Test Cutting 3mm, & 5mm hardwoods with Chinese K40 Laser Engraver
Channel: Josh AQ
Date: 2017-11-27

Received a request to test 5 mm hardwood samples and see if they could be cut with the K40 laser engraver. After scrounging around the shop managed to find the following for testing:

3 mm Hickory
3 mm Poplar
5 mm Poplar
3 mm Oak
5 mm Oak
3 mm Mohagany
5 mm Mohagany
3 mm Bass Wood
6 mm Bass Wood
8 mm Purple Heart

All tests were done at full power 22 milliamps, and 20mm/sec speed using MoshiDraw 2016 for controls. System is bone stock with no upgrades.

Addendum:
The corresponding holes produced in each species measured roughly 1.002" to 1.004" Given that as of this date is has been 2 months since cut the moisture content of the wood may have caused error in the measurements above. Your best bet is to perform test cuts for the species of wood you are using and then calculate how much offset your cutting line will need. In this case it appears my laser's kerf is roughly 0.005" to 0.010" wide.