Is the smell from cutting proofgrade mdf harmful

I have my GF in my work place and have it vented properly outside, My problem is we have condos on top of our building and one of the tenants is complaining about the smell and thinks its toxic. Is there any documentation relating to this? l can’t seem to find anything to verify that this machine is ok .

The smell is mostly smoke, smoke is, according to the state of California, a toxic carcinogen… so yeah, your neighbor has a point that they could effectively argue in court
if they were inclined to take it that far.

And another thing… :expressionless:

Your statement “properly vented outside” is admission that you’re doing nothing to control the emissions of a technically ‘industrial’ machine process, thus admitting to the public release of pollutants.

FTFY

There’s a reason we have all this ventilation and filtration – these fumes are harmful, and the more of it you inhale, the worse it is for your longterm health. Almost everything you laser will release toxic substances, it’s just a question of dosage at that point. Your neighbor definitely has a point and you have only a few options: learning what you’re emitting and then looking up emissions laws to see if you’re in the clear legally (ugh) so that you can fight back… or start investing in filtration until you scrub your exhaust to the point of non-detectability.

If you do want to fight back with data, you’ll have to learn about point source dispersion patterns and whatnot. It gets complicated quickly, and probably isn’t something I’d want to take on.

So what type of filtration would you suggest?

Unfortunate. So, I see you’ve had your laser about a year, and the concerned individual has finally managed to locate the source of their angst?

Actually, everything is toxic, oxygen, even water in sufficient amounts. It’s the dose that makes the poison.
Some people are very sensitive to contaminants or are afflicted with respiratory ailments like asthma. As said above, you are kind of up against a wall there, even though the quantity of smoke produced by the laser is miniscule.

I wonder if they have concerns about living submerged in combustion by-products from power generation and transportation. :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

Sorry for your troubles, but Welcome to the community anyway.

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Can you move it to another window on a different side of the building away from the complainant :blush:

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i am new to GF but didn’t want to mess around with window venting, and also liked the idea of being able to have my GF wherever i wanted it so i bought the Air Filter that sits on the floor next to it. IT WORKS GREAT!!!

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The smoke is not OK, hence why we vent to a window. I would try to stay on their good side and if possible make them a gift. The smoke is most likely a nuisance and if you anger them they may try to find other tenants to make additional complaints.

The indoor filter while expensive is possibly likely the best option here. Imagine having a smoker outside your window for an hour with it blowing in your window. :grimacing:

Marie are you talking about the GF Air Filter?? Are you saying you dont have your Glowforge vented at all except into the filter?

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Right. The one that sells for $999 from Glowforge. I bought along side my GF Plus because i was unsure of where i would want to place my machine. I didn’t want to alter any windows or cut a hole in the wall cause i live in Minnesota. Also i didn’t want the air “outside” to have any odors. it works GREAT. Just turn off the internal fan that is in the Plus as they instruct and turn on the floor unit when i am doing a job. AND it is NOT as loud as some people say. It is definitely the way to go. ALSO with using the floor Air Filter, I could actually take my unit on the road in an RV or Trailer if i wanted to work along the road at Flea Markets. NO SMELL or SMOKE is emitted into my room.

I do suggest if you decide you might like to use an external filter such as the one sold by Glowforge, that you thoroughly read all the information about it so you can make an informed decision. Especially read about and consider the types of materials that can cause the filter needing to be replaced sooner than you might expect. Many people have been caught off-guard with the big expense involved in having to replace the filter often.

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This^^! The filter is a con$umable. Check the price. :flushed:

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Yes, it is $250 to replace i believe. But the only way I know of to not have to vent out a window

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