View Full Version : Any woods that lasers just won't cut?
Mitchell Andrus
05-17-2006, 7:57 PM
I'm just wondering - BEFORE I order a machine - are there any common and maybe not so common woods that you just can't get through. I'm planning on a 60W Spirit.
My style of furniture calls for perforations at times. I figure on thinning the area from the rear via hogging to get the thickness down to 1/4 inch, then cutting patterns from the front.
I'll also need to cut 1/16 to 1/20 veneer for inlay work.
white oak
mahogany
hard maple
walnut
lemonwood
ebony
elm burl
sapeli
Thanks.
Mitch
Lee DeRaud
05-17-2006, 8:42 PM
I've found a few things (like rosewood and purpleheart) that I can't cut at 1/4"...but that's with a 25W machine. With 60W, I doubt you'll have any trouble getting through it. What might be an issue is the amount of burning at the edges for oily woods.
Aaron Koehl
05-22-2006, 12:01 PM
I couldn't cut purpleheart with a 35W machine either. So much resin, it looks like welding arcs ;)
Mitchell Andrus
05-22-2006, 1:29 PM
Thanks. My new Spirit 60W will be set up in about two weeks. I'll let you know...
Mitch
George M. Perzel
05-29-2006, 7:37 AM
Hi Mitch;
I have a 60 watt Mercury and primarily cut wood-many kinds and thicknesses up to 1/2" depending on the variety.
Toughest to cut is ebony-tough to cut 1/16" thick even at slowest speed. Ebony burns with a lot of flame (melted my focus probe once). best to cut at higher speed in two passes -seems to work OK.
Definitely need air assist and a good exhaust no matter what wood you cut.
Rosewood and purpleheart are also tough but can get through 1/4" with 60 watts and slow speed.
Good Luck
George
Mitchell Andrus
05-29-2006, 7:44 AM
Thanks, George.
It's likely that I'll be at 1/16" or less. Shouldn't be too much of a problem.
Mitch
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