I did some research and found that diode lasers can be used to engrave clear acrylic with some preparation work to account for the frequency of the laser otherwise passing through the material. Obvious answer from most corners appears to be “Get a CO2 laser!” which is fair enough, right tool for the job and all that!
So I figure, the Falcon A1 Pro has the optional 2W infrared laser, and CO2 lasers are also of the infrared frequency range. Sure, this 2W laser is not going to win awards for cutting through clear acrylic without several passes, but in theory it should be fine for engraving designs, right?
I don’t have any clear acrylic sheets to test with, so I thought I’d ask here and see if anyone has tried using the 2W infrared laser that comes with the A1 Pro on clear acrylic and can share their thoughts on its efficacy?
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A couple of experiments with pre-treated clear acrylic (a coat of black acrylic paint). I definitely want a CO2 laser now! 
The 2W infrared laser is great for detail, but operates on a frequency that goes straight through clear acrylic unless it is pre-treated with a coat to absorb the laser beam. 1000mm/m at 85% power is a good setting for engraving on this.
Occasionally I would hear a pop or a fizz, and I think these are what caused the occasional bright artifacts in the finished piece. An impurity or air in the coat of paint most likely caused an additional reaction that resulted in these spots. Interesting idea would be to abuse this for creation of prominent constellations in a night sky design…
I’ve improved my technique for cleaning off the coat of acrylic paint. After soaking in warm soapy water, I wipe off the dissolved paint with a fine microfibre cloth. Then I use cotton pads with a dab of turpentine to remove every last trace of the black paint from the engraving. Finally a quick rub down with white vinegar and the microfibre cloth. The example with the dog looks a lot better now, in the video it’s still a bit dirty.
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