Laser cut MDF

[Adam Bark]

Anybody know how much MDF the laser cutter can get through? I'd like to
cut some patterns out of 19 mm board if possible.

Thanks,
Adam.

[Don Smeller]

Adam,

The examples of what we can cut are stacked on the shelves by the laser computer. 19mm will not be represented. Probably 12mm is the thickest.
I have started the cut in 3/4” plywood (19mm), got about 2/3 of the way through, and finished the cut with a band saw.
It’s not pretty, it’s not quick, but it does the job better than one can do without the laser.

Don S

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[Mike Garis]

Yea I that at 80 watts the best we can do is about 12mm (about 1/2in) I have seen techniques to cut thicker that involve flipping the material over and cutting it again from the other side. The problem with this of course is having a reversed pattern to load, and indexing the laser and the material to line up.

- Mike G.

[TJ]

What prevents running it 3-4 times to MDF thickness?  Is a delay between cycles needed to clear the smoke?

[Mike Garis]

Someone might need to correct or clarify for me, but the problem I think is that the cutting point has to be focused to a particular depth, and cuts not at that depth are not as effective, or far enough out not really effective at all, I think.

- Mike G.