Laser Epilog
Point Of Contact @JStutz on Slack or by e-mail at james_stutz@hotmail.com
Contents
General Policies for the Laser Zone
Equipment
Consumables
Safe Materials To Engrave
Many types of materials are safe to engrave with the laser. The list below are some of the common materials that can be used. If you are ever in doubt about a material, ASK before using:
- Untreated woods
- Paper and card stock
- Untreated Leather (treated leather has the potential for producing toxic gases)
- Glass
- Ceramic
- Granite
- Acrylic
DANGEROUS Materials
While there are many safe materials to use in the laser, there are some that are very dangerous. Many plastics and even some other materials that have been chemically treated have the potential of producing chlorine gas and other toxins when burned. These gases can be both very poisonous to those around the laser, but also very corrosive causing severe damage to the equipment. If you are unsure of a material, ask another member. It is best to be overcautious about the materials you choose. There are ways to identify materials, one of which is a burn test as described in this post called How to Identify Plastics Before Laser Cutting Them.
Other Useful Materials
The following are other useful materials to have on hand while using the laser:
- Alcohol wipes or Isopropyl Alcohol - for cleaning off the discoloration after lasering
- Masking tape - for preventing discoloration. We've used Blue tape before, but some say you shouldn't use it. If you can find facts on that - please link :)
Maintenance
Useful Laser Links
- Nova Labs Laser Wiki Page - Includes links to classes and other ideas like creating edge-lit signs
- Laser Cutter Materials - Great table of materials that can or cannot be cut in the laser from ATX Hackerspace.
