Making Laserable Plywood

Project Contributor: John Kuiphoff, Glowforge For Beginners

The most frequently encountered types of laserable plywood available for purchase are maple, walnut, and cherry, which I like to refer to as vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. While these classic options are great, sometimes you need more variety for your projects.

In this tutorial, we will demonstrate how to create unique laserable plywood using veneer, glue, and MDF. I chose MDF as our core material because it offers excellent stability and consistently dark engraving results.

There are two popular methods for attaching veneer to MDF: using clamps or a vacuum bag. During my live demonstration on Glowforge’s channel, I used clamps since that approach is more accessible. In that demo, I created a series of woodland creatures using multiple types of veneer. However, a vacuum bag provides more consistent results and simplifies the process, so we’ll use that method in this tutorial.

First, I will guide you through the simplest way to create your custom laserable plywood. Then, I’ll show you how to expand upon this technique to produce even more inventive examples with various materials and processes.

Thin sheets of veneer Exotic sample packs work well when getting started.

Sheets of 1/8th MDF Baltic birch plywood can be used as a substitute; MDF is more stable than plywood.

Titebond Coldpress for Veneer Glue https://amzn.to/40w3LjQ https://amzn.to/3TX3rZ0 https://amzn.to/3ZLTNd7

Standard Titebond III wood glue can be used as a substitute. Although, veneer glue is less likely to peek through small pores in your veneer.

Roarockit Thin Air Press Vacuum Bag Kit

The kit comes with everything you need. You might decide to purchase an electric vacuum pump, hose, and adapter later.

Silicone Glue Brush You can use a foam brush or a roller as a substitute.

Wax paper https://amzn.to/3zlJ6TB

This will prevent glue from sticking to the vacuum bag .

Greenstar TransferRite Ultra 582U Medium

Optional

Optional

Finish https://amzn.to/42ZiC7V https://amzn.to/40uUj07 https://amzn.to/3nG4Si8

Step 1: Cut three MDF sheets to the same size as your two wood veneer sheets using a table saw or laser cutter. One sheet will serve as the plywood core, while the other two will be used for stabilizing your piece and can be reused.

Step 2: Apply glue evenly to both sides of the core MDF sheet using a silicone or foam brush. Avoid applying glue directly to the veneer sheets to prevent curling.

Step 3: Attach the veneer sheets to each side of the glued MDF core.

Step 4: Place a wax paper sheet on both the top and bottom of your MDF-veneer assembly.

Step 5: Position an unglued MDF sheet on the top and bottom of the wax paper-covered MDF-veneer assembly.

Step 6: Place the entire assembly into the Roarockit vacuum bag, positioning it directly beneath the nozzle. Insert the provided red ribbon between the nozzle and your assembly.

Step 7: Seal the vacuum bag by pressing the tape firmly.

Step 8: Remove all air from the bag using the supplied hand pump or a vacuum pump. When using the hand pump, you'll know the air has been removed once pumping becomes difficult.

Step 9: Allow the piece to set for at least two hours. Ensure the bond is secure.

Step 10: Removing the piece from the vacuum bag.

Step 11: If necessary, sand away any glue residue from both sides of the veneer sheets.

Step 12: Apply 2-3 coats of spray shellac to each side of your finished piece.

Step 13: Before cutting and/or engraving, apply laser-safe transfer paper to your piece.

Step 14: Laser cut and engrave your custom plywood.

With a grasp on creating laserable plywood, you can now explore different materials and techniques to expand upon the process. For instance, you can simply glue paper to MDF as an alternative to veneer. I've experimented with other materials as well, like using contact cement to attach veneer to a colored-acrylic core. Feel free to get creative with your material choices.

You can also try laser cutting two or more veneer sheets to create inlay-style patterns. In these examples, I used transfer paper to position the smaller pieces into their designated spaces before adhering the entire sheet to the MDF.

Currently, my favorite method involves constructing thick cutting boards from various hardwood strips. I then use a bandsaw equipped with a high-quality resawing blade to create unique ⅛-inch veneer sheets from the cutting board, similar to slicing cold cuts at a deli. Next, I glue the ⅛-inch veneer directly onto one side of the MDF and place it in the vacuum bag. Once finished, I pass the piece through a drum sander to make the veneer paper-thin. I perform this step after gluing the veneer to the MDF; otherwise, the drum sander could potentially damage the glue joints in the pattern. I then repeat this process on the other side.

I hope you find this technique helpful! Over the next few months, I'll be uploading a series of YouTube videos to further explain this process. If you have any questions or would like to share your experiments, please feel free to contact me on Instagram. While this method works with any laser cutter, I currently teach an online course called Glowforge for Beginners,