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LM3 Diode Cut Soy Foam For Tool Inserts - Safety and Settings?

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Laser
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2023-06-29

Greetings!
I’m looking into how to cut foam from “Appalachian Tough” (via Amazon). Their product is called “Appalachian Tough Gun Case Foam Padding by Carolina Custom Foam High Density Foam”, 1.5 Inches thick to use for tool box-like inserts. Their item description says the foam is “two times as firm as stock case foam, and replaces the petroleum with soy”. I have read about the three types of foam considered “safe” for laser cutting and I realize this will likely give off fumes.
My questions are:

1. Has anyone tried to cut this foam product or similar?
2. Anyone see any red flags such as noxious gasses or otherwise?
3. Anyone have a suggested Diode LM3 10W Cut settings for Power and Speed?
Thanks!
Gary
Ortur LM3 10W Windows 10 OS Lightburn 1.3.01

C

    • Darren

      2023-06-30
      Apart from the unknown chemistry, a diode laser almost certainly cannot apply sufficient focused energy to cut through a 1.5 inch = 40 mm foam slab.

To verify, cut something like black paper. Set it up normally to get good results at the focus point, then move the paper 40 mm below that level without refocusing. I suspect the spot will become so large as to be completely harmless.

Multiple passes with different focus levels might work, but maintaining alignment without charring the top edges of the cut by a beam focused near the bottom will be … challenging.
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