OMTech Polar Settings & Speeds

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Cardstock on Polar. Good for card blanks, gift tags, invitations.

Paper on OMTech Polar 30W. Compact CO2 handles paper well at low power.

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

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.

Engrave from the BACK side of the sheet for a clean mirrored result.

Cast acrylic cuts cleaner than extruded — higher speed, no stringing.

Maple cuts slightly harder than basswood — 2 passes if not clean through.

Apply Cermark spray, let dry, laser, wipe off. Permanent mark.

CO2 ablates marble surface. Bright clean result.

Invert design for good stamp relief.

PU faux leather only. Avoid PVC.

Apply Cermark or white acrylic paint, let dry, laser, wipe off.

Thick bamboo — engrave only.

2 passes at 30W for clean cut.

Cork 3mm on OMTech Polar 30W CO2. Low power, no air assist.

Defocus +1-2mm for frosted finish; keep power low to avoid cracking

254 DPI engrave at 22% gives clean lines without excessive burning into the grain. Use LightBurn's Stucki dithering for photo engraves — the tight grain of Baltic birch holds fine detail well.

Baltic birch is more consistent than standard plywood. At 72% and 18mm/s it cuts cleanly. The void-free core means fewer failed cuts mid-sheet. Great for jig templates and detailed puzzle pieces.

Walnut is denser than basswood so it needs slightly more power or slower speed. At 78% and 14mm/s it cuts through cleanly with minimal char. The natural dark grain means engraving shows beautiful contrast without burning.

Clean cuts on kraft paper at high speed and low power. Ideal for wedding invites, paper lanterns, and gift bags. Use a honeycomb or pin bed to support the paper without scorching.

Corrugated cardboard cuts cleanly at speed. Keep power low to avoid ignition — cardboard is highly flammable. Never leave the machine unattended. Great for prototyping jig designs before cutting the real material.

Single pass through 6mm MDF at 80%. MDF produces more fumes than plywood so ensure your exhaust is running at full capacity. Edges will have some char — sand lightly if painting. Avoid cutting MDF without air assist.

Bright white engrave on slate. Invert your image in LightBurn so the engraved areas appear light. Wipe the slate with a damp cloth after engraving to remove dust and reveal full contrast. No coating needed.

Rich dark brown mark at 18%. Leather is very easy to overpower with CO2 — start low and step up in 2% increments. Vegetable-tanned leather gives better contrast than chrome-tanned. Remove any protective coating first.

Frosted finish at 15% and 350mm/s. CO2 engraves acrylic cleanly without melting the surface. For photos, use a dithered image (Newsprint or Stucki in LightBurn) and invert for a light-on-dark result.

Slow and steady gets flame-polished edges on clear acrylic. Remove the protective film on the top only — leave the bottom film on to protect your bed. Good ventilation is critical; acrylic fumes are harmful.

Fast raster at 300mm/s and 20% — the CO2 beam gives a warm brown engrave without burning through. Drop to 15% for lighter marks on pale basswood. Grain direction affects contrast so rotate your artwork 90° and compare.

Single clean pass at 70% — pushing higher causes edge charring without improving cut speed on this 30W tube. Air assist is essential to prevent flame and keep edges clean. Always do a test strip when opening a new sheet as density varies between batches.

What materials can the OMTech Polar engrave or cut?

The OMTech Polar has community-tested settings for Cardstock, Paper, Photopolymer Stamp Blank, 9mm Birch Plywood, 5mm Plywood, 2mm Basswood Plywood, 6mm Clear Acrylic, 3mm Tinted Acrylic, and 39 more. Results vary by material batch, focus, and ambient conditions — always test on scrap first.

What settings should I use to cut Cardstock on the OMTech Polar?

A community-tested starting point is speed 80 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 OMTech Polar 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 OMTech Polar more versatile for craft and production use.