3D laser engraving

Hello everyone! After purchasing the very nice Pinnacle M series laser, I am slowly learning more and more. It keeps getting better, and my love deepens...lol. I am now attempting to do the 3D engraving that is shown in the video of the M series. I wanted to know if anyone else recommends a particular type of wood and power speed settings. I have found pretty goods settings for most materials, and regular 2D photos for wood, mirror, glass, and acrylic. I wanted to try the 3D effect, and give some relief to my art. I know that it sets the black at the Highest power setting that I give it, and white at 0, and then adjust the shades of gray based on the darkness or lightness. Just wondering if one wood was better, or if anyone has even tried this. It looks pretty neat, and I am sure people would want items like this. Any advice would be great. Thanks!!

3d engraving works best on low density mdf or straight mdf
Real wood has problems in respect of ridges where the grain is and resin content , perspex looks ugly cos it leave bad ridges and crusty bits.
I have done a few 3d thingys , waste of time in respect of selling as you really struggle to get great results and to prepare the pic.
Sandblasting the mdf/pex after its engraved makes it a whole lot nicer and smoother
Suggested settings for MDF depending on how deep you wanna go are 100% power and 20% speed.
There is a far better way to achieve a similar result and that is to do multidepth engraving , change the colours of various elements in the graphic and run them at diff power and speeds , you can get up to 16 depths using the colours.
For example if you have a logo with text in a circle , engrave either of the items deeper than the other , looks more 3d than actual 3d.
Very difficult to get good artwork for true 3d and to predict results. The canned demo is cool , but doing it yourself isnt. I have run gcc lasers for almost 10 yrs , and have 6 operational and have never sold 3d.

Jason,

Eastern Red cedar works well, basswood, cherry , walnut is good , but because it ti such a dark wood you can lose the image. Spanish Cedar, mahgony, poplar, maple. I do sell quite a few 3-D laser pieces, but there is alot of work to get the pattern to the laser correct.

I use an epilog so I can't help you much there , but I usally combine them with other things. Like this is a piece that will be the pinacle for a large frame. It is complete 3-d Like a relief carving.

Garry

I have the best luck with tight grain woods. I do quite a bit in maple and cherry, a little in walnut and none in oak and have to pick through the hickory. The grain in oak is to variable to make good 3D. Walnut will look good after it has aged but that will take a year or 2:(. Maple, cherry, and myrtlewood work nicely. I would stay away from all softwoods as the grain is not even enough. Try to make sure that the cherry and other wood is free of pitch pockets, looks ugly and messes up the piece. The crisper the art work or picture the better it will turn out. if I am doing a photo I try to stick with black and whites the image is much cleaner.

Also remember that the look will change if you engrave with or across the grain. I use both depending on how I want it to turn out.

Garry, nice piece! What settings do you run the red cedar on? Also, for an average 8 x 10 size, what is the normal time to produce something like this. I know it would depend on a lot of variables, but a ballpark figure would suffice. Thanks again!!

Jason,
That piece is in currly cherry. Because that is the frame request. But I really like red cedar, it really takes great depth , but can indeed leave grain lines.

But Typical , 300 dpi, 100 power and 70 - 100 depending upon the depth I am trying to acheive. Hardwoods you can drop speed and increase dpi for deeper burns.

Cedar , gives incredable incandescent colors, when finished , plan your pattern to the wood , softwood a more open pattern.

Plan on a double run, but it will be the same as a normal engraving in time , if it takes you 15 mins to run an 8x10 it will be 15 minx 2 for the second run.

This is in maple , and I will see if I have a pic of the cedar

Well could not find a pic, eaisly so I ran one in red cedar for you . In a 5x5 took 12 mins , first pass at 400 dpi 70 /100 second pass 600 dpi 70 /100

this was a music box lid that I did.

Hey Garry, thank you for running some examples. You didnt have to, but I greatly appreciate it. I see what you mean by changing the dpi. Do you need to change the PPI as well, or leave that at 400. Not sure if that would change anything or not. Thanks again, you are very helpful!

Hi Jason: I would like to explore 3D engraving, but know nothing about it. Could you steer me toward info ? Kevin 35w Epilog 12 x24