MAKING PLYWOOD FOOD SAFE

from Laser Focused July/August 2023

ENGRAVING ON GLASS WITH A CO2 LASER

Guest Contributor: Mia Juliane Mogensen, MiMo Design

I get asked this question a lot, since I make products and files for serving and displaying food. I’ve been making charcuterie boards since I started my career 2 years ago. I began with beeswax, but after continually rinsing, found it comes off and needs re-treating. I simply asked in our local hardware store and was directed to varnish for countertops, which is therefore food safe. After testing it myself, I found it worked way better than the wax and now offer the information to you.

Plywood is NOT foodsafe by itself - the adhesive between the layers are toxic and you or your customers could get sick by food that is in direct contact with the adhesive between layers. The surface however is safe, but the toxic glue can penetrate if the plywood gets wet or hot. So if you want to use plywood for these types of products, you HAVE TO make them foodsafe!

I personally love using varnishes that are meant for kitchen countertops. Not only am I able to get mine in various colors from LUXENS*, I can also get this as clear coating and clear spray, so I am able to use my regular stain/paint and make it food safe as well. Also varnish will leave a smooth and shiny surface, which is water resistant and easy to clean by simply rinsing the boards.

All stains/varnish etc. will eventually be food safe once cured for a month, but if you don’t have that patience, choose products that are already made for food contact.

How to seal your products correctly:

• Once you have cut your layers, use damp towels, baby wipes, a toothbrush or similar to scrub/ rub residue from all your cut edges. Repeat until you don’t see anymore nasty stuff coming off.

• Let dry and once dry, give everything a good sanding (I use 240 grit), blow off or wipe off dust.

• Now stain/treat your parts and remember to seal the edges that will be in contact with the food as these are the most toxic parts.

• I use foam brushes when applying my varnish, but pick what you like working with.

• After my first layer is cured, I give it a very light sand to smoothen the varnish - brush off dust and give it a second coat before gluing the parts together. Optionally you could spray it with a clear coat of your food graded sealer once dry.

Using plywood for these types of projects is more time consuming than using hardwood or food safe acrylics to begin with. But it IS possible to do it with a clean conscience as long as you treat your plywood properly and it’s a cheaper alternative to real wood.

*LUXENS is a brand by Leroy Merlin, so you might not be able to find it, where you are located, but I’m sure you can find alternative brands of varnish. (Editor’s Note: Do your research but it appears RUST-OLEUM Zinsser Bull’s Eye Clear Shellac Spray is a fast-drying, North American alternative.) Alternatively you can seal with Shellac that is labeled as food grade.

**Disclaimer: Please do your research with the products you use and check local regulations.

You may find opportunity in having discussions with your store owner about placing your items with complimentary items, sometimes we cannot always see potential until someone else points this out. Remember that this is a partnership and you may bring ideas to the table as well.

Pros and Cons

In closing, there are pros and cons to offering your items on consignment. In general you will likely see higher revenue but this may take time to build and can be a lot of work between maintaining inventory levels, to the relationship, to loss prevention. Wholesale yields an immediate payment but you are typically only going to receive 50% of what your item will sell for retail and the hope is that for those items that sell well the business will submit many re-orders. You can always adjust your pricing but again you must keep in mind what the market will bear.

Consignment has been a great way for my products to get into the community and has allowed me the opportunity to cultivate some amazing business relationships that have resulted in other opportunities. The initial work may seem daunting but the benefits have far outweighed the risks. Do the research, cultivate the relationships, have good documentation and be flexible and your consignment journey can be just as successful!

Sara is the owner of Coral and Cove Co. a small laser business based on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. You can reach out to her at hello@coralandcoveco.com or visit her website www. CoralandCoveCo.com.

the lines. The outline and details of the top flower were changed to blue ( for scoring). In the Objects Docker, the bottom object is locked so that when the Segment Delete Tool is used only segments on the top object are deleted. The Segment Delete Tool can then be used to remove the blue outline on areas intended to be cut out on the laser. After using the Segment Delete Tool red and blue outlines remain which then become the cut and score lines.

The ability to create beautiful, complex pieces of wood inlay art is within your reach, even if you feel you don’t possess the necessary drawing skills. Corel Draw, coupled with your imagination, can transform basic shapes into showpieces. So, roll up your sleeves and channel your inner artist.

Jamie Bowser owns The Hands That Shape, LLC with her husband Mathew. Their wonderful products and designs can be found at art and crafts shows in the Minnesota area, select retailers or on their website: www.thehandsthatshape.com.

Winter Sled

Before you begin

This was made with 2 sheets of 1/8” MDF and 1 sheet of 1/4“ Maple. The boards are named for their material thickness.

There is one score layer on Sled2_EighthInch. svg. Do not cut it!You will want to paint 2 boards (on both sides) Red before you cut.

How I Painted the Boards:

Sled1_EighthInch.svg - Red Sled2_EighthInch.svg - Red Sled3_QuarterInch.svg - Natural Wood

Step 1

Position 2 of the Upright Support Pieces as shown and fit the Center Connector into the slots provided. You will make 3 of these.

Step 2

Glue the Center Supports to one of the Outside Rails. Gluing the second Outside Rail is easier if you start at one side and line up the tabs as you go.

Step 3

Slide the Tabbed Cross Pieces into place as shown. It will fit into the slots on the rails and the center support. A small amount of glue can be used in the slot to hold them in place.

Step 4

Fit the Cross Braces over the Tabbed Cross Pieces. Use gentle but firm pressure. Add Glue on the Tabbed Cross Pieces to help secure the Cross Braces in place.

Step 5

Glue the Top Sled Slats into place as shown. Make sure you are placing the boards in the order shown.

Step 6

Glue the Front Sled Brace onto the front rails as shown.

Step 7

Glue the Front Sled Overlay together as shown. The 2-Pin connector will be glued from the underneath.

Step 8

Glue the top overlay onto the Front Sled Brace and the Center Board. The 2-Pin Connector with be glued from underneath the center board. The Steering arms will rest on the tabs on the Outside Rails. You can add a small amount of glue for added support.