I’ve been using the CNC module pretty heavily on .5-.75" thick hardwoods. I am then lasering images to the tops. Swapping out the beds between these operations is a pain. Plus I’ve have thick wood slide on me while lasering ruining the job with the stupid little silicone plugs. I’m sure the laser bed is metal and black as to prevent burning in the event you are either cutting through material or run off your work piece accidently. For just topical burns w/ no plans to burn thru is there any reason I shouldn’t use the MDF CNC bed? I’d much prefer to clamp the work down. I would have to recalibrate the laser as it’s set to the bed height of the metal plates and the MDF is thicker.
As long as you’re not going beyond the edge (and even if you are and don’t mind scorching the wasteboard) there’s no reason not to. I do it all the time, especially with stuff that’s combo cnc/laser. You’re not going to cut all the way through the wasteboard even if you tried.
As you note you just have to adjust for the height of the wasteboard vs. the height of the laser plates. (or manual focus)
-S
Also just be careful of saw dust… during changeover dust falls away from the machine, without that it could build up on your material and bed. Sawdust can ignight easily when a laser zaps it, creating a fire Hazzard. So just be careful, don’t want to hear about your house burning down
Haha yeah good point. I’ve been vacuuming it as it goes typically to minimize clean-up at the end.
I did have the laser run over night a couple times but I kept having nightmares my garage was on fire so the hazard is not lost on me.
