic this weekend. I was expecting the nice frosty surface that I see in most google images but it was a surprise to see it has a more "glassy" feel to it. Still, it was the most impressive sample that I shared with everyone. Best Regards from Miami, FL!

[@TrotecLaserCanada]

Thanks Marcelo! Glad we could help!

[@donaldwalls8568]

So when you go out of focus do you raise the nozzle higher or lower to make it out of focus? Thank you

[@IsabellasCorner]

I am in love with this machine.

[@TrotecLaserCanada]

thank you, we're glad you like it.

[@SawdustAndNoise42]

To reduce flashback use the lamella bars when cutting acrylic. This also reduces flaming on the back side of the cut.

[@TrotecLaserCanada]

Good advice Guy thanks!

[@21Cali11]

Very formative James! Can you do 90 degrees cuts in the acrylic or it has to be slightly rounded to avoid cracking? Thank you

[@JTDragonFlash]

James, I'm looking at having a speed marker 1300 on my bus in the near future. How often do you have to readjust your machine in the van?

[@yammyharrone]

I'm wanting to invest in my first laser cutter, but I'm dubious about cutting specifically clear acrylic. There are two main issues I'd appreciate advice on. The first being what limits there maybe around small diameter holes and the limits a laser can safely cut to without burning through the edge, and the second is around 'entry level' machines around the $/£/€1000-2000 price bracket. I'm seeing a lot of respect for the cheaper Chinese imports, but at the same time a lot of new shiny products are hitting the market, and as a complete noobie I'm feeling completely overwhelmed. There seems to be very little advice relating to cutting of clear acrylics rather than opaque colours. Any advice appreciated!

[@bananapie2198]

I "invested" in a high end Chinese machine (~$12K mark) and while it has been OK and I have gotten the technical support needed to get the machine running, I have had zero support getting the machine tuned to produce cuts my customers can accept. I would absolutely buy from Trotec or another company where you can get help cutting your cash cow product rather than saving money out the door, even if its 30-50% more expensive. This isn't a hobby for me it is a business and I made a mistake thinking I could learn the finer details on my own fast enough to not lose money. My 2c.

[@yammyharrone]

@@bananapie2198 did you eventually manage to get a reliable machine? I'm anticipating this being the starting point of a business so I need to keep investment costs low in case it doesn't take off. Once I have an established company I will certainly take your advice, but at the moment I'm concerned about the investment of a large machine with no income to pay for it, except my own. I feel like a cheap Chinese thing could be resigned to the back of the toolshed in time as one of those 'handy old tools to have'. I have purchased a £300 K40 Chinese laser, and whilst it does cut, setting up and resetting for different materials and thicknesses is proving a headache just for hobby work. Etching is easy, in as much as i can put any piece under it and get a profession result from the first test 'print', but the cutting I really struggle with. I want a nicer machine, as we always do, but the cost of the product supported machines is too great for a hobby, and for setting up a business feels like a hefty gamble. I'm a determined old sod and can be/have been patient with it, but I still can't cut anything without hours of testing first, and every cut seems different every time I switch it on irrespective of any cleaning techniques I use

[@bananapie2198]

​@@yammyharrone My machine isn't bad, although I am hesitant to use the word reliable. The problem is I never had a machine that could get me to the point of making money on it, and I wish I spent more up front to get the support I needed to make my product on it. The Demo systems cut out my parts no problem, but replicating those cuts has been hours and hours of trial and error with no success. I have experience with laser systems and used smaller machines from Epilog in the past, but the nitty gritty I expected help with. I wish you the best of luck!

[@wrenkler]

relaxed and informative! More of this

[@davepistello5926]

Love the tips, I was actually just wondering why I was getting those ticks on the back side.

[@TrotecLaserCanada]

Thanks Dave! We all wondered at one point 😄

[@thomaslarson9275]

I'm a novice with acrylic, and I wanted to know if you have any suggestions on making 'truncated octohedren'. I've been trying to cut 1/4" polycarbonate discarded covid guards into 8 hexagons and 6 squares with edge length of 5 1/8" and a bevel on the 4 sides of the squares and on 3 alternating sides of the hexagons to attach at a finished angle of 125.25° ,and the other 3 sides of the hexagons to have a bevel to attach to each other at a finished angle of 109.50°. I'm using a bevel miter saw, but if the 120° miter is a little bit off, the sides don't line up very clean and wondered if it can be done with computer laser cutter.?

