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Glowforge settings — cut & engrave cheat sheet
Tested starting-point power, speed and pass settings for the Glowforge (Basic / Plus / Pro) (CO2 (40–45 W)). Every machine and material batch differs — treat these as a fast start, then fine-tune with a test grid.
Price a job on the Glowforge →Glowforge settings (power % / speed mm/s / passes)
| Material | Job | Setting |
|---|---|---|
| Plywood 3 mm | Cut | 70% / 12 / 1 pass |
| MDF 3 mm | Cut | 75% / 10 / 1 pass |
| Acrylic 3 mm | Cut | 70% / 10 / 1 pass |
| Acrylic 5 mm | Cut | 85% / 6 / 1 pass |
| Leather 2 mm | Cut | 40% / 20 / 1 pass |
| Wood | Engrave | 25% / 250 mm/s |
| Acrylic | Engrave | 25% / 250 mm/s |
| Glass | Engrave | 30% / 200 mm/s |
Always: use air assist, focus for the exact thickness, and don't hold 100% power to force a cut — slow the speed or add a pass instead. Find your exact numbers with a material test grid.
Get an exact price for the Glowforge
Settings give you the speed; the calculator turns your file's path length into machine time and cost, scaled to the Glowforge.
Open the Glowforge calculator →Bed size: what actually fits
The Glowforge Basic / Plus / Pro has a working area of 495 × 279 mm (14 cm²). That decides which stock sizes you can buy without cutting them down first — the single most annoying thing to discover after the delivery arrives.
| Common stock | Size | On this machine |
|---|---|---|
| A4 sheet | 297 × 210 mm | Fits |
| 300 × 300 mm craft ply | 300 × 300 mm | Does not fit — cut it down first |
| 400 × 400 mm sheet | 400 × 400 mm | Does not fit — cut it down first |
| 600 × 400 mm sheet | 600 × 400 mm | Does not fit — cut it down first |
| 600 × 300 mm sheet | 600 × 300 mm | Does not fit — cut it down first |
Fitting parts onto the sheet efficiently is where material cost is actually won or lost. Our nesting tool takes your file and this bed size and tells you parts per sheet; the sheet yield calculator does the same from plain dimensions.
What the Glowforge Basic / Plus / Pro cannot do
Knowing the hard limits saves more material than any settings tweak:
- No metal cutting. A CO2 laser marks coated and anodised metal, and cuts none of it. Bare metal needs a fiber laser.
- Tube power falls off with age. A tube several years in will not match the settings it cut cleanly on when new — re-run a test grid rather than raising power to compensate.
- Never PVC or vinyl. Chlorine gas corrodes the machine and is toxic. This is a hard no, not a quality issue.
Troubleshooting: symptom, cause, fix
| Symptom | Usual cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Cut does not go through, top looks fine | Focus off, lens dirty, or mirror alignment drifted | Clean the lens first — a resin film costs real power. Then re-focus and check alignment before touching settings. |
| Power seems lower than it used to be | Tube ageing, or optics needing a clean | Clean optics, then re-run a test grid and write down the new numbers. Do not compensate by holding 100%. |
| Acrylic edge frosted instead of glossy | Too much air assist on the cut | Reduce air pressure for acrylic. Low air gives the flame-polished edge; high air frosts it. |
| Engrave depth uneven across the bed | Bed not level, or focal distance varying across travel | Level the bed and check the material is flat — warped stock is the usual cause, not the machine. |
| Scorch marks around engraved areas | Smoke redepositing on the surface | Mask the surface with transfer tape, improve extraction, and wipe with a damp cloth after. |
If none of that helps, work through why won't my laser cut all the way through? or how to stop burn marks on wood.
Material cost per sheet
Settings tell you the time; material tells you the rest of the price. Typical cut speeds and prices per sheet for the materials this machine handles: Plywood 3 Mm · Plywood 6 Mm · Mdf 3 Mm · Plexiglass 3 Mm · Plexiglass 5 Mm · Leather 2 Mm.
To turn any of it into a quote, drop your file into the Glowforge Basic / Plus / Pro calculator — it applies this machine's speeds to your actual path length. For shop pricing, the hourly rate calculator works out what your machine time is really worth.
FAQ
What power and speed cuts 3 mm plywood on the Glowforge?
On the Glowforge (Basic / Plus / Pro), a tested starting point for 3 mm plywood is 70% power at / 12 / 1 pass. Values are starting points — run a small test on the same sheet, and use air assist for a clean edge.
Can the Glowforge cut clear acrylic?
Yes. The Glowforge is a CO2 laser, which cuts clear acrylic cleanly with a flame-polished edge. Use one slower pass with gentle air assist for the glossiest edge.
How much does it cost to run the Glowforge?
Laser jobs are priced by machine time: cut length ÷ cutting speed × passes = time, then time × hourly rate + setup. Drop your file into the free calculator scaled to the Glowforge to get an exact time and price.
Materials that behave on a Glowforge
Proofgrade is convenient and expensive. These are the unbranded equivalents that cut at the same settings — the caveat is that thickness varies, so run a test square before a full sheet.
Basswood sheets 3 mm: Check price on Amazon ↗
Draftboard / MDF 3 mm: Check price on Amazon ↗
Cast acrylic sheets 3 mm: Check price on Amazon ↗
Hold-down pins and magnets: Check price on Amazon ↗
Cast acrylic, not extruded — extruded melts to a rough white edge and will not flame-polish.
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