Laser Hacks: Enhance Laser Engraving Results with Dish Soap for Acrylic

[@joelutz1858]

I just started laser engraving and cutting clear acrylic ornaments out of 1/8" cast acrylic. I've tried using the blue Dawn dish soap. It has worked very well for the engraved areas but when the machine cuts through the 1/8" acrylic, it is doing something to the dish soap and making the soap extremely difficult to clean off from the outside edge to about 3/8" inside the outside edge. It can be removed after much hard rubbing with my fingers but takes a very long time.

[@projex5894]

As good as simple. Nice hack!

[@TrotecLaserCanada]

Glad you like it!

[@RobSandstromDesigns]

Appreciate the information

[@Tabyaoui]

Good job. Thanks

[@camicri4263]

That's awesome! Thanks a lot!

[@TrotecLaserCanada]

Glad you like it!

[@martinp485]

Nice tip. This will save me having to remove these marks by hand with a product I found to be highly effective. Thinking about it though it may actually be more labour intensive to do it this way rather than the way I currently do it 🤔

[@TrotecLaserCanada]

Glad it was helpful!

[@tylervickery3795]

how do you get the clear acrylic to engrave white like that? When I get that whit color it washes right off with water..

[@timr86868]

Use extruded acrylic for engraving, not cast.

[@bonleonardo]

Top Tanks a lot

[@TrotecLaserCanada]

Thank you!

[@xeonprofessional]

how to get rid of smells?>

[@vipanarts90]

We can remove , with cotton cloth and little bit pressure

[@projex5894]

Cannot. Suppose to decrease the power

[@TrotecLaserCanada]

You can but this video is specific for deep engraving into acrylic.

[@TrotecLaserCanada]

Yes ideally you want to graze the surface with acrylic, but for deep engraving it's a good tip.

[@NassimJammal]

Will this work on silicone as well?

[@TrotecLaserCanada]

Probably not as they have completely different compositions. We have not tried it.

[@kamlad6033]

Hi Do you keep the protective film on when your engraving ?

[@tombarberio9125]

Direct to the acrylic. Remove the plastic, then add the dish soap, then laser.

[@LuisCasstle]

only leave the protective film if it is made of paper, although I have seen them leave the plastic film as well, but it is usually recommended to replace the plastic film with paper masking.

[@pprints3528]

Does this do the same when engraving glass

[@TrotecLaserCanada]

Have not tried it with glass unfortunately. Glass shatters where Acrylic turns into a gas and then liquid when you burn it with a laser. The results can be completely different.

[@tombarberio9125]

We use this trick on glass all the time. Works great!

[@anthonybarreras4637]

what power and feed was used to engrave this piece?

[@TrotecLaserCanada]

Hello, the power and speed always depends on the laser machine type, wattage, etc. The first step would be the recommended settings in you JobControl. Also, we recommend this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aV6xiGyrrNylfKs

[@BMSWEB]

Really? Wow

[@TrotecLaserCanada]

Pretty good eh?!

[@BMSWEB]

@@TrotecLaserCanada I actually tried it on some of your material and mind blown!

[@mohit96mb]

Damn!

[@GunslingerOfficial]

Is this for engraving direct onto acrylic so with the film removed? Or do you still leave the thin plastic film on the acrylic first? Any advantages to removing it prior to engraving?

[@tombarberio9125]

Direct to the acrylic. Remove the plastic, then add the dish soap, then laser.

[@rarjlasercraftshop5722]

you can easily fix that by lowering the power or Novus plastic polish.

[@TrotecLaserCanada]

Well noted, thank you so much.

[@javierzapanacaceres2933]

Why don't just turn off the air nozzle

[@TrotecLaserCanada]

You may still have those fade lines. We usually do not turn air assist on engravings.

[@javierzapanacaceres2933]

@@TrotecLaserCanada Thanks