New to Glowforge just wondering if you can use press board have a friend that works in a cabinet shop and I can get alot of cabinet grade wood didn’t know if it was OK to use because of the glue…
A little more information on what you mean by press board might help the discussion.
https://kitchencabinetkings.com/glossary/pressboard-pressed-wood/
As with any material a data sheet about its components will help to see if it is safe and testing will reveal if it works ok.
MDF and chipboard have worked, but what is the product that your friend actually uses?
Lots of engineered wood works well, some don’t. Some MDFs work well, others don’t.
This is the type of wood I guess it’s more of a plywood than pressed
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Looks like it has wood veneer on top and bottom. What is the center? Again, do you have an materials sheet or product ID?
If it’s a wood center, it’s could be good. Again, not knowing the product I couldn’t say for sure.
I’d stick it in my Glowforge and let it rip.
I got some really great plywood with oak facing on both sides form a sliding panal. Huge sections. Couldn’t use it because it was hollow in the center!
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Don’t have a product ID just stuff I’ve been collecting it does have wood in the center and like you said a veneer face was just reading some things said to be careful with types of products and was worried about the wood being glued together haven’t received my Glowforge yet just trying to get some info before I start and take the chance on screwing something up…
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Generally the woods they use should be ok - what you might run into is a sheet (or a spot on a sheet) that will not cut, but definitely worth running a test piece like @marmak3261 suggested.
You can run something like this: Updated Material Test Template (there are also simpler ones on this forum if you search around)
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Thanks for all the info… I’m sure I’ll be asking more questions…
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Any engrave or score is just on the surface and not an issue.
Cutting though, will almost always be an issue when using other than the Proofgrade materials (wood, leather, and plastics).
Simple reason is there is no known answer to what is in there. Glues, voids, fillers, etc can all differ from piece to piece and require tests to find the magic CUT parameters. I have hit some fillers that were so hard I needed a coping saw to finish.
I have also done some 3D engrave on old fan blades and they work great, but they can be difficult to actually Cut, because they had a hardened MDF type core. Final solution was to run a cut parameter twice rather than one power cut (prevented the surface wood from charring and trying to burn from the excessive heat).
As always, practice parameters with some scrap to get a ball park place to start.
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