KERFBY KINETIC CARVING
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OperationModule 6.1~1 min read

Air Assist Tuning

Air assist isn't on/off, it's a knob. Wrong air = bad cut, even with right speed and power.

The rules

  • Wood / MDF: high air. Blasts smoke and flames out of the kerf. Cleaner edges, less charring.
  • Acrylic: low air. Lets the edge stay molten enough to flame polish. High air = matte foggy edge.
  • Leather: low air. Same reason as acrylic, preserves edge cosmetics.
  • Engraving anything: minimal air, just enough to keep smoke off the lens.
  • Fabric: none or very low.
WOOD: HIGH AIRstrong airsmokeblown outStrong air blasts smoke and flameout of the cut: cleaner edges, lesscharring. Wood and MDF.ACRYLIC: LOW AIRgentle airedges stay glossy and clearGentle air lets the edge stay moltenlong enough to flame polish. High airleaves a matte, foggy edge.ENGRAVING: A WHISPERa little airsmoke pushed clear of the lensJust enough air to keep smoke offthe lens. More than that addsnothing to an engrave.
Air assist is a knob, not a switch. The right amount depends on whether you want the cut cleared out, the edge left molten, or just the smoke kept off the lens.

Hardware

Nova Plus typically ships with a small diaphragm pump (low pressure, high volume). For acrylic and most engraving, that's perfect. For thick wood cuts, an upgraded oil-less compressor (40-60 psi at the head) gives noticeably cleaner cuts.