Sign Foam laserable?

[Todd Schwartz]

Ran into a local sign maker while we both were getting our hair cut. Ended up turning into a potential business opportunity - (wonder if I can write off the haircut?)

Majority of his work is with Sign Foam, a closed cell urethane foam, http://www.signfoam.com/product.php?mode=sf3.
He uses the 18# density version and on occasion runs into jobs that has lettering or a design too small for his CNC router.

So the question is how well does this material vector cut? Any hope it would raster engrave and the Material Safety Data Sheet shows no PVC.

Appreciate any input or experience with this material.

Thanks,

Todd

[Joe Pelonio]

I contacted them once about it, and was told that any heat method for cutting/engraving is unpredictable and it will ignite under certain conditions.

Still, I had a hunk of 3/4" left from a job and tried it. :eek:

I didn't get the flaming but also it's too thick to cut cleanly. It might be that 1/2" would work but then if they recommend not to it's probably good to follow that advice.

[Todd Schwartz]

Thanks Joe, The Sign Foam FAQ page also does not recommend laser engraving because of the chance it igniting. I took that one as a legal CYA statement. I got to believe that my card stock, birch, acrylic, etc is at least as flammable.

Thanks for the input.

Todd

[James Stokes]

I have lasered it and I thought it worked great. I cut a piece of 3/4 with my 35 watt it took a couple passes but still cut good.

[Todd Schwartz]

James and Joe - either of you two tried to raster engrave it? Does it melt and lose its definition? Thinking about rastering out the background and leaving the art/letters raised.

Joe - good luck this weekend - I see one of these weddings in my near future as well. Will be my first daughter of three. $$$$$$.

Todd

[Jack Harper]

James and Joe - either of you two tried to raster engrave it? Does it melt and lose its definition? Thinking about rastering out the background and leaving the art/letters raised.

Joe - good luck this weekend - I see one of these weddings in my near future as well. Will be my first daughter of three. $$$$$$.

Todd

Todd - You had a typo in your post, please allow me to correct it. That would be "$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!"

[James Stokes]

It rasters extremelly well.

[Doug Bergstrom]

precisionboard.com can be lasered and the manufacturer supports lasering. i have used the samples and they work great. Very similar to Sign Foam but slightly different make up.