Laser Cutting and Engraving Cork

[Tim Mellor]

First off I have never cut or engraved Cork before this morning but I have a small commercial Gasket cutting job to do so I got some spare to get some numbers before it and just to give it a go. So call this a bit of an ongoing ramble and blog on some results.

First thoughts it is MESSY and leaves a smelly cut. It makes ply look clean.

The cork in this post is 2.4 thick (also have some 4.5mm to try in the next few days) and is a little variable on the adhesive binding it together so for cuts to be totally clean a bit more power is needed or it stuck in a few spots. Cutting in the end was best at higher power and higher speeds. At this stage 40% power and 30-40mm/sec works well but I will run some higher and faster again and see what this results in.

Engraving just go flat out (400mm/s in my case) and think cardboard. I was running at 12% on the engrave shown for both the untaped and taped runs. Loss of detail as expected on the taped one on the really fine detail but a more crisp result pre cleaning overall.

IPA will clean some of the carbon from the cuts but was tending to smudge it onto the faces. So cleaning went off to the Laundry tub with some dish soap and warm water. It takes away most of the smell and makes them clean to handle. Bottom photo is post washing.

First go and some more to follow. Anyone got any tips or suggestions?

[Gene Uselman]

As you well know the answer to all these laser power/speed questions is... ya gotta figure it out for your material and machine. It is the same for CNC routers... experiment before you take the plunge with the final product. Not what people want to hear but once you get into the mindset and have a few standard test files, it is quick and actually saves time in the long run. If I am cutting a circle and the corners are going to be waste anyway, I AWAYS will cut a small circle or square in the corner. It has saved me many times, perhaps you forgot you made a change?

BTW- it looks like you have two different files? The cylinder of the 'Gatling gun' looks different?

[Pete Cyr]

Looks more like the core of a multiconductor cable than a gatling gun

[Gene Uselman]

Yeah- I got that, just a troublemaker at heart . Also interested in Civil War era stuff.

[Tim Mellor]

It's actually the connector end of a CRT for an Oscilloscope

I have been using this Logo as a Raster power test of sorts because of the variation from block engrave to very fine detail to set a power and speed for different materials. The missing detail on the taped one was just the tape soaking up the power leaving nothing left for the cork, same thing happens on Acrylic with it too.

Interesting side note looking at the costs of sheet cork or diecut 90mm round coaster blanks there isn't much in it on price and for a clean edge probably a better way to go if you make an alignment holder for them if doing quantity if you can live with a fixed size. The smell of a light Raster isn't to bad compared to the cut.

[Doug Fisher]

Amazon and ebay have sellers of die cut discs for reasonable prices. FWIW, when I bought my supply, the 25 to 50 quantity was a much better value than smaller quantities.

I made a simple jig with a hole dead center that takes advantage of simple alignment for a circle. Pop the cork disc into the jig and mark the center with a pencil dot or a temporary impression (via a pointed object if you are going to line up and scan right away). Then just put the disc right under your laser's cross-hair beam or red dot pointer on the dot and you are ready to go.

[Gene Uselman]

I remember CRTs- when I started this last business I was buying 21" Viewsonic monitors for about $1000 each. And computers were $3500, and I bought a digital Sony camera for $1000 also [recorded onto 6" floppies]. The good old days. And still we made money

[Tim Mellor]

Amazon and ebay have sellers of die cut discs for reasonable prices. FWIW, when I bought my supply, the 25 to 50 quantity was a much better value than smaller quantities.

I made a simple jig with a hole dead center that takes advantage of simple alignment for a circle. Pop the cork disc into the jig and mark the center with a pencil dot or a temporary impression (via a pointed object if you are going to line up and scan right away). Then just put the disc right under your laser's cross-hair beam or red dot pointer on the dot and you are ready to go.

I have done the rounds locally and about the cheapest option is in 50's from the likes of Evilbay LINK Amazon in Australia SUCKS badly and is largely a WOFTAM.

Looking at several photos on this and similar ones they show nicely rounded edges on some and '.4cm' thick but when you look at some of the actual reviews or feedback they are square die cut 2.5mm Amazing untruthful listings on eBay Evilbay false and misleading seller

Nothing wrong with thin ones for a Mancave Bar Coasters but I will keep looking for a 4-5mm rounded edge blank source for nicer jobs for $.

Quantity of 50 pricing is 'reasonable' Aliexpress LINK

[Doug Fisher]

Yep, as with everything these days you really, really have to read the fine print and always pay with a credit card in case they don't send what they advertised.

[Tim Mellor]

Generally Aliexpress or eBay refunds work if you get a wrong product or don't get it. I have had to go to Paypal twice due to evilbay's cutoff times on refunds and both of those were refunded with minimal fuss.

Ordered a pack of 50 of the apparent 'nice ones' from Aliexpress and a pack of thin ones from evilbay. Guess what the family is getting for Christmas