OK – here is a technical question as I am totally new to lasers. What kind of wood glue can be cut and etched through safely? I am thinking of a project that would involve laminated together several thin types of wood and then etched with the artwork – going to different depths so actually burning though the thin layers of glue holding the laminated pieces together.
Back to fun and technical stuff -- Glue and lamination
Wood glues are laserable, but there is no reason you cant cut the pieces separately and glue them together later. Go - Rich
This is a really important question for me!
I want to laminate a bunch of sheets of veneer alternating the grain and then laser a ring out of them. Kinda like making a wood ring on a drill press but with almost as much strength as a bent wood ring.
Not an expert, but the wood itself is not an issue so much. The glue and overall thickness are issues.
I read that interior glues cut well, but exterior glues do not. Keep in mind that I have no personal experience yet.
You need very thin glue layer for what you are planning. It should not be a problem. The Tite Bond III has cross linked polyvinylchloride, not great but again you have very thin layer and incomplete coverage for veneer. - Rich
This might be mentioned before me, but the only thing to be careful of is PVC - when hit with a laser, it releases Chlorine gas which is both toxic and can corrode your lens. Expensive mistake. So, make sure it’s real wood and that the laminate or glue isn’t PVC based.
Er… Like that stuff. I’d avoid that.
Yes, and there’s the issue of the density not necessarily cutting through evenly. I’ve occasionally had to cut twice because there was a hidden knot or it didn’t cut through the grain of a particular sheet.