You are correct, they are made from Zinc selenide. However HCL can damage those too.
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So in other words, if you live in the rain forestā¦best not to ever cut PVC 
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I like the whole āthereās never a stupid questionā thing.
Seems like this post should be here. Take a moment to test material (unless, I suppose, it has an invisible barcode verifying itās makeup) to avoid finding out.
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I hope you donāt feel I was discounting your experience!
You have obviously gathered a lot of knowledge about working with laser cutters. As someone who is just starting out I find that very valuable.
Nor do I think that we should let other people decide what we will or wonāt do with tools we own. I have often pushed my machine tools past their intended limits, or used them in ways that might make other machinists cringe. But I try to make sure I figure things out in advance, and as a result I still have all my extremities.
Thanks for sharing what you know and the practical knowledge of ābeen there done thatā.
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Nopeā¦didnāt feel that way at all. Iām fortunate to have 13 years of experience with a laserā¦and I still dont know everything yet 
When I got my first laser I was all about trying everything and anything to see what all it could do, but for the last 8 or 9 years, Iāve been so busy with my company making laser cut stencils for face and body painting I got away from being creative. Im truly jealous of all of you who are discovering it for the first time with an amazing machine such as the Glowforgeā¦all the trial and errors will be almost non existant in comparisonā¦ You know facebook was just in its infancy, and there wasnt anything like this awesome forum filled with creative peopleā¦lol.
Hanging around you all has definitely resparked my creativity and I cant wait to see what the future brings 
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Or anywhere along the Gulf Coast where even our plastic rusts 
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Yes, the contrast between what you had to slog through, and my learning curve will be dramatic. Having come up that long road will give you a perspective that can only be had by experiencing 13 years of the toolās evolution - and will give you a fuller appreciation of the forge than the newly indoctrinated of us can have.
Your experience, and freely sharing of it are valuable assets to the community!
āButā¦ you already have a laserā. "Yes, but not one of these."
When I learned you already owned a laser with years of experience but were buying this, it helped assure me that it was something special.
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What is this āhumidityā you speak ofā¦?
- Tucson, AZ
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I actually have 2 Universal lasersā¦lol. They are my old reliable pickup trucks
This will be my āLittle Red Corvetteā with all the bells and whistles!
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I like the analogy!
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As you are the one with the Beta Josh, why donāt you try cutting a load and report back.
Ok, plenty of people have commented on the effects of HCI on metals and plastics. Forget about that. If you ruin a GF, you are out a few grand. That is meaningless in the big picture.
Consider that chlorine gas was used as a chemical agent in the first world war, and horribly crippled or killed vast numbers of soldiers who came into contact with it. While it is unlikely that you will be able to release enough to expose yourself to the same doses that that they encountered unless you were deliberately being unsafe, why would you take chances? Your health and safety are far more important than a GF, do not take foolish risks and play with fire.
A minor quibble: Burning plastic with chlorine doesnāt release never gas, it would release hydrogen chlorine gas (HCI), which is an dangerous irritant, but not a nerve agent.
If you really feel a need to cut PVC, a milling machine might be a better choice since it doesnāt melt or burn the material.
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