====== VHS Laser Cutter Approved Materials ======
Only the following materials may be cut or engraved on the [[tool:redsail_cm1080_laser_cutter|VHS Laser Cutter]]. If the material you wish to cut is not listed, please see: [[tool:laser_cutter:MSDS|How do I get a new material approved?]]
 
Settings are provided here as a starting point. Always do test cuts to find optimal settings.

===== Papers =====
^ Material					^ Mode		^ Speed	^ Power	^ Corner Power	^ Passes	^ Notes ^
| Card Stock					| Etch		| 35	| 10	| 10		| 1		|    |
| Card Stock					| Cut		| 35	| 35	| 25		| 1		|    |
| Heavy paper					| Cut		| 200	| 20	| 20		| 1		| Worked barely; long straight cuts needed multiple passes, and a few corners were missed. Use lower speed |
| Picture Matting				| Cut		| 40	| 50	| 40		| 1		|    |
| Corrugated Cardboard			|			|		|		|			|		|		|

===== Woods =====
Please avoid the use of woods with any water, sap, or a high proportion of glue. They quickly clog the filtration system and leave substantial residue on the laser cutter.

^ Material					^ Mode		^ Speed	^ Power	^ Corner Power	^ Passes	^ Notes ^
| Plywood 1/4" Birch				| Cut		| 40	| 50	| 45		| 2		| From Home Depot ~$50 for 8'x4' |
| Plywood 1/8" Birch				| Cut		| 24	| 55	| 55		| 1		| From Windsor Plywood ~$17 for 5'x5' |
| Plywood 1/8" Maple| Cut		| 24	| 55	| 55		| 1		| |
| Plywood 1/8" Birch				| Etch		| 80	| 28	| 28		| 1		| Deep etching, excellent for countersinking screw holes |
| Plywood 4.2mm FSC Virola			| Cut		| 40	| 50	| 45		| 2		| From Home Depot ~$20 for 8'x4' SKU 1000-125618 (Tom)|
| Plywood 1/4" Flooring underlay	| Cut		| 12	| 60	| 60		| 1		| From Home Depot ~$9 for 4'x4' |


===== Plastics =====
^ Material					^ Mode		^ Speed	^ Power	^ Corner Power	^ Passes	^ Notes ^
| Acrylic - 1/4"				| Cut		| 10	| 55	| 55		| 1		|    |
| Acrylic - 1/16"				| Cut		| 20	| 60	| 60		| 1		|    |
| Acrylic - 4.5mm   | Cut   | 23   | 50   | 50   | 1  |
| Polypropylene (0.75mm)			| Cut		| 30	| 50	| 45		| 1		| From Yoko-yaya, ideal for painting stencils (John) |
| EVA Foam (very thin, < 4mm)			| Cut		| 	| 	| 		| 1		| Michaels |
| EVA Foam (thin, ~1/4")			| Cut		| 	| 	| 		| 1		| Bought online, could not find locally |
| EVA Foam (thick, 1/2" floor mats)		| Cut		| 30	| 50	| 50		| 1		| Canadian Tire, Home Depot, etc. |
| PET/PETG (e.g. Mylar(tm) )			| Cut		| 	| 	| 		| 1		|  |
| PET/PETG (1/16")				| Cut		| 30	| 45	| 		| 1		| From Associated Plastics |
| Kapton Polyimide Film				|		|	|	|		|		| [[http://wcam.engr.wisc.edu/Public/Safety/MSDS/Kapton%20Polyimide%20Film%20-%20Dupont.pdf|MSDS]] |
| Styrene - 2mm					| Cut		| 	| 	| 		| 1		| 2mm white styrene sheet from hobby stores   |

===== Fabric =====
^ Material					^ Mode		^ Speed	^ Power	^ Corner Power	^ Passes	^ Notes ^
| Leather (Vegetable Tanned)					| Cut		| 	| 	| 		| 1		|  |
| Felt				| Cut		| 100	| 25	| 		| 1		|    |

===== Other =====
^ Material					^ Mode		^ Speed	^ Power	^ Corner Power	^ Passes	^ Notes ^
| Application Tape | | | | | | Small amounts used for masking |
| Painters Tape | | | | | | Small amounts used for masking |
| Laserbond100 Marking Spray | | | | | | Aerosol propellants are nasty - ensure the coating has fully dried before lasering |
| Cermark 6000 Marking Spray | | | | | | Aerosol propellants are nasty - ensure the coating has fully dried before lasering |


===== Etch Only =====
^ Material					^ Mode		^ Speed	^ Power	^ Corner Power	^ Passes	^ Notes ^
| Anodized Aluminum| Vector Etch		| 	| 	| 		| 1		| 

====== Banned Materials ======
The following is a non-exhaustive list of materials that must not be cut or engraved on the [[tool:redsail_cm1080_laser_cutter|VHS Laser Cutter]]. 

^ Material			^ Reason ^
| Wet or 'raw' wood             | Clogs up filter BADLY |
| MDF, HDF, Ply, and reconstructed wood  | Clogs up filter BADLY |
| Coroplast                     | Clogs up filter BADLY |
| Lexan/Polycarbonate/Makrolon		| Dense black smoke and toxic fumes - bisphenol a (BPA), phenol, and more |
| ABS				| Dense black smoke and toxic fumes - cyanide and styrene gases |
| PVC, Vinyl    		| Toxic and corrosive fumes - chlorine gas |
| Neoprene (polychloroprene)	| Toxic and corrosive fumes - chlorine gas |
| Foam core			| Dense black smoke and toxic fumes - styrene gas (carcinogenic, toxic to the nervous system and upper respiratory tract; classified as "very toxic") |
| Delrin			| Toxic fumes - formaldehyde |
| Moleskine notebook covers	| Toxic fumes - chlorine - See Polymer burnination link at bottom|
| Carbon Fiber | Hazardous dust |
| Fiberglass | Hazardous dust |
| Printed Circuit board | Hazardous dust |
| Chrome Tanned Leather | Toxic/hazardous fumes |


====== Provisionally Approved ======
The following materials have been provisionally approved by the Laser Cutter Committee for testing: 

^ Material					^ Mode		^ Speed	^ Power	^ Corner Power	^ Passes	^ Notes ^
| Cork					| Cut 		| TBD	| TBD	| TBD		| TBD		|    |
| Cork					| Etch 		| TBD	| TBD	| TBD		| TBD		|    |

====== FURTHER INFORMATION ======

  * [[tool:redsail_cm1080_laser_cutter|Redsail CM1080 Laser Cutter]]
  * [[tool:laser_cutter:operation_manual|Operation Manual]]
  * [[tool:laser_cutter:workflow_tips|General Workflow Tips]]
  * [[http://www.adafruit.com/blog/?p=16409|Determining Kerf]]
  * [[https://vanhack.ca/doku.php?id=tool:laser_cutter:identifying_unknown_polymers|Identifying Unknown Polymers]] -  **READ THIS BEFORE CUTTING UNKNOWN MATERIALS**
  * [[http://www.pololu.com/docs/0J24/3|Pololu banned materials list]] - Some of their allowable settings are different because they have a different(read: expensive) fume/ventilation system