Need Help! Is it possible to cut Plywood with a CO2 laser?


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Thread: Is it possible to cut Plywood with a CO2 laser?

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    Default Is it possible to cut Plywood with a CO2 laser?

    I have a 150W laser cutter and somebody has asked me if it was capable of cutting plywood. What are your experiences with laser cutting machines and plywood? Is is possible or is it a no-go? What power is needed for which thickness?

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    Not that this is going to help much. But, I have a 40w laser and am cutting up to 1/4" plywood in one pass. It requires full power and a very slow speed. Plywood is a little difficult for my machine as it depends on how much of the bonding agent is used in the construction of the plywood. But, yes, you can cut plywood.

    Milt



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    Yes it will cut plywood.
    How thick? Depends on the quality you need. Guys making steel rule dies use 400W CO2 lasers to cut 1/2" and 3/4" plywood. They need straight sides. With lower power, you will end up with a tapered cut. Depending on what the cutting is for, it may or may not be acceptable. Just try it and see.

    Matt



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    150W I could see you getting through 3/4". Whether the end product will be acceptable and if it's worth the time (I expect the machine to run pretty slowly) will be the real questions.

    I'd buy a 1/4 or 1/2 sheet and test it out. It's worth the $30 to gain the knowledge.



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    Company Representative Melody-gweike's Avatar
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    150W can cut plywood. But too thick plywood can not be OK.



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    yes, CO2 laser can cut plywood,but for different thickness, the cutting speed is different.

    Phone: +86-15550002101
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    Stay away from exterior type plywoods. The glues make it very difficult. Baltic Birch is one of the best for cutting by laser



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    Default QX Laser Machine Cut 18-20mm wood

    Hi TurkishDelight,

    We had cut 18-20mm 5-layers board by 150W Reci tube with 180W peal power. Yes no problem for 20mm plywood cutting.

    Ms. Lucy 0086-18254116182
    Jinan Quanxing Mechanical Equipment Co.,Ltd-CNC Router Machine,Woodworking Machine
    Jinan Quanxing Mechanical Equipment Co.,Ltd

    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Is it possible to cut Plywood with a CO2 laser?-sam_1939-jpg  
    Lucy (Jinan Consure Electronic Technology Co.,Ltd) 0086-18254116182
    Web:http://www.jncslaser.com Email: info@jncslaser.com Skype:consurelaser


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    Quote Originally Posted by lucylucky View Post
    We had cut 18-20mm 5-layers board by 150W Reci tube with 180W peal power. Yes no problem for 20mm plywood cutting.
    Cut yes indeed thats thick ply Lucy, with the greatest of respect though the quality of that edge is terrible. It looks more burnt than actually cut.

    best wishes

    Dave



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    Member neilw20's Avatar
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    I suppose you can paint it black.

    Super X3. 3600rpm. Sheridan 6"x24" Lathe + more. THREE ways to fix things: The RIGHT way, the OTHER way, and maybe YOUR way, which is possibly a FASTER WRONG WAY!


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    It's a heat element that is cutting. It's always going to burn. If you look at the edge, it's also far from straight.

    Laser cutting is great for some applications and not so great for others.



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    Registered lucylucky's Avatar
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    Dear Dave, for wood cutting by laser, the cutting edges are always black, no matter thick or thin. So some more clients use cnc router for woodworking. If clients accept that effection, they will find way to solve the black part.

    Lucy


    Quote Originally Posted by Exsecratio View Post
    Cut yes indeed thats thick ply Lucy, with the greatest of respect though the quality of that edge is terrible. It looks more burnt than actually cut.

    best wishes

    Dave


    Lucy (Jinan Consure Electronic Technology Co.,Ltd) 0086-18254116182
    Web:http://www.jncslaser.com Email: info@jncslaser.com Skype:consurelaser


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    1/4" is butter, 1/2" is a task. Much thicker than that and I won't even try.

    It should be noted that cutting thick plywood is an extreme fire hazard. You will need a strong air blast to clear the kerf. If your air blast is not strong enough the effect is more akin to blowing on an ember to start a fire. Long deep cuts, combined with the fact that you probably won't make it through in one pass, channels that air along your cut keeping the burning going a very long time.

    Adding that to the fact that plywood is layered and sometimes has voids or holes inside that you can't see makes for a very interesting afternoon with the laser. Ask how I know

    If I were to do it again, I would not do it again.

    Don't even try with the stock "fart cannon" oilless compressor that comes with your machine. That POS is akin to fanning a fire. If you must I'd have a sand bucket or insurance policy ready.



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    Default Re: Is it possible to cut Plywood with a CO2 laser?

    Is it possible to cut Plywood with a CO2 laser?-img_20141021_135720-jpg

    I know this is an old thread but thought i'd share my 3/4" plywood test cut. I did this on a Mitsubishi LV using a 1/4" stainless tech table. My piece of plywood wasn't perfectly flat so I used the control box to adjust the standoff as it cut, too high and a fire would start underneath, too low and the kerf suddenly got really big.



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    Default Re: Is it possible to cut Plywood with a CO2 laser?

    Quote Originally Posted by mondo50m View Post
    Not that this is going to help much. But, I have a 40w laser and am cutting up to 1/4" plywood in one pass. It requires full power and a very slow speed. Plywood is a little difficult for my machine as it depends on how much of the bonding agent is used in the construction of the plywood. But, yes, you can cut plywood.

    Milt

    Hey Milt, I know this is in response to you pose from 5 years ago, but I had a question for you.

    You said you have used a 40W laser to cut 1/4" ply, is that using air assist? What do you think the thickest plywood could be and still be able to cut it with a tube like that?

    Thanks!

    -Cole



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    Default Re: Is it possible to cut Plywood with a CO2 laser?

    1/4 plywood with a 40 watt is possible with very slow speed and full power and probably 2 passes.yes air assist



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    Hello! I’ve just finished my construction. I needed a large amount of high-quality plywood. I read the reviews and decided to order from these guys www.plyterra.com. The quality of plywood is just excellent and the price is reasonable. In general, I was very pleased. I advise it to everyone!



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Is it possible to cut Plywood with a CO2 laser?

Is it possible to cut Plywood with a CO2 laser?