I may be the only one, but watching the laser do circles is mesmerizing -- the little drop after a cut is a bonus 😂. Thanks for checking out that resource for plywood for us! It's nice to know our options.
I’m glad the footage of it cutting is appreciated. I try to give a feel for what it’s doing without extending the video too much. But it sure is fun to watch when the pieces drop like that.
@@drewmihelich3232 , I'm so happy to know there's other people that think the off cut is worth something. I look at all those perfectly cut little shapes from my Burns and can't bear to throw them away. I have baggies full of different shapes. I don't know what to do with them, but I know they're good for something!
New subscriber here. I love your content. I got my 10-watt diode about a month ago, I've been nerding out on it everyday. Naturally I already want a more powerful, faster laser! Truth be told by the end of the year I'll probably have a fiber and a CO2. For my hobbies, I don't plan on starting a business. Everybody's telling me I should, but there's some things I just do for my own enjoyment. This is how every hobby goes for me. I got started on drones... I have five of them now. I also fly everyday. But when it's raining and extremely hot outside I have another imdoor hobby I can get into. Everybody was like started business with your drones, you can do real estate and this and that and the other. I did a little bit, never got my part 107 license. Again, I fly drones for personal enjoyment. Whether it be my mavic 3, or my Avada... Anyway super stoked to have found your channel. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.
This can absolutely be a great hobby and not a side hustle or full time job. Many people feel they need to make their money back but that adds a lot of stress. I've been flying RC for many years and I do enjoy the drones as well. Great to have you aboard as a subscriber!
That's all I use with my Omtech laser. I order online from Home Depot and Columbia Forest Products drops ships to me usually in two days. I love that material.
I’ve actually had pretty good luck with material from amazon specifically in the 1/8” or 3mm thickness. I have no experience with 1/4” material or material from HD so I couldn’t really compare. Thanks for sharing your testing results. I’m excited to try cutting some 1/4” with my xtool s1 40w. I have a whole slew of router jigs I’ve designed and don’t think 3mm material will be quite sturdy enough. Also pretty sick of waiting for my 3d printer when needing a new router jig.
I got a full sheet of that birch plywood the other day for a little under 50 bucks. I cut it down with a jigsaw without any trouble. The plywood makes good project material. I made a 3D map of my town and it came out nice. Looking at making more projects this week.
I wish I could find larger sheets of this exact material but the best I can find is maybe some 4x4 sheets that I would have to have ordered to my local HD store. I might try that, but the cost per square foot is about the same as these panels.
I've been liking the wood so far for its consistency. I just wish I could get it in larger sheets from my local store. But a nice option for home delivery.
Glad to hear it's working well for you! I use it on projects that need a consistent material that is not solid hardwood. I continue to like it. I just wish my local store stocked the larger sheets of it.
By the way im the proud owner of a new K40 CO2 laser , it will go nice with my 20w and 10w and 5.5w diode setups , smaller bed then im use to ( mine are 300mm x 300mm and 420mm x 400mm ) now my shop has 4 laser engravers a Mill a Lathe and a furnace smelter plus making rings from coins ! I m having a blast !
Steve - another good video. I've tried HD project panels and found them to be a bit wonky. I wasn't aware of these boxed boards until your video. I'm going to give it a try. Can we get a copy of your materials test files? I have a D1 Pro20watt and the size of your test file is much better than what I can produce in LB. Thx
I have done this as well. I wish my local HD stocked any sheets of this specific material so I could customize the size of the panels but it’s also nice to have an option I can recommend that is shippable for those who need it.
@@productofyoursociety1202 Yes they do, however at least at my local Home Depot they do not sell this style of plywood. So I have to order it. They have other plywood but it’s a much lower quality.
Thank you! I’m taking bits from a few others and combining it with my own test grid of circles. The card is a bit bigger but I find using slightly larger circles gives a better test of how it will work on most jobs.
Due to the cost of shipping it will be hard to find anything over about 12x20" in the us without paying a lot of freight charges. Local stores vary wildly in what they have so it would be hard to recommend something that I can find locally but might not be available elsewhere. What I would do for larger material is see if you have a local hardwood dealer and ask them what plywoods they can bring in. You'll want something that has a finsh grade veneer and hopefully a poplar core or a light MDF core. From there it will be some trial and error to see if it works well on your specific machine.
