What Materials are Allowed in the Wood Shop?
In order to keep our members and our equipment safe, we only allow use of new wood products purchased from a reputable supplier. It must be kiln-dried, unsealed, untreated, unpainted, and formaldehyde free. All found wood or “alley wood” is prohibited. Different species, and even subspecies, of wood can create acute health concerns for those using it and working in the same area therefore we cannot safely allow certain exotic woods.
If you need assistance in sourcing these materials, or if you’d like to submit a material for approval please consult shop staff.
To learn more about about wood species or wood species toxicity, check out The Wood Database.
Allowed Woods
Engineered Wood:
Birch Plywood
MDF (Formaldehyde free)
Masonite
Cork
Softwoods:
Pine
Spruce
Douglas Fir
Hardwoods:
Basswood
Cherry
Elm
Oak
Mahogany
Maple
Walnut
| These hardwood species are mild irritants and should be used with a dust mask: |
| Alder | Ebony |
| Ash | Poplar |
| Balsa | Purpleheart |
| Bamboo | Mahogany |
| Beech | Maple |
| Ebony | Mesquite |
Other:
Art Resin: may be applied in the woodshop to fill certain holes in wood or for its aesthetic qualities. It should not be used on machine tools and should be sanded with a palm sander attached to a hepa vacuum while wearing a dust mask. Any other usage of the material would need to be approved by the woodshop manager.
We will not mill any resin on the ShopBot CNC Router.
Banned Materials
Foam:
Foams are banned for use in the woodshop. We will not cut foam on the ShopBot CNC Router.
Wax:
Wax (with the exception of non-toxic finishing wax) is banned for use in the woodshop.
Plastics:
Plastics should be used in the rapid prototyping area. They are not to be used in the woodshop. The only exception being to cut down cast acrylic to laser cutter dimensions. For this, we will use a plastics blade and cut the material down to size on the table saw. We will not cut plastics on the ShopBot CNC Router
Wood:
MDF containing formaldehyde
Particle Board
Banned Hardwoods:
Bubinga
Cocobolo
Greenheart
Ironwood
Juniper
Mulga
Pau Ferro
Rosewood
Teak
Yew
Zebrawood
Cedar: While there are some safe varieties many cedars are toxic and can cause serious respiratory problems. Specific Cedars must be approved by staff.
Miscellaneous:
Fiberglass
Concrete
Carbon Fiber
Plaster
Rubber
Corian: Depending on the manufacturer the metal in this machine can damage the tools in the shop. This material can be milled on the CNC if the manufacturer is verified and the member purchases a specialized bit and tests the feeds and speeds for safe usage.
