Alum -tawed leather

Alum-tawed (aka alum-tan) leather is not safe for laser cutting based on the following information:

Aluminum Sulfate itself does not burn. POISONOUS GASES ARE PRODUCED IN FIRE, including Aluminum Oxides and Sulfur Oxides.
https://www.nj.gov › health › eoh › rtkweb › documents
(https://www.nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb/documents/fs/0068.pdf)

Alum tawing is an ancient process of treating prepared animal hides with aluminum salts and other materials. The skins are then left to dry for several weeks to allow the development of stabilization effects. Alum Tawed skins are typically sort and flexible to the touch, and have a high degree of stretch.
https://www.talasonline.com/fabrics-and-leather/leather/alum-tawed-skins

Aluminum Sulfate Anhydrous is an aluminum salt
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Aluminum-sulfate

5 Likes

Yes. Is this meant as a question?

Good to know.

There’s an important distinction though, is it harmful to the machine or just to your lungs?

If it’s just your lungs, good ventilation would mitigate the risk for sure. If it’s the kind of thing that produces acids or other corrosive compounds, then that’s a really hard no for the GF.

From what you listed here I don’t see anything that I immediately fear except maybe sulfure oxides combining with water vapor to make sulfuric acids. Thoughts?

2 Likes

Thanks for the warning!

3 Likes

I mean everything the GF actually cuts/burns is of course bad for you (CO, etc) but that’s what the exhaust is for…

1 Like

Yeah? I guess I shouldn’t post my “GF hookah conversion” project file to the forum then…

6 Likes

That’s fine, at least you lungs are filtering the air for the rest of us…

3 Likes

I think it’s just sharing of information. :slight_smile:

3 Likes

With the potential for sulfuric acid forming in the machine and on/in your product, I’d think it’s an overall risk to all three being people, equipment, and product.

1 Like

Some people use the air filter for exhaust which probably isn’t rated for all toxic gases. Consider the following; Will it corrode your exhaust pipe or exhaust exit area? Will it mix with other chemicals and react within exhaust equipment or machine? Where is the exhaust going?
Some things that are burned aren’t noxious or considered toxic. Aluminum Sulfate is on the Special Health Hazard Substance List.
Risk is a part of life, we all choose our own!

Actually, I’m wondering if this doesn’t belong in the Beyond the Manual section, where all the settings information is kept…it seems like something that folks ought to know, and the Everything Else category threads get closed after 30 days of inactivity.

Mind if I move it there so it stays open?

2 Likes

Oh I don’t mind. It’s just that when I can’t find answers to my own questions, I do research and post my findings on the topic in an effort to help others.

3 Likes

Excellent! I’ll shift it over for you! (thanks for contributing!) :slightly_smiling_face:

:rofl:

Now I’m wondering what the power and speed settings would be for those substances…I’ll leave that to someone in a legalized state.

Organic things combusting almost always produce CO.

1 Like

This topic was automatically closed 32 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.