Hey Forgers, wondering if anyone has had any experience with laser engraving the linoleum from Speedball and Jack Richeson & Co. Tried the MSDS of the Speedball (tan not pink) and didn’t see anything on chemicals used. I REALLY want to make some block prints from this stuff instead of just from wood. Let me know!
We did. It worked great except we forgot to mirror the image 
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I also have an unmounted sheet of Lino I got from amazon I wanted to mess with. Its from Speedball. It’s on my ever growing list of things I want to try.
Edit: This one. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0027A7EZ0
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I just ordered some unmounted Lino with the Inventables gift certificate - looking forward to trying some printing! And will definitely make myself a reminder to reverse the image!
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Sadly, I had a block of lino to engrave way back in June. It was part of an intended purchase of many odds and ends from Michaels, including my first set of copic markers. Unfortunately I was unable to complete the purchase as that is when my credit card was declined and I subsequently found out that my bank account had been emptied and gone way into the hole. I was compromised sometime when I was at Bay Area Maker Faire. Thankfully my bank was able to restore everything and I resumed my usual spendthrift ways, but alas, I haven’t been able to make it back to a Michaels and just haven’t ordered online. I have a 10x8 Kelsey sitting in my garage sans trucks and rollers, aching for a Glowforge engraved lino plate. Someday, someday.
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Nice! I had in my possession about 10 years ago a letterpress too. Wish I would’ve kept up the restoration on it but I lost interest (ADHD anyone?). So wish it was in my tool arsenal today. Looking for a block print roller Press these days that won’t break the bank. Love the thought and artful satisfaction of 2+ color block prints.
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So received a reply and MSDS from Jack Richeson & Company, they make Block print lino and lino blocks. According to the rep and the MSDS it’s a NO GO in a laser. The MSDS states it is made from Extruded PVC!
…Waiting to hear from Speedball now.
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Yikes! Great to know!
There was some discussion of that in this thread.
They brought up a verification from Inventables that their lino (from Speedball) was laser safe. And then, there were some rule of thumb guidelines re: color and backing material.
I bought the same Speedball sheet @Joe linked to above, from Amazon, and it passes those informal tests.
That’s all still basically unverified, but things could be a lot sketchier. (I’m relatively sure Speedball will report back that we’re fine.)
Unfortunatley @ProfessorZ that is not the case for Speedball’s Speedy Carve (Pink Sheets https://www.speedballart.com/assets/msds/383.pdf ) & Speedy Cut Easy (Blue Sheets https://www.speedballart.com/assets/msds/385.pdf ). Both, according to the MSDS contain PVC. The Speed Cut SKU appears to be laser safe ( Ivory Sheets https://www.speedballart.com/assets/msds/384.pdf ) The Linoleum Blocks/Sheets don’t have ingredients listed ( Grey and Tan sheets https://www.speedballart.com/assets/msds/247.pdf ) I guess I’ll just traditionally carve the ones I purchased and buy the approved from Inventables for the laser.
I’m not seeing ingredients listed on the Inventables’ provided MSDS either.
In fact, it looks identical to the Grey and Tan sheets listing.
(I don’t remember how we established that the amazon link above is what Inventables is using, but this would seem to confirm that much)
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Not sure where this leaves us, to be honest.
Either the sheets we bought from Amazon are safe, or the sheets sold by Inventables aren’t.
Feeling adventurous?
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