Materials that are safe

[smr392000]

Is it safe for me and my glowforge to engrave resin/epoxy?

[dan84]

Here are some previous discussions. The answer appears to be no.

Cutting Epoxy Resin

New kid here, awaiting on my GF shipment like a Yorkie who sees her owner through the door! Trying to learn everything I can from this awesome community! So, I’m an artist who works with epoxy resin, can the GF cut throu 1/16 inch thick sheet of it? I’m curious about melting.

Can the Glowforge cut custom poured epoxy resin?

I use an epoxy resin pouring kit I bought from Michaels craft store to pour into molds. I let the resin cure for two days, as to be sure it has 100% hardened. If I can find a way to pour my own “sheets” of resin, could the Glowforge then engrave or cut these hardened pieces? I’m a little worried it might not be compatible and mess up the machine. Has anyone tried this? Yay or nay?

[dklgood]

According to other posts I have read in the forum, no. Resins are very different, so it would be important for you to get the MSDS of the kind you in intend to use.

[trually]

I would not, but on the flip side, you can epoxy something that you have Glowforged.

[evansd2]

For more info on safety, check out #4:

Common problems/questions

Hello! You’ve been referred to this post because you have a common problem or question. Check out the list below to see what this post can do for you. Just click on a topic that interests you.

1: I'm new to Glowforge and really have no idea where to start

Hey, welcome to the forum! Glowforge has a getting started page, it’s definitely worth your time: <a href="https://support.glowforge.com/hc/en-us/sections/11792517736475-Design-and-Print-Tutorials">https://support.glowf…

[ca_worth]

I am not even sure I would trust the MSDS sheets because once you start burning anything I always consider it “all bets are off” Perhaps because I knew a kid that nearly died cleaning his fish tank, with an almost deadly combo of cleaning materials. or being around people that thought burning the PT wood leftovers from deck construction, was a fun idea. and this was back in the arsenic days of PT wood.

[ekla]

MSDS/SDS sheets contain a section on what’s emitted when combusted

[ca_worth]

oh ya. I know that. I used to have to keep track of them for our lab. I just always land on the extreme side of paranoia when stuff is burned.

Especially regarding epoxy resin products. I am never fully trusting of products sourced from overseas. and with the epoxy I have you can dump all sorts of pigments, etc. into it. and unless you are the one making what you are about to engrave, it would really suck to laser right into some really toxic addin to an epoxy/resin material. Then who cares how cool the effect of the add in is when you are faced with some serious condition from inhaling it.

when my Chemistry professor told us in lab, to taste something we were working with. I flat out refused. I was like "what makes you think that stockroom is completely secure and nobody mixed up and poured something back into the wrong container. Then years later, observing people in a lab screw up stuff and wipe out incubators of cell culture. Unable to mix part A and part B and a little water, to make the Xray film processor solutions correctly. my motto is don’t trust nobody with your health and well being.