Laser cutting plywood

[Andy Selley]

Not infallible, but asking for "interior" (as opposed to "exterior") grade plywood is more likely to get plywood which cuts easily.

As Killor and other have said, it is the glue between the plies which makes the difference between clean cutting and a smutty mess.

just to confirm what has been said. I cut ply on my 1000 watt laser. We use interior BB grade ply. The interior glued plywood is suitable for laser cutting, exterior glue can ignite! and is therefore NOT suitable. I hope this may clear up any queries

[Duncan Crawford]

Thomas,

I've had good luck with the maple/birch plywood from Lowes. It's 0.190 in thick, has relatively few voids, and will cut though on my 40 watt Epilog Mini-18 at speed 10, power 100, at 500 Hz. If you find a void on a cut edge, it can be filled using Timbermate or equivalent wood filler and colored with a black permanent marker before applying finish.

If I have a fine pattern to vector cut, or use transfer paper on unfinished wood to eliminate residue as on the sample shown, I'll slow to 8/100/500. Sample has maple side out on all pieces.

duncan

[Dan Hintz]

I cut ply on my 1000 watt laser.

Any posts after this is just showing off...

[John Noell]

Over here we only get ply from local woods, so most of the nice looking ply is a wood called dakua makadre. The interior grade is glued with a PVA and cuts beautifully. The edges are not really brown, closer to beige. However, when you engrave it, the wood simply volatilizes and it looks like you used a metal tool to engrave it. We use the exterior ply with phenolic glue to engrave maps of Fiji and as you soon as you bust throught the thin cap you get a beautiful black mark. Great contrast. But do not try to cut the map out with a laser!

[Mike vonBuelow]

Concur that the Birch at Lowes is way more laser-friendly than their Oak !