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[Laser cut and engrave] Laser Engraved Wooden Test Sample with Original and Cleaned Sections — Project made with xTool F2 Ultra UV machine for Laser cut and engrave.

Cleaning Burn Marks with the F2 Ultra UV (Proof of Concept)

Instruction

Cleaning

.xcs

Application scenario

Laser processing

Machine & module

xTool F2 Ultra UV

Compatibles · 11

Material used

1/8"(3mm) Basswood Plywood

Information

      Purpose of this Test

The goal of this test was to find out whether the F2 Ultra UV can be used to clean burn marks and smoke residue from parts that were already laser cut or engraved with a diode laser.

The key question was:
👉 Can UV laser processing improve the surface appearance without damaging the material or existing engravings?

This was not meant as a replacement for cutting or engraving, but as a post-processing step.

Instruction

Step1: Material & Setup

Material: Basswood plywood
Initial condition:
- Parts were previously cut and engraved using a diode laser
- Visible burn marks and smoke stains were present
Machine: xTool F2 Ultra UV
Operation: Surface cleaning / reprocessing (no cutting)

Step2: Place Material

Preview

Place material
Auto-Focus on material
Trace the part as tightly as possible for short processing times

Step3: Laser Settings Used

Frequency: 150 kHz
Power: 80%
Speed: 900 mm/s
Resolution: 120 DPI

These settings worked well in my tests, but should be treated as a starting point, not a universal preset. Use multiple passes for deeper “Cleaning”.

Step4: Process

Previously, laser-processed parts were placed directly into the F2 Ultra UV
No sanding, masking tape, or chemical cleaning was used
Existing engravings and text were intentionally passed over again to check how much detail would remain

Multiple passes were tested on some pieces.

Step5: Results & Observations

Preview

2 More images

🔹 Burn marks and smoke residue were clearly reduced

🔹 Existing engravings and text remained very well visible

🔹 The wood surface became slightly darker, but in a uniform way
→ in many cases this actually looked more refined and elegant

🔹 Not all burn marks disappear completely, but the overall appearance improves significantly

🔹 Multiple passes can further improve the result if needed

🔹 This approach is especially useful for thin or delicate parts, where sanding can easily cause edges or small details to break or snap

Overall, the parts looked much cleaner and more consistent than before.

Step6: Why not just cut or engrave with the F2 Ultra UV?

This test is not about replacing other machines.

Other lasers are much faster and more efficient for cutting
Many parts are already finished and just need visual improvement
Sometimes the main laser is busy, and this allows better machine time utilisation
It’s a practical way to fix or upgrade existing parts instead of remaking them