Laser cutter β€” Redsail CM1490 (100 W COβ‚‚)

Complete the online course before using the laser. Never leave it running unattended.

Known issue (since May 2026): running the Redsail and the xTool lasers at the same time can cause problems. If the red 🚨 light blinks on the Redsail, turn off the xTool power strip.

Large COβ‚‚ laser for cutting and engraving wood, acrylic, paper, leather and more.

Redsail CM1490

Redsail CM1490




Access

Online course

Booking

Booking portal β€” weekdays 17–22 max 1 h, other times max 3 h. Unbooked use is fine; bookings have priority.

Cost

1 kr/minute

Logging

Logbook after every run Β· see others' settings

Work area

900 Γ— 1400 mm

Materials

Laser materials β€” allowed, forbidden, for sale, storage

Software

LightBurn on the computers opposite the laser

Help / faults

Slack #laserskΓ€rare

Safety

  • Never leave the laser running unattended.

  • The COβ‚‚ extinguisher and the small water spray bottle must always be at the laser. Check before starting.

  • Opening the lid stops the laser.

  • Approved materials only.

  • Don't put things on the laser; it's not a workbench.

Control panel

Light / button

Meaning

Green

Power on (starts ventilation and water cooling)

Black

Activates air assist and the timer; needed before cutting

Red

Power off (not the emergency stop)

Red lamp

Serious fault β€” switch off and get help

Yellow lamp

Not ready (black button not pressed, ventilation or compressed air missing)

Redsail control panel

Redsail control panel


Function

Keys

Set origin

Arrow keys, then Origin (longer beep)

Table up / down

Z+ / Zβˆ’

Reset table height

Menu β†’ Function β†’ Axes reset β†’ Reset Z

Cancel job

Pause/Run, then ESC

Repeat last job

Start

Restart controller

Reset

How to use

You can prepare your file in LightBurn before your booking to save time.

At the laser

  1. Check the water bottle is full and the extinguisher is in place.

  2. Press green. The head homes (top right) then goes to the last origin; ventilation and cooling start.

  3. Check the table: the slats should be level with the ~5 cm frame around them.

  4. Open the lid and place the material.

  5. Set focus: 6 mm between material and nozzle, using the 6 mm wooden block marked "focus". Adjust the table if needed.

  6. Move the head with the arrow keys to your job origin (or set origin in LightBurn). For "user origin", press Origin.

  7. Close the lid.

At the computer

  1. Open LightBurn. Import .dxf, .svg or .ai.

  2. Give each step its own colour. Steps run top to bottom in the Cuts panel. Do Fill (engrave) before Line (cut), and inner cuts before outer.

  3. Set speed and power per layer (double-click). Start from the tables below or the logbook.

    • Output turns a layer on/off.

    • Min power is used in corners where the head slows down (can be down to half of max).

    • Fill: bi-directional and line interval settings.

  4. Check the size, then Preview. The time estimate is not the billed time; billed time is shown on the laser.

  5. Run Frame to check the head stays over the material. Fill moves the head beyond the design, so keep the area clear. Square frame = bounding box; round frame = follows the outline.

Run

  1. Press black on the laser.

  2. Click Start in LightBurn.

  3. Watch it the whole time.

  4. Wait 30 s before opening the lid so the last smoke is extracted.

  5. The black button or opening the lid stops the timer.

  6. Press red to switch off. The time stays on the display until the next start.

  7. Clean in and around the machine.

  8. Pay (gather small jobs into ~50 kr payments to reduce fees) and fill in the logbook.

Quick checklist (experienced users)

Water bottle and extinguisher β†’ green β†’ table height β†’ material β†’ focus β†’ origin β†’ close lid β†’ LightBurn file β†’ Frame and preview β†’ black β†’ Start β†’ clean β†’ pay and log.

Tips

  • Engrave with Fill, cut with Line. Light marking can also be done with low-power Line.

  • Fill: engrave along X; Y is slow (heavy gantry). On your own computer, set the engraving offsets in LightBurn (see LightBurn).