[@WestBerlinCustoms]

Thanks for taking time and telling about all these little tipps and tricks to improve the laser results! There is a lot of information in all these videos! #muchAppreciated 👍😎👍 Best regards from rainy Berlin, Germany 👋😉

[@TrotecLaserCanada]

Hello Berlin! 😄 Thank you so much, we appriciate the support! Send us more comments and questions!

[@WestBerlinCustoms]

@@TrotecLaserCanada Hello James. thanks a lot for your reply and the offer to ask future questions. Best regards, TOBi 😉👍

[@johnbugman1]

When cutting 1/4 inch acrylic I get lines on the flame polished edge only on the y axis. It’s not smooth. They are very subtle lines but I cannot get rid of them . Using light burn software.

[@dimahaidar3923]

great great information, thank you. can you please tell us the cost of laser cut acrylic. and what are the best origin acrylic to use for boxes and accessories. Thank you, awaiting your reply.

[@ronnienew7569]

How would you make reusable templates for woodworking. Planning on using a flush trim router bit to follow the edge of the acrylic. It doesn't need to be pretty, but does need to be accurate.

[@brianvarey3488]

Does Trotec sell a desktop co2 laser? if so what is the starting price? Thanks great video's

[@Deep-Red-0]

So when you talk about taking the laser out of focus do you mean to lower the bed?

[@SawdustAndNoise42]

Red; Either lower the bed or adjust the focus in Job Control. Adjusting it in Job Control will let you get more consistent / repeatable results.

[@TrotecLaserCanada]

Yes you change the z-offset in JobControl where you set the power and speed. Go 0.07 - 0.12

[@TrotecLaserCanada]

thanks for the comment!

[@waylab867]

thank for tips! it’s useful!

[@TrotecLaserCanada]

Thanks we appreciate it!

[@stephenburke1418]

Hi I’m from the UK what glue or adhesive do you use to stick acrylic to acrylic, I do small signs so sometimes letters and shapes can be fiddly

[@TrotecLaserCanada]

Hi Stephen, we normally use 3M double-sided tape in our materials. You can find it here : www.trotec-materials.com/

[@stevef1314]

Some great tips here, James. Typically when I cutting 6mm or greater acrylic I focus in the middle of the material. Are you suggesting that I should move my focus even further down to mitigate striations? I'm also going to try turning down my frequency for cuts as I've been using 10000 Hz for cutting. I've had success reducing flashback by using a homemade pin board but the tape idea is interesting. I would imagine that leaving the protective paper on the bottom would achieve the same effect? Let me know the next time you're bringing the van out to Richmond. There's a few things I'd like to pick your brain about.

[@TrotecLaserCanada]

Hi Steve, thanks so much for the comments! Yes leaving the protective paper at the bottom would have the same effect. Do you have James' contact details to reach out to him next time he's in Richmond?

[@stevef1314]

@@TrotecLaserCanada I do, thanks.

[@NickoleDavisRepnmyhood]

Hey James 🙋🏽‍♀️ We missed you!

[@TrotecLaserCanada]

Thanks Nickole we missed him too! 😀

[@ronaldcampbell4629]

Is there a difference between a CO2 laser and a YAG laser?

[@NorthernAcrylics]

is it safe to cut acrylics with a laser? The fumes or residue/smell that you get after cutting, is it safe to breathe without a mask?

[@Stumper52]

There's a study done for some Dutch (I think) company available online. The summary of it is that the smell gets way too strong to work in well before any kind of toxic reaction can be observed (you phisically can't work in an environment filled with so much PMMA vapore that would cause you harm even in long run).

[@DecksNJ]

Indulge me please. You say in your video that if you want a more "glassier edge" when cutting, use the extruded, but then contradict that with your next statement, and say use the cast... I want that flame polished edge. I cut, I do not engrave. Extruded for me?

[@rogiervdheide]

You're confused at 4:58, James!!

[@pedrobedro5412]

Keep you eyes on the road man.