I’ve used bass wood like this for a project I’m going to try and sell to a couple of my customers starting in the spring
Problem is it’s a bit too short for something else I want to do in the way of layered projects.
How does that plywood work for you all that work with wood. Does the glue give you problems that’s inside of it? I have a 50w Monport, and would like to use larger pieces of wood sheeting.
What materials / sources do you all use? I’d like to stay around 3mm to 4mm in thickness.
How much too short?
I use this a lot. It engraves and cuts easily and cleanly. I also use air assist when cutting.
I do have issues now and then with the glue, but it’s rare enough that I just re-cut the piece. It is annoying but there is no way to tell when there is a glob of glue in once certain area. This is probably fact with any kind of layered product using any kind of adhesive…
I’ve used 5mm sub flooring I got from Home Depot or Lowes… Tougher to cut, thicker, but seems ok to deal with…
The moose and lighthouse were done with 5mm sub flooring.
This cat was out of 3mm… you can see how much it’s warped…
The larger the sheet, it seems the bigger the issue of warping no matter the material … add to that temperature and humidity differences they can be a handful just to hold them flat.
Good luck
Hello there stranger…
Looking to do some of this style work.
I’m a thinking 12" or so tall. I’ll take another look at Lowes. That’s pretty much we have around here.
How big is your work area?
I have a 5030 (actually 504x340) machine so I have 20 inches in the X axes… I assume the raw material size is the issue.
You can find all types of exotic woods, including mdf, but if they aren’t local they can be expensive from the shipping point of view… Also the laser types materials are more consistent in manufacture.
You could pick up a few sheets of various types of plywood from a local supplier and see if any work for your project.
The next best option is to shrink the art to fit the material…
Believe me when I say you won’t find good laser material in any home store, lumber yard or local wood working shop.
Visit Craft Closet. They have a number of veneers with MDF core that laser well although Natural or white birch, maple, and cherry laser great. Birch and maple are the best engraving or cutting.
I use no material with a plywood core. You will hear some folks say they won’t use MDF core. My answer to that is they don’t have their machine set up correctly. I cut it all the time and engrave with zero problems.
Also: If you aren’t doing it now, seal the material and fine paper sand it before you engrave or cut. Will save you a a lot of headaches with smoke.
BTW: I buy mostly 11 3/4" x 19 3/4" x 1/8". Yes it is cut for use in a Glow Forge but it has the best price. Otherwise I buy 18" x 24"
I generally agree however Home Depot in the states has a plywood called hobby board. It’s low quality 5mm.
They kind of sells Glowforge materials in the craft store here but not sure if it will be restocked. It is expensive. Wood prices are still high.
I tried the hobby board once. I decided the quality was way below what I like to use.
Have tried almost every source of material for lasering, my best source by far is Craft Closet
I get stuff from Menards and its great…sometimes special ordering is the way to go!
For those of us in Western Canada, I highly recommend Windsor Plywood. They have great quality wood from MDF to more exotics. Including many types of plywood. I have yet to be disappointed with them.
Hello all. Appreciate all the information.
Taking wifey to a town that has several big box stores this Friday.
They have a Menards, Home Depot, Lowes, and others. I’ve used MDF for my first Christmas ornaments this year. I like the way it cut.
I’ll see what these stores have to consider for my layered projects. I’ll pull up Craft Closet as well. I think I’m going to use my 3mm basswood for my kid project to sell in Florida.
I’ve cut one object, and painted it, and glued. I think it will be something of interest at the retail stores to sell. Time will tell on that one.
Theres no way elmers glue will hold up to florida weather. CA glue or Tightbond II maybe.
Hi Mountain. These are kits, that will be sold at resort gift shops. They will take them back home to other locations in the north or assemble them while it’s raining, then take them home… 
Or that’s the idea behind this. Suggested age range is 6 to 10, or there about.
They sell it here!
Well sure, but when has not working been a reason to stop selling something? 
Can’t argue with that…
Well, I finally later today got a chance to test on a 2x4’ piece of MDF. It’s 5.8mm in thickness, and I have to run my laser at 8mm per second @ 95 power to get it to cut.
The other stuff I was using for Christmas ornaments from Amazon was 3.3mm, and I was running like 50 speed @ 80.
This stuff will work, but damn it’s slow going. It is what it is…I guess.
Probably not worth the added wear on your laser tube friend…it wont last long using above 80%…or thats what they say!
I have to drive 2 hours out of my nornal area to source material…may be worth a special ordering from a big box store to get something you can burn through with ease!
My settings are 9mm/s @80 5.2mm thick so I feel your pain. Acrylic cuts @18 mm/s 80% power 3.2mm. That basswood stuff cuts at a dead run like 50% power 80mm/s 2.9mm thick. Backyard poplar off my neighbors lumber mill cuts at 50mm/s 7.5mm thick 80% power…its a dream.
Hello John.
I tweaked some things this a.m. I thought, multiple passes, but with a bit better air assist. I have a small pancake air compressor, and I used it for my air assist. Still not as much as I want. My father in law has a 2hp air compressor that I’m going to test with today.
Right now I’m getting cuts on this stuff with a speed of 11 / 50pwr / 3 passes. I’m not sure if MORE air assist will make a difference, but I thought why not.
The fellow that helped me, has a small 7w diode, so he knew what I was trying to do. He pointed out some 4x8 sheets of some material, that I didn’t get a pick of, that someone that has a CO2 buys from them for his projects.
This was one that I thought about getting.
I got a couple sheets of that and sliced them up to fit the machine. Works well, but since it’s underlayment, there are variations with the glue layers. Of course it is relatively cheap…
This moose cutout and base used this stuff…
Hello Mr. J
That 8mm MDF cost me 14.00 for a 2’ x 4’ piece. The next time I’m over that way, I’m going to pick up a sheet of that Underlayment, and 1 sheet of what the other laser guy was buying for his CO2 projects.
I was cleaning my machine and took out the lens in the head. Really looked gummy. I cleaned it, and am going to run another test for giggles.
Let me ask you all this. Is MORE air assist a big difference in cutting down cutting time? My little 2 gallon was barely noticeable coming out of the head -vs- the fish tank air assist they put in these things.
