OperationModule 6.7~3 min read
CO2 Settings Reference Library
Quick-lookup tables of starting points for every common CO2 material. Settings assume a 35-50W RF tube on a 2" lens unless noted. Glass-tube users: drop power 5-10% as a starting point and re-test.
Wood: cutting (single pass, 2" lens)
| Material | Speed | Power | Air assist |
|---|
| 3mm birch ply | 12 mm/s | 95% | High |
| 3mm MDF | 10 mm/s | 95% | High |
| 6mm birch ply | 4 mm/s | 100% | High |
| 6mm MDF | 3 mm/s | 100% | High |
| 1.5mm basswood | 25 mm/s | 85% | Medium |
| 3mm cherry / walnut | 8-10 mm/s | 95-100% | High |
| 3mm draftboard | 12-15 mm/s | 90% | High |
| 4mm maple | 8 mm/s | 100% | High |
Wood: engraving
| Material | Speed | Power | Interval | Image mode |
|---|
| Maple (4mm) | 350 mm/s | 25-35% | 0.06 mm | Grayscale |
| Cherry (4mm) | 300 mm/s | 28-38% | 0.06 mm | Grayscale or Stucki |
| Walnut (4mm) | 250 mm/s | 35-45% | 0.06 mm | Grayscale |
| Birch ply (3mm) | 400 mm/s | 22-30% | 0.08 mm | Grayscale |
| MDF (6mm) | 300 mm/s | 30-40% | 0.06 mm | Grayscale |
Acrylic
| Operation | Speed | Power | Air assist | Note |
|---|
| 3mm cast cut | 15 mm/s | 90% | LOW | Cast only, extruded looks matte |
| 5mm cast cut | 7 mm/s | 100% | LOW | Flame-polished edge |
| 6mm cast cut | 5 mm/s | 100% | LOW | |
| 10mm cast cut | 2.5 mm/s | 100% | LOW | Use 4" lens |
| Surface engrave (frosted) | 300-500 mm/s | 22-30% | OFF | Cast acrylic |
| Photo / grayscale relief | 400 mm/s | 25-30% | OFF | Reverse-engrave for "lit edge" signs |
Leather (veg-tanned)
| Cut 2.5mm | 15 mm/s · 80% · low air |
| Engrave | 400 mm/s · 18% · interval 0.08 mm · low air |
| Photo / grayscale | 450 mm/s · 15-22% · interval 0.08 mm |
Paper / fabric
| Cardstock 350gsm cut | 100 mm/s · 20% · no air |
| Cardstock score | 300 mm/s · 8% |
| Cotton fabric cut | 50 mm/s · 25% |
| Felt (wool) cut | 60 mm/s · 30% |
Stone, slate, tile, glass
| Material | Settings | Notes |
|---|
| Slate (white-on-black mark) | 300 mm/s · 25-35% · 0.08 line | Best stone for laser |
| Marble (light) | 400 mm/s · 20% · 2-3 passes | Fragile. Drop power if cracking |
| Granite (dark) | 300 mm/s · 30% · 0.08 line | |
| Tile (Norton white) | 300 mm/s · 22-28% · 0.06 line · Jarvis | Spray TiO2 paint first; wipe after |
| Glass etching | 300 mm/s · 30-40% · 0.08 line | Use damp newspaper for smoother frost |
Coated metals (powder coat / Cerakote / paint)
| Powder-coated tumbler | 400-500 mm/s · 25-40% · 0.10 line |
| Cerakoted firearm | 300-400 mm/s · 30-45% · 0.06 line |
| Painted aluminum (white-on-color) | 500 mm/s · 30% · 0.08 line |
Specialty / unusual materials
| Cork (cut) | 30 mm/s · 60% · medium air |
| Cork (engrave) | 400 mm/s · 25% · 0.08 line |
| Rubber stamp blank | 400 mm/s · 50% · 0.05 line · 2-3 passes |
| Mat board (museum-grade) | 25 mm/s · 70% · low air · cut |
| Foam (EVA / craft) | 100 mm/s · 30% · cut |
| Anodized AL (CO2 ablate dye) | 500 mm/s · 25-35% · 0.08 line |
Glass tube vs RF tube settings
These tables target a 35-50W RF tube as the reference. On a 50-80W glass tube, you'll typically need 5-10% MORE power for the same depth (because beam quality is lower). On a 100W glass tube, similar power works but speed can sometimes go higher. Always test on scrap.
For complete CO2 layer-setting parameter explanations, see the Lightburn Settings Deep Dive in the Fiber section, Lightburn fields work the same way for gantry CO2 (minus the galvo-specific Q-Pulse / TC delays).