@@Vintauri awesome insight thanks for the reply. I was thinking just going to home Depot and cutting up a full sheet of maple plywood but maybe that's not the best option.?
I’ve discovered material from Home Depot that’s very economical. RightPly 1/16” and 1/8”. Sold in 4x8 sheets but I have them cut down to 32” x 48” so I can fit them in my vehicle.
I’m curious about the speeds. I thought the XTool D1 Pro had a max speed of 400mm/sec. Correction: I just noticed your test files are set for mm/min. Thanks for the video.
400mm/sec is 24000mm/min. I work more in mm/min for all my diode lasers so I keep with that for easier comparison of test results. I maxed out at 12500mm/min in these tests so not close to its max speed.
I'm building out this test card to get it to where I like it and then I will share it out for people to use as well. Hopefully will have it dialed in soon.
I’ve tried the Revolution ply from Lowes and it’s too inconsistent. I would get many areas where there was a glue pocket that would kit cut through. I have not tried the 1/4” Oak from HD yet. I’ll have to see if my local store has a decent sheet of it.
I cut them out a while ago. I have the files available but you'll need to adjust them to the size of the slots of your own honeycomb. drive.google.com/file/d/1IziIawfo-_vlDqqAGoxoRSRkeyYLPo4c/view
I agree these should have enclosures to run safely. I designed and built the enclosure for my original xTool D1. ua-cam.com/video/s9-WTAgyG8I/v-deo.html&ab_channel=Vintauri
Thicker plywoods are hit or miss. Most diode lasers have a limited focus range of about 3mm so as you go through thicker material your beam looses focus and the cut is less effective. Some newer lasers have a powered Z axis and can step down some, but there is only so much distance before the module hits. I've had the best luck with the Atomstack A70, that has a focal spot that is further from the module and more power to do the cut.
I checked out the price at Home Depot and its not that cheap ! You get 10 for $50 = $5 each ! You could buy 4' x 4' sheets and cut them ( store will also cut for you ) 1/4" 16 pieces for $12 making your cost =.75 cents each BIG DIFFERENCE but they did charge me $3 to cut it up at 12" x 12" for a total of $15 for 16 panels ! no brainer i think ! lol
My local Home Depot does not stock this plywood in larger sheets. The 1/4” material they do stock is much lower quality. If you can get bigger sheets that’s great but be sure it’s the same quality.
seems very overpriced! HD also sells 1/4" birch in 4'x4' sheets for the same price. That will give you an additional 7 square feet (16 square feet vs 9 square feet) for the same price. That's a per square foot price difference of $4.90 versus $2.90! And it's even better than that because you can custom cut the blank sizes you need depending on your project, which will reduce waste.
Not everyone has the same material available to them at each store, or they might not even have a Home Depot close to them to be able to pick up the larger sheets. My local Home Depot does not sell the same material in larger sheets. I wish they did as I'd love to cut them down on my table saw. You are correct that it's not the cheapest option, rather, this is an option that can be shipped to your house and in a size that is manageable without extra tools.
I may be the only one, but watching the laser do circles is mesmerizing -- the little drop after a cut is a bonus 😂. Thanks for checking out that resource for plywood for us! It's nice to know our options.
I’m glad the footage of it cutting is appreciated. I try to give a feel for what it’s doing without extending the video too much. But it sure is fun to watch when the pieces drop like that.
It grabs my eyes just like a campfire.
@@drewmihelich3232 , I'm so happy to know there's other people that think the off cut is worth something. I look at all those perfectly cut little shapes from my Burns and can't bear to throw them away. I have baggies full of different shapes. I don't know what to do with them, but I know they're good for something!
New subscriber here. I love your content. I got my 10-watt diode about a month ago, I've been nerding out on it everyday. Naturally I already want a more powerful, faster laser! Truth be told by the end of the year I'll probably have a fiber and a CO2. For my hobbies, I don't plan on starting a business. Everybody's telling me I should, but there's some things I just do for my own enjoyment. This is how every hobby goes for me. I got started on drones... I have five of them now. I also fly everyday. But when it's raining and extremely hot outside I have another imdoor hobby I can get into.
