Any Chemists who can comment on these Material Data Sheets?

#1

These materials are listed as “Rotary Engravable” on the Rowmark website. The data sheets seem to have very similar properties as many of the laserable materials. While these may not be recommended for best results for laser engraving, can anyone give advice on if they are likely to corrode my GF? I’d primarily be looking to cut them.

I’m not going to hold anyone accountable for their advice- Lasering anything is always at your own risk. :face_with_raised_eyebrow: I’m just looking for a little somewhat educated advice.

Ultra-Mattes Reverse-Engravable MSDS.pdf (51.0 KB)
Slickers MSDS.pdf (52.7 KB)

Here’s a link to their site where I got one of the MSDS: http://rowmark.com/rotary/slickers/slickers.asp

Tips for reading MSDS
#2

Ultra-Mattes is Acrylic and ought to be cuttable. But in the section of the MSDS on flammability, it says combustion byproducts include “trace amounts” of Hydrogen Chloride. That’s basically Hydrochloric acid that will attack and damage your cutter. But “trace amounts” probably isn’t anything to worry about. I don’t know if other Acrylics also have this composition but I suspect they might.

Not enough detail in the MSDS for Slickers to say. It’s an Acrylic like Ultra-Mattes, so is conceivably OK.

The problem is both are proprietary mixtures, “modified” Acrylics, so they don’t provide a lot of detail about what the stuff is actually made of.

Probably OK. But to be sure of either of these you want to do the copper-wire test…

P.S. I’m not a chemist but I deal with MSDSs at work all the time.

#3

Thanks. I did notice that they listed that some components are proprietary. I’ll probably get a sample or one sheet and do the copper wire test.

#4

I have to say - those are some of the most comprehensive MSDS’s I’ve seen.

#5

Satire. :rofl:

#6

How about this stuff? Just had this recommended as a nice finish, so I wondered… http://www.butcherblock.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/GoodStuff-2016-Quote-002.pdf

#7

That seems safe enough you could let children play with it.

#8

Really? Man, I need some practice finding the relevant parts of these things.

#9

@randy.cohen Thanks for your info. I got a quick response from Rowmark, I guess their proprietary compounds are safe. The Slickers material is laser able and contains no PVC. It’s not recommended for laser engraving because of the thickness of the engraving layer. Here’s their response. Note - I didn’t ask specifically about the other material. It is very similar, but as always, use at your own risk.

I’m happy because I found a spot that has some 1/8 inch discontinued colors on sale for pretty cheap.

Slickers%20Response
Slickers Response.jpg879×1137 399 KB

#10

No. That was sarcasm :sunglasses:

That stuff is nasty. Corrode the skin right off your face nasty.

#11

I’d have no problem personally with that. Do you have to be careful with it? Yes. Just like with about anything else.

MSDS’s can be tough because you’re using a non-standard application for a lot of this stuff and MSDS’s are almost always referencing the raw material at hand. In other words, the majority of what that MSDS speaks to is in its raw form sitting in the can, or while applying it, or fire fighting measures / cautions. Not the finished product after the gel has dried, etc. It’s information for both people working directly with the product and teams going into places where emergencies exist (think firefighters, etc.).

Looking for the decomposition attributes is a good place to start - in this case, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide.

What you need to know is that it’s highly volatile - just like almost any oil-based stain out there. You need to take caution in properly disposing of rags that you apply the stain with, etc.