Hi All,
I’m not yet certified on the CNC or the laser cutters but I’ve been tasked with making some architectural model bases for work, and I had a few questions:
Can we use modeling/milling board on asmbly’s CNCs?
This is what I have:
https://www.freemansupply.com/products/machinable-media/modeling-styling-boards/freeman-m-4000-modeling-board
And can we use basswood veneer on the laser?
Thank you!
Modeling board the little i know is fine for any CNC machines. I don’t remember if there is a list of materials you can cut at Asmbly’s CNC’s. As it is a soft material (dense plyurethane foam) that comes in different densities and does not put much load on bits or machines, i dont see a problem other than the dust collection. If youre just practicing, you may try MDF first. It is much cheaper. I only seen modeling board on a demo and wanted to try it but the price is rather high just to play around with it. If you used it before excuse my rambling. Basswood or any wood veener is fine on the lasers. Can i ask why Basswood? Down here in the south maple, birch, and poplar are more the norm. Aspen, basswood, and butternut(white walnut) are almost unheard of.
Veneers cut fine on a laser. It’s usually the first choice since it has a very small kerf (~0.2mm) and can make sharp inside corners without dogboning, and doesn’t exert any cutting force that could tear a thin veneer apart
As far as the modeling board, that is a concern because the mfg has clearly made a decision to conceal what material this is, and there IS a rigid “foamed board” made out of PVC called “Sintra”. It’s a very popular product, but PVC is forbidden in laser cutters since it produces corrosive and toxic exhaust, it will corrode the laser.
The M4000 board lists a Tg of 225C whereas PVC is 80C, so this seems unlikely to be PVC, but I wouldn’t just rely on that guess.
Doing a Beilstein test with a piece of copper wire and a flame source is generally definitive on whether the material contains chlorine
The
Thank you for replying! To answer a few questions, this modeling board is material we’ve already bought, so I’m looking to test it out. Basswood is an industry-standard within architecture model building, so we’re continuing to use it as it matches our other in-house models in materiality. For context, basswood has been used for modeling for generations because it’s easily cut with razors prior to laser cutting use. For us at this point, it’s a bit of an aesthetic choice.
Did not know that, thanks for the education! 
Basswood always cuts very easily on laser cutters, no issue there