Everybody was like started business with your drones, you can do real estate and this and that and the other. I did a little bit, never got my part 107 license. Again, I fly drones for personal enjoyment. Whether it be my mavic 3, or my Avada...
Anyway super stoked to have found your channel. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.
This can absolutely be a great hobby and not a side hustle or full time job. Many people feel they need to make their money back but that adds a lot of stress. I've been flying RC for many years and I do enjoy the drones as well. Great to have you aboard as a subscriber!
Thank you for sharing. Everyone stay safe, warm, happy and healthy. From Henrico County Virginia
im in chesterfield!
That's all I use with my Omtech laser. I order online from Home Depot and Columbia Forest Products drops ships to me usually in two days. I love that material.
Yeah I’m liking it so far! I’ll have a small project video out soon using it as well. It’s nice that it can be shipped easily to at least the US.
I’ve actually had pretty good luck with material from amazon specifically in the 1/8” or 3mm thickness. I have no experience with 1/4” material or material from HD so I couldn’t really compare. Thanks for sharing your testing results. I’m excited to try cutting some 1/4” with my xtool s1 40w. I have a whole slew of router jigs I’ve designed and don’t think 3mm material will be quite sturdy enough. Also pretty sick of waiting for my 3d printer when needing a new router jig.
Excellent video, would definitely would like the file for your test pattern when available.
I hope to tweak it a little more and then I'll be sure to share it out for others to use.
I got a full sheet of that birch plywood the other day for a little under 50 bucks. I cut it down with a jigsaw without any trouble. The plywood makes good project material. I made a 3D map of my town and it came out nice. Looking at making more projects this week.
I wish I could find larger sheets of this exact material but the best I can find is maybe some 4x4 sheets that I would have to have ordered to my local HD store. I might try that, but the cost per square foot is about the same as these panels.
Isn't it amazing that we know the imperial system which includes fractions and decimals, then also the metric system. I'm happy to know them all!
Yeah working with CNC routers and lasers has really pushed me to be able to jump between metric and imperial measurements more easily!
I am finally stepping up to a larger format laser so I am really looking forward to trying these.
very good comparison between 10/20 watt laser. and the wood looks like it could be very useful on some projects.
I've been liking the wood so far for its consistency. I just wish I could get it in larger sheets from my local store. But a nice option for home delivery.
Thank you for the detailed info.
You bet!
I got the 1/4 inch from HD and it’s been pretty good for me.
Glad to hear it's working well for you! I use it on projects that need a consistent material that is not solid hardwood. I continue to like it. I just wish my local store stocked the larger sheets of it.
I use these panels in maple for coasters I make. They are a perfect fit for my We Creat Vision.
cool. where do you buy them? is your we creat vision a 10w as well?
By the way im the proud owner of a new K40 CO2 laser , it will go nice with my 20w and 10w and 5.5w diode setups , smaller bed then im use to ( mine are 300mm x 300mm and 420mm x 400mm ) now my shop has 4 laser engravers a Mill a Lathe and a furnace smelter plus making rings from coins ! I m having a blast !
Steve - another good video. I've tried HD project panels and found them to be a bit wonky. I wasn't aware of these boxed boards until your video. I'm going to give it a try. Can we get a copy of your materials test files? I have a D1 Pro20watt and the size of your test file is much better than what I can produce in LB. Thx
I do plan on sharing the test file once I get it tweaked to my liking.
For those with a small car, like me, I bring along a small cordless circular saw and t square to cut large sheets down to fit in car.
I have done this as well. I wish my local HD stocked any sheets of this specific material so I could customize the size of the panels but it’s also nice to have an option I can recommend that is shippable for those who need it.
Home depot has a saw in the back and will cut it down for you. I do it all the time.
@@productofyoursociety1202 Yes they do, however at least at my local Home Depot they do not sell this style of plywood. So I have to order it. They have other plywood but it’s a much lower quality.
I like your test file
Thank you! I’m taking bits from a few others and combining it with my own test grid of circles. The card is a bit bigger but I find using slightly larger circles gives a better test of how it will work on most jobs.
Do you sell your test file?
Could you share the test SVG ?
Thanks. Very useful.
Hi. These are 12inches wide. Do you recommended anything similar that is 24inches wide? Thank you.
