When operated improperly or with unapproved materials, laser cutters can cause serious dangers.
Use this guide to determine what materials can and cannot be used with the Glowforge.
Accepted Materials
Thickness varies by material. The Glowforge can cut some ½” (13mm) hardwood and acrylic; for best results, ¼” (6mm) or thinner materials are recommended. The Library has a selection of Proofgrade material that can be purchased for use in the Glowforge.
|
Material Type |
Cuts |
Engraves |
|
Wood |
ü |
ü |
|
Acrylic (cast or non-toxic) |
ü |
ü |
|
Cardboard (with supervision) |
ü |
ü |
|
Cork |
ü |
ü |
|
Leather |
ü |
ü |
|
Paper |
ü |
ü |
|
Fabric |
ü |
ü |
|
Glass |
û |
ü |
|
Ceramic Tile |
û |
ü |
|
Marble |
û |
ü |
|
Anonidzed Aluminum |
û |
ü |
|
Rubber Stamps |
û |
ü |
|
Titanium |
û |
ü |
|
Stone |
û |
ü |
|
Corian |
û |
ü |
|
Slate |
û |
ü |
**Initially, only Proofgrade acrylic and wood may be used.
Library staff must approve all non-Proofgrade material.
We reserve the right to refuse material if we deem it to be unsafe or inappropriate.
Testing Material
For non-standard or specialty materials, we recommend supplying a separate piece of material (recommended at least 2” x 4”) for the Library Staff to test and determine the correct Laser settings. This testing is covered by the $2.00 setup fee per material submitted. We will do our best to determine suitable settings, but depending on the results of the testing, the Library may not be able to perform your job exactly as submitted.
We will not replace damaged testing material.