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What are the recommended materials for CO2/Mako Laser Cutters?

Some materials can be harmful or dangerous to use in a laser cutter or engraver. 

Never use the laser cutter on materials that are on the list of not-approved materials - improper use may result in toxic fumes, damage to the machinery, or fire. 

It's a good idea to keep a small squirt-bottle of water nearby, which you can use to carefully extinguish small fires before they become large enough to need a fire extinguisher.

 

APPROVED MATERIALS

NOT APPROVED MATERIALS

Some Wood Varieties:
Most hardwoods, some plywoods, some MDFs*, cork. Baltic Birch plywood is very good for lasering.

(* Formaldehyde free MDF and/or plywood is required by some regulators)

 PVCs (PolyVinyl Chloride), Vinyl, Pleather, Sintra:
Releases highly toxic chlorine gas, which can damage the laser or fume extractor system, and/or cause serious injury if the fumes escape.
Acrylic (Plexiglass):
Cast or extruded, usually in sheets, planks, or rods.		 ABS:
can produce toxic gas and noxious fumes, prone to "dripping" and burning
Certain Plastics:
Delrin, Mylar, Kapton tape, Corian, melamine.		 Polycarbonate (Lexan):
Poor cut quality and singed edges, releases large amounts of carbon monoxide

Paper Products:
Including paper, cardboard, matboard, cardstock.

You may need to disable the Air option in Lightburn to stop the air assist from blowing the paper around.

(Watch carefully, and be ready to extinguish any flame immediately!)

Materials containing halogens:
 (Chlorine, Bromine, Iodine, etc): Some spray paints, stains, and varnishes contain, or break down into, highly reactive compounds - When heated, the gaseous byproducts can be corrosive to the machine or harmful to the user.

Check the MSDS of your coating for "Products of thermal decomposition" before use.
Many Fabrics:
Natural fibers like cotton, silk, and denim. Some synthetics like polyester, acrylic, nylon. NOT vinyl fabric.		 Polystyrene & Styrofoam:
Highly flammable, prone to drippings of flaming plastic - may damage the laser bed or be difficult to remove.
Leather & Suede:
Chrome-tan or veg-tan, 
NOT pleather, faux-leather, or vegan leather, which are often made of vinyl.

(Let the laser vent thoroughly before opening the lid, to avoid inhaling unfiltered fumes)		 Fiberglass, Carbon Fibre,  other composites, (including PCBs):
Toxic fumes and heavy smoke may damage the laser or harm the user.
Rubber:
Stamp rubber, silicone rubber, some other rubbers

HDPE, Polypropylene, Nylon:
Melts and catches fire.
Some foams:
“EVA” foam and kaizen foam can be used safely. - Styrofoam is not recommended.

(All foams are a fire risk! Watch very carefully for flames)		 Teflon, Goretex, PTFE:
Releases highly carcinogenic fumes when burned, and sheds toxic dust from cut edges.
Glass, tile, ceramics, stone:
For etching only, be careful of sharp edges, sharp particles, or breakage from thermal stress.		 'Mystery' Plastic:
Never use “found” plastic without knowing what it’s made of. Check for a recycling stamp or manufacturer’s label to determine what kind of plastic it is before using it in a laser.
Coated metal:
Anodized, painted, or powder-coated metals such as aluminum or stainless-steel can be engraved by removing the coating. Most bare metals will not be affected by the laser.
Shiny, mirror-finish metal should not be used, as reflections can damage the machine interior.