Due to the cost of shipping it will be hard to find anything over about 12x20" in the us without paying a lot of freight charges. Local stores vary wildly in what they have so it would be hard to recommend something that I can find locally but might not be available elsewhere. What I would do for larger material is see if you have a local hardwood dealer and ask them what plywoods they can bring in. You'll want something that has a finsh grade veneer and hopefully a poplar core or a light MDF core. From there it will be some trial and error to see if it works well on your specific machine.
@@Vintauri awesome insight thanks for the reply. I was thinking just going to home Depot and cutting up a full sheet of maple plywood but maybe that's not the best option.?
I’ve discovered material from Home Depot that’s very economical. RightPly 1/16” and 1/8”. Sold in 4x8 sheets but I have them cut down to 32” x 48” so I can fit them in my vehicle.
It looks like they have the 1/5" stuff at my local store, but not anything thinner. I'll have to go check it out.
thank you very much sir, me as new to laser engraving you answerd meny question i had.
i have a qustion, is there any way to flaten sheets?
You can try to flatten the sheets with some moisture and then weighting them down flat and letting them dry. But it does not always work.
I’m curious about the speeds. I thought the XTool D1 Pro had a max speed of 400mm/sec. Correction: I just noticed your test files are set for mm/min. Thanks for the video.
400mm/sec is 24000mm/min. I work more in mm/min for all my diode lasers so I keep with that for easier comparison of test results. I maxed out at 12500mm/min in these tests so not close to its max speed.
Is there some place I can get that second test card? The one with the engraving test on it.
I'm building out this test card to get it to where I like it and then I will share it out for people to use as well. Hopefully will have it dialed in soon.
Do you have a link to your test file?
Have you ever tried lowes revolutionary plywood or home depots 1/4 on oak plywood
I’ve tried the Revolution ply from Lowes and it’s too inconsistent. I would get many areas where there was a glue pocket that would kit cut through. I have not tried the 1/4” Oak from HD yet. I’ll have to see if my local store has a decent sheet of it.
Interesting video,can you give me your material test please
were did you get the wood clamps?
I cut them out a while ago. I have the files available but you'll need to adjust them to the size of the slots of your own honeycomb. drive.google.com/file/d/1IziIawfo-_vlDqqAGoxoRSRkeyYLPo4c/view
Did you DYI the enclosure?
Product like all CNC based laser engraver should have included this by default instead of selling them naked.
I agree these should have enclosures to run safely. I designed and built the enclosure for my original xTool D1. ua-cam.com/video/s9-WTAgyG8I/v-deo.html&ab_channel=Vintauri
Hi, has any one tried to laser cut 1/2 inch birch plywood?
Thicker plywoods are hit or miss. Most diode lasers have a limited focus range of about 3mm so as you go through thicker material your beam looses focus and the cut is less effective. Some newer lasers have a powered Z axis and can step down some, but there is only so much distance before the module hits. I've had the best luck with the Atomstack A70, that has a focal spot that is further from the module and more power to do the cut.
I checked out the price at Home Depot and its not that cheap ! You get 10 for $50 = $5 each ! You could buy 4' x 4' sheets and cut them ( store will also cut for you ) 1/4" 16 pieces for $12 making your cost =.75 cents each BIG DIFFERENCE but they did charge me $3 to cut it up at 12" x 12" for a total of $15 for 16 panels ! no brainer i think ! lol
My local Home Depot does not stock this plywood in larger sheets. The 1/4” material they do stock is much lower quality. If you can get bigger sheets that’s great but be sure it’s the same quality.
seems very overpriced! HD also sells 1/4" birch in 4'x4' sheets for the same price. That will give you an additional 7 square feet (16 square feet vs 9 square feet) for the same price. That's a per square foot price difference of $4.90 versus $2.90! And it's even better than that because you can custom cut the blank sizes you need depending on your project, which will reduce waste.
Not everyone has the same material available to them at each store, or they might not even have a Home Depot close to them to be able to pick up the larger sheets. My local Home Depot does not sell the same material in larger sheets. I wish they did as I'd love to cut them down on my table saw. You are correct that it's not the cheapest option, rather, this is an option that can be shipped to your house and in a size that is manageable without extra tools.