Glowforge Basic Settings & Speeds

Where to buy

Buy the Glowforge Basic — check current price & availability

Score cardstock for fold lines.

Cardstock (80-100 lb) on Glowforge Basic. Use Proofgrade Cardstock as a baseline.

Plain paper on Glowforge Basic. Very low power at high speed prevents scorching.

Finer DPI ceramic tile pass. Norton White Tile method: apply white gloss spray, engrave, wipe clean. Produces black marks on white tile.

Ceramic tile CO2 engrave — use white tile method (coat with white spray paint) or Cermark for best results. Bare tile requires high power and may crack.

Plywood surface engrave for designs. Mask with transfer tape to reduce smoke residue on light wood.

Generic plywood CO2 cut — thickness determines passes. 3–4mm usually 1 pass at these settings. Check for glue voids in cheaper ply.

Black acrylic engrave — CO2 removes surface to expose lighter core. Low power prevents warping. Leave protective film on during engraving.

3mm black acrylic CO2 cut — cast acrylic gives polished flame edge. Extruded acrylic may crack; cast recommended.

MDF surface engrave for designs and text. Low power prevents scorching the filler-heavy surface. Mask with transfer tape for clean edges.

3mm MDF CO2 cut — single pass. MDF fumes are significant; ensure good ventilation. Air assist strongly recommended.

Fine detail bamboo engrave for photo or intricate designs. Slower at same power gives deeper, darker marks.

Bamboo CO2 engrave — denser than basswood, needs slightly more power or fewer speed. Good for cutting boards and utensils.

Basswood CO2 cut — single pass on thin sheet (3mm). Increase to 2 passes for denser hardwood batches.

Basswood CO2 engrave — fast pass for deep bold marks. Reduce speed for finer detail or photo engraving.

Finer DPI anodized aluminum pass for text and logo detail on CO2. Avoid over-powering which burns through anodize to bare metal.

CO2 engraves anodized aluminum by removing the dye layer. Bare aluminum requires Cermark — anodized surfaces work directly.

Slower Cermark pass for bolder, more durable marks on stainless steel. Extend drying time after applying spray for best bond.

CO2 stainless steel mark with Cermark coating. Apply thin even coat, engrave, wash with water. Without Cermark CO2 cannot mark bare stainless.

Fine detail glass engraving. Slow pass with higher DPI for portrait or text on tumblers and wine glasses.

CO2 glass engrave — low power to frost without cracking. Apply wet newspaper or dish soap over surface to reduce micro-fractures.

Higher DPI marble engrave for fine detail portraits. Wipe surface before engraving for consistent results.

Marble CO2 engrave — ablates surface cleanly. Start at lower power end; increase if mark is faint on light-colored marble.

Finer DPI pass for photo or detailed artwork on slate. Slight power reduction to avoid over-ablation.

CO2 slate coaster engrave — 300 DPI for bold logos and text. Wipe with damp cloth after engraving to reveal the bright mark.

Cork cut — 2 passes at moderate speed. Pin or tape edges as cork is springy and can shift.

Cork engraves easily — keep power low or it chars heavily. Light pass gives a golden-brown mark.

Very low power to avoid burning through — washi tape is thin. No air assist. Pin sheet flat.

500 DPI gives finer stamp detail. Deeper engrave = higher relief = crisper impression. Always test on scrap first.

EVA/craft foam cuts cleanly at low power — high power causes melting and edge fusing. No air assist. Ensure good ventilation.

Heavy cardstock — go fast and light to avoid charring. No air assist to prevent sheet lifting.

Go fast to avoid charring the flutes. No air assist — prevents material movement. Pin corners down.

9mm birch engraves cleanly. For deeper relief reduce speed or raise power.

9mm birch requires many passes on diode — CO2 is recommended at this thickness. Pin material flat. Air assist on all passes.

5mm plywood engraves well. Deeper relief: reduce speed or increase power slightly.

5mm plywood requires multiple passes on diode — pin material flat between passes. Air assist essential.

2mm basswood engraves with deep contrast. 300 DPI is the sweet spot — higher increases burn time significantly.

2mm basswood cuts in a single pass on most diode lasers. Air assist keeps the cut clean and reduces char.

CO2 wavelength is absorbed by clear acrylic — diode lasers pass straight through. Keep power low for engrave to avoid melt.

6mm clear acrylic needs more power than 3mm. Air assist essential to prevent melt-back. Cast acrylic gives polished flame-cut edges.

Tinted acrylic cuts cleaner than clear on diode lasers because the pigment absorbs the beam. Air assist prevents melt-back.

Tinted acrylic engraves cleanly — pigment absorbs the beam well. Adjust power for contrast.

Ablates spray paint to reveal bare metal. Thinner than powder coat so needs less power. Reduce power if paint splatters. Clean with IPA first.

Ablates powder coat to expose bare metal. Clean with IPA first. No Cermark needed. For bare steel, use fiber laser settings instead.

Ablates powder coat to reveal bare metal beneath. Works on powder coated flat stock and signs. Clean with IPA first. Black powder coat gives highest contrast. No Cermark needed for powder coat removal. For bare steel marking, fiber laser settings apply instead.

Engrave from the BACK side for a clean mirrored result.

Cast acrylic cuts cleaner than extruded.

Frosted engrave on acrylic. Reduce power for lighter frosting.

