Is it OK to engrave Bnq pine stripwood?

[James Higgon]

Hi all. I have my laser engraver set up in my flat. I have just started making a few. Bits with pine stripwood from Bnq. I have a hepa extractor but it is really stinging eyes and causing me to get wheezy. Is it safe to engrave this stuff?


I think I need to stop using this anyway, my dilemma is I need another wood - 5-6mm thick that is easily cut with a low powered laser, and also can be painted and is quite cheap. I have seen some bits at trade shows that looked good but not sure what wood it was. Any ideas? Thanks

[Julian Ashcroft]

I cut 3.6mm plywood mainly at the moment. My local timber merchant sells it for around £11.00 for a 2.4 x 1.2m sheet, which works out around 24p per A4 size. It's not laser specific ply, but it cuts well and the face is much better quality than the laser plywood I have purchased in the past at 97p for an A4 sheet. On my 50W Laser the plywood cuts at 100% power at a speed of 12mm/s. I haven't tried anything thicker yet.

[Dan Hintz]

I have a hepa extractor but it is really stinging eyes and causing me to get wheezy. Is it safe to engrave this stuff?

Does the extractor have a charcoal filter bed? If not, you are breathing in some REALLY bad stuff (the glue holding the plys together). Stinging eyes and wheezing should tell you right away your lungs are getting hammered (and some lung damage can NOT be repaired by the body, so be safe!).

Stop lasering any material like this until you get a proper extraction system.

[Dave Sheldrake]

The nicer materials that the hepa will deal with also tend to clog the filters pretty quick. Pine strip from B&Q is god aweful stuff that contains all manner of nasties (as Dan said) if you can smell it then you are already breathing stuff you cannot smell as well.

I'm guessing you are in the UK as you mention B&Q? be careful, somebody I know recently got a visit from the local authorities for using a laser in a flat :(

cheers

Dave

[James Higgon]

Yes I'm in the UK. Ok ill stop engraving the pine then. What wood approx 6mm can I cut safely in my home with my extractor? That is also paint able preferably

[James Higgon]

How would balsa or alder wood work? Is that safe for cutting in my home and fairly easy to cut?

[Bruce Clumpner]

you might try porting your exhaust out a window until you get the filter arrangement configured properly.

[Dave Sheldrake]

Alder http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/wis30.pdf some of the fuming produced by a laser is fine dust.

Balsa cuts well but tends to burn if you hit it too hard.

Bruce, pumping smoke out of a residential window here will get a visit from the local authorities pretty quickly. Use of a laser in residential premises will also invalidate household fire insurance (for purpose of the acts a laser cutter is considered an industrial machine here)

To be honest, a laser in a flat that has shared window faces (such as in a block or multiple residency occupation building) can be a royal pain in the butt, it can lead to irate neighbours and visits from the council regarding the clean air act and is something I would advise against doing.

cheers

Dave

[James Higgon]

There is only me and person upstairs. So is it safe if I vent the filters exhaust Out of the window? It's only 5mm wood be cutting so there isn't going to be any noticeable smoke etc so can't see it ringing any alarm bells tbh

[John Bion]

It's only 5mm wood be cutting so there isn't going to be any noticeable smoke etc so can't see it ringing any alarm bells tbh

Don’t be too sure about that! Sure it depends on a number of factors, but one thing is for certain - 5 or 6mm can kick out a lot of smoke - very visible - it can look like a regular chimney.

Regards, John

[James Higgon]

But if I pass the smoke through my HEPA AD350 and vent tge filters exhaust outside surely this won't smoke much? I stupidly have cut a few pieces Inside with no visible smoke coming from the exhaust

[Dave Sheldrake]

I wouldn't but it's your choice my friend. Neighbours, even the best of them can get pretty testy when fumes start blowing in their windows.

cheers

Dave

[John Bion]

Judging by the other thread about balsa, it would seem you may not have clouds of smoke and ‘get away’ with sticking it out a window. I would, however, take Dave’s warning seriously, UK authorities do not take kindly to lasers in homes.
You could look at Poplar based plywoods, they cut like butter with a laser as does Tulipwood, both of these will give off little smoke compared to Baltic Birch. The Poplar Ply may have a rough finish after the first coat, depending on what/how you paint. HPC Laser in Halifax stock it pre-cut. If you PM me with your address I can pop an A4 bit in an envelope for you.
Kind Regards, John

[James Higgon]

Judging by the other thread about balsa, it would seem you may not have clouds of smoke and ‘get away’ with sticking it out a window. I would, however, take Dave’s warning seriously, UK authorities do not take kindly to lasers in homes.
You could look at Poplar based plywoods, they cut like butter with a laser as does Tulipwood, both of these will give off little smoke compared to Baltic Birch. The Poplar Ply may have a rough finish after the first coat, depending on what/how you paint. HPC Laser in Halifax stock it pre-cut. If you PM me with your address I can pop an A4 bit in an envelope for you.
Kind Regards, John


that would be brilliant thanks, what thickness is it? i have a van on the driveway which is right outside my window so no one will even see me venting it outside. And to be honest even with me cutting 10.5mm pine inside my flat, with the windows open it isnt that bad.

What exactly would the uk authorities do? i was unaware that they didnt like lasers in homes. It is a desktop laser so i would have thought that home use would be a pretty big chunk of their market. I even notified my home insurance who have insured it and know that i use it in my home and were not bothered about it. Ill send you over a pm

[Bill George]

To bad you don't have a fireplace or even a gas heater vent to the roof. Problem solved!

[John Bion]

James, I have sent you a PM and will post off the wood tomorrow - 6, 9 & 12mm
Kind Regards, John