Forums bury the right power and speed forty replies deep. Manufacturers only chart their own machines. Pass Depth gives you a clean class-based starting chart for any material, machines scored on what they cost to run and earn from, and the ROI math behind the buy.
Power / speed test grid
Every chart ships with a bracketed range. Circle the sweet-spot cell on scrap — the chart gets you close, the grid makes it yours.
Pick a machine class, a material, and an operation. Class-based on purpose — a diode-20W chart is true for every honest 20W diode, no SKU churn. Chlorinated materials get a hazard card, not a number.
Starting chip row
Focus on the material surface (ramp-test if you have never dialed this machine).
This class covers machines like xTool D1 Pro 20W, Atomstack A20 Pro V2, Creality Falcon 2 22W — ~20W optical, 455nm. Named for reference only; settings are by class, not brand.
Starting points only Starting points only — every tube/diode, lens, and material batch differs. Always run a test grid on scrap. Ventilate; never leave a laser unattended.
Latest from the bench
A seller's ranking of seven laser blanks by unit economics: bulk cost per piece, what personalized versions commonly list for, and which buyers pay for them — from $0.36 stainless keychain blanks to $40 powder-coated tumblers.
Mara Vance· Aug 25, 2026· 11 min
Mara Vance · Aug 25, 2026 · 10 min
Mara Vance · Aug 25, 2026 · 10 min
Mara Vance · Aug 10, 2026 · 5 min
Mara Vance · Jul 19, 2026 · 6 min
Mara Vance · Jul 19, 2026 · 5 min
Mara Vance · Jul 19, 2026 · 6 min
The line we don’t cross
PVC, vinyl, and PVC-backed faux leather release chlorine gas — hydrochloric acid in your lungs and on your optics. Polycarbonate and ABS burn and off-gas instead of cutting. Our tool refuses them outright, and every settings page carries the same three lines: run a test grid, ventilate, never leave a laser unattended.
The full ranking lives on our best-gear hubs.
A quick, honest note: some links on this page are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we may earn a commission when you buy through them — at no extra cost to you. It never changes the price you pay.
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Original designs, made to order.
New settings charts, machine verdicts, and the occasional payback-math teardown. No noise.
