I was browsing the IKEA clearance section the other day and found a bunch of cutting boards for $3 a piece so I picked up a few to see how they would engrave. I lettered one of my husbands favorite Julia child quotes and gave it a try!
If anyone else sees these in the IKEA clearance section I say it is worth grabbing a few for when your glowforge comes!
I just love your lettering! The quote is wonderful too.
There is an IKEA within about 20 minutes of me, and believe it or not I’ve never been there. Always meaning to check it out.
Thank you!
You should totally check out IKEA! I usually skip the furniture sections and head straight to the marketplace. And don’t forget to swing by the clearance section before check out! 
I love how this turned out. I have been meaning to get to the IKEA near me. We have picked up a lot of things there in the past. I will definitely have to checkout the clearance section when I go. @info4 Thanks for Sharing the cool cutting board! 
Amazing job on the pictures as well. They look like they should be in a catalog!
Uh yeah, I’m sorry to say the cutting boards would be a lot less inspirational without the expert calligraphy. Great job on it!
Thanks for sharing the find! And, of course, I love the work you did to it. Elegant.
I live literally 5 minutes from an Ikea, and once I have a Glowforge it’s going to be soooo tempting to not rush over there and buy all the laserable things.
From somebody who has never used a laser, how does one go about deciding what materials are laserable while you are there?
“Will it fit inside my laser?” 
Get a list of bad things (Epilog publishes one) and see if what they say it’s made of is on the list. To be 100% sure you need to ask for and check the MSDS but I don’t expect those will be easy to get from IKEA.
if it’s wood, it’s probably fine, especially for shallow engravings like the above. cutting may or may not be okay, depending on whether it’s solid wood (fine, though surface finishes may create noxious fumes) or constructed - and even then it’s probably fine for the laser, just smelly.
it’s plastics where you have to watch out: specifically be on the look out for pvc and any mention of stuff like chlorine (chloro), bromine (bromo), and fluorine (fluoro) - those are the gotchas.
one thing to keep an eye on, especially in re cutting boards: those thick white plastic ones are laserable in that it’s okay to laser it, it’s sort of miserable, and melts everywhere, and probably won’t give you the results you want.
Great job on the hand lettering. Great quote. Great photography. All around great project!
I have never been to an Ikea. The closest two stores are over 2 hours away in different directions. With all of the ideas I have seen in these forums, I may have to plan a trip once my Glowforge arrives.
Great Job! I plan on doing this to some cutting boards that I have been making in the shop.
Thanks for the inspiration!
I have always been impressed with the information Ikea provides on materials. While you won’t get an MSDS (because they aren’t required to provide one) they almost always list the materials used:
$1.50 plus $1 for shipping each (at least in Colorado when bought in units of 10) makes for interesting source.
Unfortunately, the drive burns more gas than the $10 shipping costs - From Northern Colorado.
The Ikea is like 5 minutes from my house. We may need to arrange a joint supply safari someday! 
Perhaps I should gather orders and go back into the delivery business…
Did you see they’re opening one in Erie (I-25 & CO-7) in 2018? Much shorter drive for you, and way too short of a drive for me (3 miles).
I’ve got an Ikea and a Michael’s about 30 mins from me. But I’ve got nifty places right around the corner like a nice lumber yard, dollar store, $5 store, and a weekend fleamarket. Should be some good finds at all.
Thanks for that info.
Have stopped at the one on the South end of the Denver Metro, but it is not worth the 1.25 hours one way.
This is a great example of a technically simple project that’s just transformed by great artwork.
