Laser Cutting Materials

There are a wide range of materials that the Laser Cutter can cut, etch or mark - but some simply don't work (eg metals) and some are extremely hazardous to either humans or the machine itself (eg PVC and ABS). It is therefore imperative that you check these lists before attempting to cut materials that you have not worked with before.

It is not always obvious which materials will work - for example: Polycarbonate/Lexan produces flames and doesn't burn well, or even etch without lots of soot and yellowing. Yet Acrylic - which looks, smells, feels and tastes just like Lexan - cuts smoothly and cleanly and is one of the best materials to use with the laser! So check and double-check what you're cutting.

Where to Find Materials

There are some materials at the hackerspace, but in limited quantities. If you need larger quantities or a unique material, you can try one of the places listed here:

• The big chain hardware stores will have a few options for 3mm/6mm plywoods and clear acrylic.
• Jeffries Wood Works is a great local wood supplier.

NEVER CUT THESE MATERIALS

WARNING: Because many plastics are dangerous to cut, it is important to know what kind you are planning to use. Make has a How-To for identifying unknown plastics with a simple process.

Material	DANGER!	Cause/Consequence
PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride)/vinyl/pleather/artificial leather/Neoprene	Emits pure chlorine gas when cut!	Don't ever cut this material as it will ruin the optics, cause the metal of the machine to corrode, and ruin the motion control system.
Thick ( >1mm ) Polycarbonate/Lexan	Cut very poorly, discolor, catch fire	Polycarbonate is often found as flat, sheet material. The window of the laser cutter is made of Polycarbonate because polycarbonate strongly absorbs infrared radiation! This is the frequency of light the laser cutter uses to cut materials, so it is very ineffective at cutting polycarbonate. Polycarbonate is a poor choice for laser cutting.
ABS	Emits cyanide gas and tends to melt	ABS does not cut well in a laser cutter. It tends to melt rather than vaporize, and has a higher chance of catching on fire and leaving behind melted gooey deposits on the vector cutting grid. It also does not engrave well (again, tends to melt).
HDPE/milk bottle plastic	Catches fire and melts	It melts. It gets gooey. Don't use it.
PolyStyrene Foam	Catches fire	It catches fire, it melts, and only thin pieces cut. This is the #1 material that causes laser fires!!!
PolyPropylene Foam	Catches fire	Like PolyStyrene, it melts, catches fire, and the melted drops continue to burn and turn into rock-hard drips and pebbles.
Fiberglass	Emits fumes	It's a mix of two materials that cant' be cut. Glass (etch, no cut) and epoxy resin (fumes)
Coated Carbon Fiber	Emits noxious fumes	A mix of two materials. Thin carbon fiber mat can be cut, with some fraying - but not when coated.

Safe Materials

The laser can cut or etch. The materials that the laser can cut materials like wood, paper, cork, and some kinds of plastics. Etching can be done on almost anything wood, cardboard, plastic, marble, stone, and tile.

Cutting

Material	Max thickness	Notes	WARNINGS!
Many woods	1/4"	Avoid oily/resinous woods	Be very careful about cutting oily woods, or very resinous woods as they also may catch fire.
Plywood/Composite woods	1/4"	These contain glue, and may not laser cut as well as solid wood.
MDF/Engineered woods	1/4"	These are okay to use but may experience a higher amount of charring when cut.
Paper, card stock	thin	Cuts very well on the laser cutter, and also very quickly.
Cardboard, carton	thicker	Cuts well but may catch fire.	Watch for fire.
Cork	1/4"	Cuts nicely, but the quality of the cut depends on the thickness and quality of the cork. Engineered cork has a lot of glue in it, and may not cut as well.	Avoid thicker cork.
Acrylic/Lucite/Plexiglas/PMMA	1/2"	Cuts extremely well leaving a beautifully polished edge.
Delrin (POM)	thin	Delrin comes in a number of shore strengths (hardness) and the harder Delrin tends to work better. Great for gears!
Kapton tape (Polyimide)	1/16"	Works well, in thin sheets and strips like tape.
Mylar	1/16"	Works well if it's thin. Thick mylar has a tendency to warp, bubble, and curl	Gold coated mylar will not work.
Solid Styrene	1/16"	Smokes a lot when cut, but can be cut.	Keep it thin.
Depron foam	1/4"	Used a lot for hobby, RC aircraft, architectural models, and toys. 1/4" cuts nicely, with a smooth edge.	Must be constantly monitored.
Gator foam		Foam core gets burned and eaten away compared to the top and bottom hard paper shell.	Not a fantastic thing to cut, but it can be cut if watched.
Cloth/felt/hemp/cotton		They all cut well. Our "advanced" laser training class teaches lace-making.	Not plastic coated or impregnated cloth!
Leather/Suede	1/8"	Leather is very hard to cut, but can be if it's thinner than a belt (call it 1/8"). Our "Advanced" laser training class covers this.	Real leather only! Not 'pleather' or other imitations!
Magnetic Sheet		Cuts beautifully
NON-CHLORINE-containing rubber		Fine for cutting.	Beware chlorine-containing rubber!
Teflon (PTFE)	thin	Cuts OK in thin sheets
Carbon fiber mats/weave that has not had epoxy applied		Can be cut, very slowly.	You must not cut carbon fiber that has been coated!!
Coroplast ('corrugated plastic')	1/4"	Difficult because of the vertical strips. Three passes at 80% power, 7% speed, and it will be slightly connected still at the bottom from the vertical strips.
Foam Core Board	5mm	Feed Rate: 2750mm/min, 0.6 Power
Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate (EVA)		cuts really great

Etching

All the above "cuttable" materials can be etched, in some cases very deeply.

In addition, you can etch:

Material	Notes	WARNINGS!
Glass	Green seems to work best...looks sandblasted.	Only FLAT GLASS can be engraved in our cutter. No round or cylindrical items.
Ceramic tile
Stone, Marble, Granite, Soapstone, Onyx.	Gets a white "textured" look when etched.	100% power, 50% speed or less works well for etching.