Anyone every received warped Proofgrade materials? I thought the deal with he Proofgrade was they were Glowforge ready. I ordered several sheets of Cherry Plywood to make tags for wedding favors and when I opened the box the day they were delivered they were all warped. I emailed support and was told that was a common issue after delivery and to just deal with it. It’s the first time I’ve had a problem with Proofgrade materials. All the pieces are bowed and I sent pics with the email to support.
I can go to Lowes or Home Depot and buy warped plywood.
Any wood will warp, as changes in the humidity level cause the wood fibers to expand or contract. I run into this all the time with the 1/16" wood I use. The thinner the board, the more it is prone to warping.
Two things you can try:
Stack the boards on top of one another and weight them down until they are flat. Leave them undisturbed for several days to allow them to adjust to the humidity.
If you’re in a hurry, you can take a damp cloth and rub it along the side of the board that is concave, ie the cupped side. This will add moisture to the wood fibers and allow them to expand. Don’t drench the board, just moisten it slightly.
It can be perfectly flat sitting on the shelf at the warehouse and be warped by the time it gets to you because of humidity and temperature changes between the two locations.
I would bet that the “light plywood” is going to be prone to warping a lot more than the “medium plywood” because it has a hardwood core vs an MDF (fiberboard) core.
Like @Tek104 mentioned, slightly moisten the wood, use some weight, and I’ll add – let it acclimate to your climate for a week before use. The warp is all due to changes in climate/humidity in transit. I experience it a lot living in Florida, but all those tips/tricks really do work. Hopefully it’ll work out for you!
The vast majority of the thin wood products I have used across 4+ years exhibit a slight camber. proofgrade or not. I always sight down the edges to determine which way it curves, and put the crown side down, and pin the edges. That way you know the center is in contact with the crumb tray.
As mentioned the atmospheric differences (more or less humidity) will affect the moisture content of the wood, and there is no way the company can guarantee against that.
HI @erica_raec - I’m so sorry to hear that your Proofgrade arrived warped. The warp will diminish with time. Your Glowforge can print beautifully on materials with some warp, but if your material is so warped that it cannot print successfully, please email us back and let us know.
