Worbla in the Glowforge?

I need to cut an intricate design out of Worbla, but I’ve been terrified of putting it in my GF. Has anyone doe this and if so, can you recommend settings?

It’s a resin with some filler looks like.

I’d search for “resin settings”.

Here’s the msds, don’t take my word for it but it seems safe enough to cut:

EDIT: you will probably need to tweak your settings and test extensively. This stuff is moldable so I would imagine settings will vary greatly. Good luck!

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Someone on one of the laser cutting facebook groups posted settings for the glowforge and worbla. Says it cuts wonderfully. I can’t seem to find it right now but I bet if you did some searching around you could find the settings!

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I haven’t tried cutting worbla, yet but, I found this while thinking about it:

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I have done it several times. It works great, nothing to worry about.

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I keep trying to add the link to my post to no avail. :disappointed_relieved:

Here is one of the things I made and my settings were Speed 150/ Power 50

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I’ve used Worbla in my GF with good success. It’s not a material that I typically work with, but it was easy enough using the suggestions offered on the page that you linked.

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definitely have cut worbla in the gf. works great

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Thanks everyone!

Do not cut in a room with birds (friend of a friend in the cosplay community lost her entire flock heating some for moulding). Otherwise, with proper ventilation, it should be fine.

I should also note that you probably never want to keep small pets in the same room a laser is running, no matter what you’re cutting. The smaller they/you are, the more concentrated it’ll hit them/you. Canaries were used in the mines for this purpose.

???
Er, do tell what the danger to pets in the same room as a GF might be, I’m puzzled.
With the last sentence, are you suggesting that the laser produces methane, which was what the unfortunate birds were detectors for ?
John :upside_down_face:

I get where you’re coming from, but considering the threads I’ve seen on cleaning the exhaust port an exhaust-gas-backup isn’t out of the question. A minor concern, I’d be more worried about tripping over them and people underestimate the danger of falls, but something to consider.

Birds have particularly delicate respiratory systems; I found out the hard way when I dusted using “Liquid Gold” two rooms away and killed two finches and very nearly also a parrotlet. I wouldn’t have one anywhere near my GF!

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I’m amazed, and stand corrected.
It’s always good to learn, and acknowledge gaps in our understanding.

Please tel me what your ‘liquid gold’ is. In UK it’s a brush on paint with a high level of ultra fine bronze powder suspended in it, so doesn’t quite match the idea of ‘dusting’ with it .
John :upside_down_face:

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I was thinking the same about Liquid Gold and I’m in the US. Very curious about the answer!

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I may be flogging a deceased quadruped here, but I’m having a problem connecting the output of the GF, even if it has a leaking vent system, to the circumstances described, so far.

OK, you don’t put acrylics in your toaster, nor throw bits of leather onto the open fire, and I’m glad my wife doesn’t use any of the Scott’s products mentioned, having looked at their contents.
But I really am trying to keep an open mind here, so I’m still happy to be persuaded.

John :upside_down_face:

Fumes will hang out inside the GF, even when turned off. If you can smell it, it exudes a fume. Even if you can’t smell it, there is a fume. Ventilation only works well enough to keep humans safe. As soon as you open your lid and take out your still cooling/fuming material, there are fumes then being exuded into your open space area outside of the blowers and ventilation to the outside. Heck, it even turns off when you do this. This is why it’s usually also suggested to have open air flow in the room around the unit, in addition to the ventilation. MSDSs only talk about the toxicity to humans.

As @geek2nurse pointed out, birds are extremely sensitive to fumes and cleaning materials. Any glues you use? Toxic to birds. Any cleaners you use? Toxic to birds. Birds shouldn’t be anywhere near a running laser.

I didn’t think to warn people about this before because I’ve only used my lasers in shops or in my office after I’ve locked everyone out. As lasers become more common household items for the “hobby” user (I know some of you are home business owners), it occurred to me on this worbla post to mention it - specifically because I know a cosplayer who lost 150 of her breeding finches just soft bending a 12"x12" sheet into armour. Small amount of fumes for like 5 minutes + 20ft x 20ft room open to the outside and fans going = dead flock. I figured if I could save someone the heartache, it was worth mentioning.

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This is all true, and while I don’t have birds, I do keep my GF in an backyard work “office,” ventilated properly. I don’t even hang out inside the office while it is running, either (although I peek in and check on longer running projects to make sure everything is ok). Not worth the risk.

Side note on the bird thing: My mom used to own a parrot, and the vet told her not to use teflon pans in the kitchen because even the minor “safe” fumes when cooking in those is toxic to birds.

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Do you not clean at all? :slight_smile: This comment just struck me as really funny.