Thunder Laser Nova 35 Settings & Speeds

Engrave from the BACK side for a clean mirrored result.

Cast acrylic cuts cleaner than extruded.

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

Invert design for good stamp relief.

PU faux leather only. Avoid PVC.

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

Cork 3mm on Thunder 100W — very low power, high speed.

100W CO2 — far less power needed than for cutting. thunderlaserusa.com blog on metal engraving recommends high speed + low power to avoid burning through the anodize layer. 400 mm/s at 15% power is consistent with the general CO2 principle: scale speed up and power down as wattage increases above 60W. Background engraving examples at 500 speed / 20–40% power also noted. Source: thunderlaserusa.com/blog/how-to-engrave-on-metal-with-a-thunder-laser-nova-35 + microfluidics.cnsi.ucsb.edu/wiki/doku.php?id=thunderlaser_nova35

Cardboard cuts at very high speed and low power. The Nova 35's large bed makes it excellent for cutting corrugated packaging prototypes at full size. Watch for fire at these speeds — keep your hand near the emergency stop when cutting cardboard.

Baltic birch cuts fast and reliably on the Nova 35. The combination of consistent plywood and reliable machine means near-zero waste cuts. Popular with laser businesses running puzzle pieces, wooden toys, and decorative panels at volume.

Walnut plywood cuts with minimal char and clean edges. At production speeds on the Nova 35, walnut is fast and reliable — a full sheet of 30 name signs in under 20 minutes. The large bed is ideal for batching high-value hardwood items.

6mm MDF in one clean pass. The Thunder Laser's robust exhaust system handles MDF fumes well but always run additional extraction when using MDF in production quantities. Edge quality is excellent with minimal char compared to lower-powered machines.

Very fast slate engraving on the large bed — engrave multiple slate coasters in a single job. The 900×600mm bed fits 12-16 standard coasters in one pass. Consistent bright white result across the whole sheet with the Nova 35's even power distribution.

At 60W even 18% is plenty for leather — the Nova 35 can engrave leather very fast. For large leather goods (bags, belts, portfolios) the 900×600mm bed is a genuine advantage. Test at 15% first; the high-powered tube can surprise you on thin leather.

10mm plywood in a single pass — this is where the Nova 35 earns its keep over smaller machines. Air assist is critical to prevent the kerf from igniting deep in the cut. Focus on the top surface; consider splitting focus to midpoint for very consistent results on the thickest boards.

Crisp frosted engrave at 15% and 450mm/s. The 60W tube at 15% is equivalent to about 30% on a 20W machine. The large bed makes it practical to engrave full-sheet acrylic signage in a single job. Use LightBurn's 'constant power' mode for even fills.

Flame-polished acrylic cuts at production speed. The Nova 35's consistent power delivery produces even polish across a 600mm wide cut — no variation between the start and end of a long cut that's common on machines with inferior PSUs.

6mm basswood in one pass — the 60W tube handles this with ease. The Nova 35's Z-table lifts to accommodate thicker material and maintains consistent focus throughout the cut. Air assist is integrated and essential for keeping the kerf clean on thick material.

Very fast raster at 400mm/s. At 60W, 22% gives a warm medium mark without burning. The Nova 35 engraves large flat items extremely quickly — a full 900mm wide plaque in under 5 minutes. Use Thunder Laser's LightBurn profile for correct speed/power calibration.

The Nova 35's 60W tube makes 3mm basswood trivial — 50% power is more than enough. Pushing higher causes unnecessary edge charring. The rigid aluminium frame and Z-table give consistent focus across the full 900×600mm bed. Run a power/speed matrix test on new batches of plywood.

Beautiful contrast on bamboo. Great for gift and personalisation businesses.

What materials can the Thunder Laser Nova 35 engrave or cut?

The Thunder Laser Nova 35 has community-tested settings for 3mm Mirrored Acrylic, 3mm Clear Acrylic (Cast), 3mm Maple Plywood, Stainless Steel, Marble Tile, Rubber Stamp Material, Kraft Paper, Faux Leather, and 32 more. Results vary by material batch, focus, and ambient conditions — always test on scrap first.

What settings should I use to cut Rubber Stamp Material on the Thunder Laser Nova 35?

A community-tested starting point is speed 14 mm/s, power 82% 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 Thunder Laser Nova 35 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 Thunder Laser Nova 35 more versatile for craft and production use.