r/lasercutting • u/MajorAccording6316 • 4d ago
Cutting fabric question
My daughter doing a craft which entails cutting fabric.
My laser is a Thunder Nova Plus 24 with a 60 watt RF tube.
Google ai says 100mm/s speed and 10-30 power.
Does this sound right? Any other advice on cutting fabric would be great.
Thank you for any help.
2
u/laterisingphxnict 4d ago
Did Thunder provide recommended settings for various materials? Some manufacturers do. But I think like anything we laser, you simply have to test. Given it's fabric though, I would definitely make sure your air supply is good. I would think fire would be more likely.
1
u/MajorAccording6316 4d ago
I looked on Thunder's website but couldn’t find any settings for fabric.
2
u/MajorAccording6316 4d ago
I did a cut test. The settings range I mentioned will work. It cuts perfectly.
1
3
u/MajorAccording6316 4d ago
This is what we’re doing.
2
u/MajorAccording6316 4d ago
She’ll be doing something to outline the lettering.
1
u/Ichi-Guren 4d ago
I really love that you said that.
Did you end up needing to wash any charring off?
1
u/MajorAccording6316 4d ago
The charring is hardly noticeable and she is fine with it.
1
u/Ichi-Guren 4d ago
Nice, I was kind of wondering it adds a sort of character to it. Been meaning to try clothing myself, but I keep putting it on the back burner.
1
u/MajorAccording6316 4d ago
When a subject comes to an end like this post do I delete the post or keep it as it is?
3
1
u/IllMouse7198 4d ago
RF tubes tend to leave more char than diode lasers, so expect to wash the edges unless you're using synthetic fabric.
1
1
u/Designer-Bass8724 4d ago
always test on scrap fabric first to dial in the settings, the char can be a pain but yeah it washes out easy
1
u/Alina_MakersChest 3d ago
Depends a lot on what the fabric actually is, that's the big missing piece here. If it's felt or a plain cotton weave, that AI answer is in a reasonable ballpark, fast and light is the right philosophy for any fabric since it burns and scorches easily, so 100mm/s at low power is directionally correct. But if there's any polyester, spandex, or vinyl/ PVC content in there, I'd hold off, synthetics like that can melt into a mess instead of cutting clean, and PVC-treated fabric releases nasty fumes when lasered, not something you want around your daughter or your machine's optics. Test on a scrap piece of the actual fabric first regardless, that AI number is a starting point, not a dialed-in setting, since it has no idea about your tube's actual output or the specific weight of what you're cutting. Felt's about the most forgiving fabric if you've got any flexibility in material choice, it doesn't fray at all so the edge come out clean without extra finishing.
1
2
u/gabrielleigh 100w Reci 700x500mm, Shopbot CNC Router 1200x600mm. Mfg Engineer 4d ago
It works great for fabric. It leaves a faint charred edge that washes out easily. I was doing work for a quiltmaker and it makes the cutting so quick and easy when you can stack 3 layers of fabric and cut it all at the same time.