Looking for ideas!

[Doug Bergstrom]

Just got my hands on a pile of 3/4" hardwood samples of varying styles from a flooring store that closed. I couldn't turn down all this beautiful hardwood at especially at the price. Now I need to come up with a project for it. Any ideas?

Most pieces are about 12x18 with some as large as 18x24. woods range from cherry, walnut, maple, bamboo etc.

Thanks for your help!

[Jack Harper]

Doug,

One of my tenants is a hardwood distributor. This gives me access to an incredible range of finished hardwood. However, I have been leery to do much with it as the wood, like most factory finished flooring, is some form of aluminum oxide. I am not sure what the safety concerns are including the possible use of PVCs in the finish. I know that it takes a high energy pass to break the finish and it stinks.

[Joe Pelonio]

Likewise I don't know about the finish on those, but I'd suggest machining them with normal woodworking tools, then using them for veneer inlay work
or for plaques. I can't cut 3/4" with my 45 watt laser.

[Michael Hunter]

The aluminium oxide in the finish is inert, so can't do much harm : make sure the airflow is strong though, as the oxide could abrade the machine bearings if it is not sucked away.

I'm not aware of PVC being used in the finishes, though it is always worth checking if in doubt. (Heat copper wire in flame, press on suspect material and then put back into flame. Green flame indicates chlorides present).

More likely is polyurethane or epoxy resin compounds. Both of these stink and have nasty byproducts when lasered, but possibly not any worse than the unknown stuff (creosotes etc.) which come off the wood itself.


I have had great results with compressed bamboo flooring boards (with aluminium oxide laden finish). I did find that the finish browned beside the engraved areas, but that was easily fixed by applying masking tape first before lasering.

[Bill Morrison]

If the stuff he has is 3/4" wouldn't running it through a planer get past the finish. I ran a machine that laminated flooring but the core was just pressed board, is that the same thing they do with hardwood. The cover sheet was pushed into the core with a few tons of pressure and 400 degrees but even if you planed 1/8 of an inch that would still give you a lot to play with. Like I said, I'm not familiar with hardwood finishes though.

Bill

[Dan Hintz]

Aluminum oxide is the same stuff you're allowing the creation of when you laser on anodized aluminum pieces. Nothing to be worried about health-wise.

[Doug Bergstrom]

Thanks for the insight.
We can machine it with our router and other tools and just engrave into it. I was thinking clocks might be nice but any other product ideas would be great.

[James Rambo]

why not something like a simple pen and pencil holder I get part from Meisels and Wildwood designs

[Michael Hunter]

The aluminium oxide will blunt router bits and planer blades in short order!
(It is, after all, what they use to make cheap sandpaper).

Better just to laser it. Added bonus - it is already finished, so no need to varnish it afterwards.