Help with clear acrylic

[Rogers954]

Hello all, so this week i started messing with some clear acrylic on my new xtool S1 and my initial testing was pretty reviling. Material tested 2 different size sheets, one was around 1/4 thick from Home Depot and the others were a led sign kit i got off of Amazon with 10 pieces that are around 1/8 thick and 10 led bases. I ran a material test i bought off of Etsy in xtool creative space and the 1/4 piece was positive results, the entire card was good clear markings. The 1/8 stuff on the other hand went really bad and 3/4 of the card was completely burned and cracked only 30-10% power and the three highest speed setting produced clean engravings. I then started trying to engrave the 1/8 with a 49ers helmet for a game day gift but none of them produced good results. 200 speed and 10% power barely marked the acrylic (see pic) so i went back and adjusted the next test to 185 speed and 20% power that one was much better, but some of the spots got to hot and cracked, the last one was 185 speed and 15% power and it had spots where the engraving was streaked or just didn’t engrave. Anyone have a suggestion to get a good engraving? This testing almost makes me want to just ditch the 1/8 and only use thicker materials since they obviously take the engraving better at higher power, the. I could just make my own light bases out of wood since none of the ones on Amazon seem wide enough to take thicker acrylic.

[jgarciaa]

Hello! It sounds like you're encountering some challenges with engraving clear acrylic on your Xtool S1. While you're troubleshooting your current setup, I recommend considering Monport lasers as an alternative option. Monport lasers are renowned for their ease of use, high quality, and affordability, making them an excellent choice for various engraving projects. You can explore their laser products https://monportlaser.com/collections/co ... ka374VZjm3 Regarding your acrylic engraving issues, it seems thicker materials may be more suitable for your current settings, as they handle higher power better. However, if you're determined to work with thinner acrylic, you might experiment with different speed and power settings to find the optimal balance that produces clear markings without causing cracking or streaking. Additionally, considering making your own light bases out of wood could offer more flexibility and control over your final product. Feel free to reach out if you have any further questions or need assistance!