Settings Database
Diode Laser Leather Engraving Settings (5W–40W)
Speed, power, and pass settings for vegetable-tanned and faux leather. Includes safety notes on chrome-tanned leather.
Read guide →Cutting 3mm Basswood Plywood: Settings by Wattage
How many passes to cut through 3mm basswood with 5W, 10W, 20W, 33W, and 40W diode lasers — with and without air assist.
Read guide →What This Site Covers
Speed & Power for Every Material
Structured settings tables for wood, leather, acrylic, anodized aluminum, fabric, and more — calibrated by laser wattage and machine type.
LightBurn & LaserGRBL Guides
Step-by-step guides for the two most popular diode laser software packages, from first setup through rotary configuration and tiling.
Honest Head-to-Head Comparisons
xTool D1 Pro vs Sculpfun S30 Ultra vs Ortur Laser Master 3 — real-world performance, not spec-sheet regurgitation.
What NOT to Cut (and Why)
Materials that release toxic fumes — PVC, chrome-tanned leather, galvanized metal — and how to set up safe ventilation for a home shop.
About Laser Tinkerer
After buying a diode laser, most people spend hours hunting Reddit and Facebook groups for answers to specific questions: "what speed for 3mm plywood," "will this machine cut acrylic," "is this leather chrome-tanned." Laser Tinkerer exists to collect and structure those answers in one place.
The focus is on machines in the $100–$800 range from brands like xTool, Sculpfun, Ortur, and Atomstack. Settings are starting points — always run a test on scrap material before committing to a final piece, because laser power, lens condition, and material quality all affect results.