I was just reading about epicurean cutting boards as being quite good, so material searching I went. Turns out they’re made from Richlite which definitely appears to be engraveable. And quite nicely if this video is to be believed. Has anyone else looked into it?
Never would’ve thought about it, but it looks like it does a fantastic job in the laser. We got one of those cutting boards for Christmas, but haven’t really gotten around to using it yet (we have a much bigger plyboo board that gets most of the use) – I may have to try it out now.
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i love this stuff, it’s so good. not too surprised by the laserability, it’s basically plywood or mdf but paper isn’t it?
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Ooooo pretty and laserable . Two things that guide my life now…
Now to source .
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Dangit! There’s yet another material I’ve just got to get hold of! When will it end?
Seriously, thanks for that–I’d never heard of it and it looks to be a wonderful material.
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Yes that’s exactly what it is. I just wasn’t sure about the resin. However if the manufacturer is posting videos of it being engraved I’m going to assume its fairly safe.
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Googling UK suppliers now. That stuff looks great!
Thanks for putting it up here.
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Going to have to keep looking, but right now the prices on this stuff is pretty steep. The best I’ve found so far is nearly $0.11 per square inch (or $500 for 4’x8’) not including shipping.
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I think I just heard their stock jump.
Engraveable sure. But can it be laser cut?
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Here’s an interesting study on using lasers to cut this kind of material:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1875389211001520
If I’m reading it right the worst chemical release is Benzene, but even that is below OSHA’s permitted levels (still high enough I wouldn’t try to cut or etch it without some form of air extraction. The more interesting thing, if I read the study right is, we’re not going to cut this stuff with a 45w laser. Again, if I was reading correctly, to cut through a .25" sheet took a minimum of 1kW laser, and even a 3kW couldn’t make it through a .5" sheet. Looks absolutely awesom for engraving, however. Now if I can just find a decent supplier.
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Ya I’m finding the same thing. It’s not a cheap material. I may just end up engraving one side of the epicurean cutting boards as a gift for weddings etc. It looks like it machines well enough though so if another idea comes up I may try cutting it that way.
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Paper “composite” is all I could find. By the way my internet security software blocked going to Richlite’s web page. The company is in Tacoma, WA, my home town (born and raised). The stuff is mostly used for architectural purposes. It would be cheapest to find a scrap dealer of this stuff. - Rich
Yea, I’ve looked up a couple counter top companies in San Antonio that use it. Might talk with them once I have a timeframe on my GF.
(out of likes) - Rich
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Looks like some great stuff.
@Sawa have you seen this post? And how is it you weren’t the one to discover and share this?
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Tacoma? I think I might pop in there and see what I can learn!
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