  • Test on scrap: a 10 mm square for speed/power and a 10 mm circle for min power. On large jobs, test in several places; the table can be slightly uneven so focus varies.

  • Save material by nesting parts with SVGNest.

  • Problems? See Maintenance and troubleshooting.

Accessories

Rotary module: for engraving round objects such as bottles β€” see Rotary module. When finished, turn the rotary setting OFF both on the machine and in LightBurn.

Rotary module

Rotary module


Honeycomb bed: finer support so small parts don't fall through. It raises the work surface, so lower the table and refocus. Work area 690 Γ— 485 mm, height 22 mm, outer size 735 Γ— 530 mm.

Honeycomb bed

Honeycomb bed


Settings

Material samples

Material samples


Starting points only. Check that the material is on the allowed list, and add rows for missing thicknesses.

Engraving

Material

Speed (mm/s)

Max %

Min %

Interval (mm)

Notes

Acrylic

500

30

30

0.1

Cast acrylic engraves better than extruded

PE plastic (coloured)

400

40

40

0.1


Acrylic engraving laminate

500

30

30

0.05

Wiping with IPA afterwards can help a lot

Plywood (any)

1000

70

70

0.1


MDF

1500

70

70

0.1


IKEA Trampa doormat

600

80




Stamp rubber (Trodat Aero)

800

30

30

0.05

Old settings

Glass

300

16

13

0.05

Clean the glass first

Leather

90

15



Vegetable-tanned only

Cork

400

20

20


Starting point (Dec 2024)

No tested settings yet for solid wood, anodised aluminium, powder-coated metal, cotton fabric, cardboard, balsa, stone, gingerbread or paper (use low power).

Cutting

Material

Thickness (mm)

Speed (mm/s)

Max %

Min %

Notes

Acrylic

3

20

95

70

With protective film

Acrylic

5

10

95

70

With protective film

Acrylic

10

4

95

95

With protective film

Acrylic

20

1

95

95


Plywood, interior hardwood

3

30

95

70


Plywood, interior hardwood

4

25

95

70


Plywood, interior hardwood

6

10

95

50


Plywood, interior hardwood

9

5

95

95


MDF

3

30

95

70


MDF

4

25

95

70


MDF

6

10

95

70


MDF

8

5

95

70


Cardboard

3

250

95

70


Paper


600

60

10

Fire risk

Leather

3

40

30


Vegetable-tanned only

PE plastic (coloured)

3

19

90

70

Bottom edge slightly rough

EVA foam (craft foam)

2

45

30

20

~1 mm kerf β€” use kerf offset

Foam SP30 (LDPE)

10

40

60

40

Old settings

KAPA board, white

5

50

35

20

Best result; core melts. Fire risk.

KAPA board, white

5

120

70

30

Good, slightly rounded bottom corners. Fire risk.

Cork (natural)


100

20

10

Not rubber cork

Stamp rubber (Trodat Aero)

3

30

50

20

Old settings

Gingerbread

~3

30

50

50

ArkDes competition only

No tested cutting settings yet for 2 mm acrylic, balsa, cotton, nylon or polyester fabric. PET cuts poorly.

Cleaner edges: plywood and MDF can be cut faster for less charring, but may not cut through, especially on large sheets if the table isn't level.

Material

Thickness (mm)

Speed (mm/s)

Max %

Min %

Plywood, interior hardwood

3

40

95

70

Plywood, interior hardwood

4

35

95

70

Plywood, interior hardwood

6

25

95

50

Plywood, interior hardwood

9

10

95

95

MDF

3

40

95

70

MDF

4

30

95

70

MDF

6

20

95

70

MDF

8

10

95

70

Maintenance

Specifications



Model

Redsail CM1490

Laser tube

100 W COβ‚‚, Reci S4

Work area

900 Γ— 1400 mm

Max cut thickness

20 mm (material dependent)

Max speed

1000 mm/s

Resolution

2500 DPI

Courses and links

Photos










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