Proofgrade Medium Clear Acrylic. Full power, single pass at maximum speed.

Proofgrade Draftboard equivalent. Full power, single pass.

1000 speed / 75 power / 270 LPI for filled engrave. Great detail on wood.

Proofgrade Medium Basswood settings. Speed in Glowforge 1–500 units.

Plywood glue layers can resist — 2 passes at full power for reliability.

Cork cuts cleanly at low power. Disable air assist to prevent movement.

Bamboo is denser than basswood — slightly slower. Test on your specific thickness.

Basswood cuts cleanly on Glowforge Basic in one pass.

CO2 40W on stainless. Marking spray recommended.

CO2 40W on cork. Easy material.

CO2 40W on marble. Frosted white result.

CO2 40W cotton engrave. High speed.

CO2 40W cuts foam board in one pass.

CO2 40W on 3mm bamboo. Single pass.

CO2 40W chipboard. Single pass.

CO2 40W cuts corrugated cardboard in 1 pass.

CO2 40W rubber stamp. Fast deep engrave.

CO2 40W denim engrave. High speed, low power.

HTV vinyl score cut on CO2 40W.

CO2 40W on faux leather. Single clean pass.

CO2 40W on 7.5mil mylar stencil.

CO2 40W on 6mm EVA foam. No air assist needed.

CO2 40W on acrylic felt. Clean cut.

CO2 40W on 80gsm paper. Near max speed, minimal char.

CO2 40W on 300gsm cardstock. High speed, low power.

Community consensus from Glowforge Owners Forum: speed 1000 (GF units) ≈ 500 mm/min, full power, 340 LPI. Black anodize engraves cleanly; lighter anodize may need a second pass. Some users defocus slightly for darker marks. Source: community.glowforge.com/t/settings-for-engraving-anodized-aluminum/25585

Walnut plywood cuts beautifully at full power. Denser than basswood so expect slower speeds. The premium look of walnut grain on laser-cut pieces commands higher prices — popular for awards, personalised gifts, and wedding decorations.

6mm MDF needs full power and slow speed on the Basic. Heavy fumes from MDF binders — ensure clean exhaust ducting and ventilate the room. Edges char more than plywood. The Basic doesn't have the Pro's pass-through slot so you're limited to the crumb tray area for MDF sheets.

Baltic birch cuts reliably at full power. Its void-free core means consistent results — no mid-cut failures from air pockets that are common in cheaper plywood. The tight grain holds fine detail well. A good choice for production runs of identical pieces.

Very low power cuts kraft paper cleanly at speed. The Glowforge's lid camera makes placing paper artwork very accurate. Great for wedding invitations, gift bags, and paper decorations. Use the 'Set Focus' tool to ensure correct scaling.

Corrugated single-wall cardboard cuts cleanly. Keep power low to prevent flare-ups — the Basic's air assist is less powerful than the Pro's so watch carefully. Good for packaging prototypes and gift box designs before cutting final materials.

Bright white engrave on slate. Invert your image in the Glowforge App (use the 'invert' button in the artwork panel). Wipe with a damp cloth after to reveal contrast. Slate is forgiving — hard to over-engrave, but higher power does increase brightness of the mark.

Rich dark engrave at 22% on veg-tan leather. At 40W even 22% is plenty — resist the urge to go higher. Chrome-tanned leather produces a lighter, greyish mark. Test on a scrap of the exact leather you're using as results vary significantly between tanneries.

Full power slow cut gives flame-polished edges on clear cast acrylic. The Basic's 40W tube needs slightly slower speed than the Pro for the same quality result. Always use cast acrylic rather than extruded — extruded acrylic produces hazardous chlorine gas.

270 LPI engrave at 40% gives a warm brown mark. The Basic runs engraves slightly slower than the Pro due to lower tube power but results are identical on wood. For photo engraving use SD Graphic mode (225 LPI) with Vary Power enabled.

The Basic's 40W tube cuts 3mm basswood reliably at full power. Use the Proofgrade Medium Basswood preset as a starting point. Non-Proofgrade wood varies — always do a test cut at a corner of your sheet, especially with cheaper plywood that may have more voids.

Frosted engrave on acrylic. Reduce power for lighter frosting.

Proofgrade Draftboard equivalent. Full power, single pass.

Glowforge speed is scaled 1-1000. Approx 170mm/s at setting 500. Vary power 20-40% for lighter/darker.

What materials can the Glowforge Basic engrave or cut?

The Glowforge Basic has community-tested settings for Cardstock, Paper, Ceramic Tile, Plywood, 3mm Black Acrylic, 3mm MDF, Bamboo, Basswood, and 58 more. Results vary by material batch, focus, and ambient conditions — always test on scrap first.

Is the Glowforge Basic compatible with LightBurn?

The Glowforge Basic uses Glowforge App. LightBurn compatibility may be possible via a community-built device profile.

What settings should I use to cut Cardstock on the Glowforge Basic?

A community-tested starting point is speed 250 mm/s, power 15% in a single pass. Always run a test cut on scrap to confirm before committing to your project.

What can a CO₂ laser like the Glowforge Basic cut that a diode laser cannot?

CO₂ lasers can cut and engrave clear acrylic, glass (with care), fabric, and thicker wood more cleanly than diode lasers, because the CO₂ wavelength is absorbed by materials that are transparent to diode light. This makes the Glowforge Basic more versatile for craft and production use.