Materials
Material Guides for CNC, Laser, and 3D Printing
Half of every failed project is a material problem: warped plywood, mystery plastic, the wrong wood for the bit. These guides cover what to feed your machines — and what to never put under a laser.
All material guides
Laser materialsBest Diode Laser MaterialsWhat a 450 nm diode laser handles well — basswood, ply, slate, leatherette, coated metal — what it can't touch, and what's banned outright.
Laser materialsAcrylic vs Wood (Laser)Choosing between acrylic and wood for laser work: machine requirements, cast vs extruded acrylic, edge finish, costs, and which sells where.
CNC materialsBest Woods for CNCCNC woods ranked by forgiveness: why poplar beats pine for learning, when to graduate to walnut and maple, and how to buy flat stock without a jointer.
MaterialsPlywood for Laser & CNCBaltic birch vs big-box plywood vs MDF for machine work: voids, glue types, laser-friendliness, warp, where to buy 3 mm sheets, and what each material costs per project.
MaterialsCast vs Extruded AcrylicWhy cast acrylic engraves frosty-white and extruded stays clear, which cuts cleaner, diode vs CO2 color rules, flame polishing, and how to buy the right sheet every time.
MaterialsEpoxy for MakersDeep-pour vs tabletop epoxy, CNC inlay workflow that avoids bubbles and leaks, coloring with mica and tint, safety that matters, and a shopping list that covers first pours.
MaterialsLeather for LasersWhich leathers laser safely (vegetable-tanned) and which to refuse (chrome-tanned), settings for engraving and cutting, faux leather warnings, and a blanks-based product line.