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Robert Mickley
07-05-2006, 2:21 PM
Having no experiance with laser equipment, the question is can you cut through wood and if so how thick?

The reason I'm asking is I have a pair of lamps that I made including the shades. I have to redesign the shades since the heat has made some of the joints seperate.

Was contemplating having some sort of design cut through them. I could do it on a scroll saw but was lokking for fine lines and besides I just don't have the patience or the time for it

Lee DeRaud
07-05-2006, 2:33 PM
Depends on the species, but my 25-watt machine will do 1/4" in most common wood (walnut, cherry, oak etc), maybe half that in oily exotics like rosewood. Some woods like purpleheart it simply refuses to cut at all.

The kind of thickness I think of when you say "lampshade", no problem. But any cutting or engraving needs to be done while the wood is flat, due to the nature of the process and machinery.

Joe Pelonio
07-05-2006, 2:50 PM
My 45 watt should do 3/8" for most woods, though I have not tried anything over 5/16". Are they mitered 4 sided shades? If so it's easier for us to cut the design out before you glue the pieces together. And we have size limits, in my case 12"x24" maximum material size. Others may have 28x24 or 24x36 or larger machines.

Look on the laser owner list at the top of this forum for someone near you.

Robert Mickley
07-05-2006, 9:29 PM
The shades aren't very big, each side is probably 12 inches wide at the bottom and 12 or 14 inches tall, they where made out of 1/4 inch cherry.

I'm thinking of cutting them apart and and making a heavier frame out of say 3/8 or 1/2 stock and making them floating panels. No matter what I do If I get a design cut in them I'll have it done while the panels are apart