Your favorite wood for engraving pic

So my favorite wood is Alder. Good contrast, hard enough for fine detail, and sands well. But I have not tried all the different woods. What are your favorites?

Alder, Cherry, Maple, and Baltic Birch plywood.

Along with what is mentioned, I do a lot of African Mahogany and bamboo... picture of Mahogany plaque I did recently:

Attachment 362619

Yes BB, Bamboo, Beech is good also.

I TYPICALLY engrave photos using (JDS) Alder - but I'm finding this kinda interesting. Their fairly recent "American Made" Alder plaques seem to engrave photos much nicer than the ones from Mexico, China, wherever! Think they've got a slightly different finish applied. ? -least somethin' is different 'bout 'em! Know you asked 'bout "wood", but I also do really well engraving photos on Black/white Alumimark (often used for memorial benches) - and on black granite tiles - often used as foot-stones when embedded in concrete slabs. - Later. - Bill

My best results for pictures have always been with thin (1/32) Baltic birch ply from Midlands, usually available at Michaels etc. The trick is to have your max burn just get through the top layer: the glue underneath turns a nice black for more dynamic range than most solid woods will yield.

Lettering and 1-bit graphics...bamboo, bloodwood, poplar all work fine. For that you just want a wood where the grain isn't wildly different densities like it is with things like oak or even some maple.

Never had a lot of luck with Bamboo.. It's not a wood, but technically a grass and usually inconsistent densities.. Alder or Cherry are my faves, Maple is OK, but I usually have to darken it.. At least the stuff I get needs darkening.. Baltic birch usually gives good results as well

My First post in quite a while, and yup still alive.. Just super busy..

Bill, welcome back. You've been missed!

I like cherry, white oak, mahogany and aromatic cedar. Usually don't do pictures, though.

I have a customer who brought me a case of 100 small bamboo cutting boards, giveaways to their customers. I thought "yay, bamboo, no problem!"

- these things have been all over the map, from jet black to no color change at all, sometimes on the same board! Not sure why, but leaves me with doubt about doing photo's on bamboo...

Haven't done many wood pics, but I got a kick out of how this one turned out-
It's done on the back of a scrap of cheap 1/8" wood paneling from the '70's... I just smeared a little ebony stain on and wiped it off quickly, then sanded it a bit when it dried...
did this on the old 25w ULS...

Attachment 362965


This is 2 identical photos, stainless and oak. The SS turned out so well the customer wanted one in wood, and he brought me this...
The grain looks very good on the surface, but man, did it change once the laser hit it...
Attachment 362967Attachment 362966

Here is a piece of maple I ran today. Two passes out of focus by about 1/16".Attachment 362972

I know its a pretty rare wood for engraving but someone brought me a Hickory plaque to engrave several years ago and it engraved really nice.

I'd love a piece of hickory-- I'd engrave 'Dickery Doc' on it just so people would ask :D

Kev,

Hickory is the number one choice for firewood in my neck of the woods so its plentiful. If you would like to try some and I can find a source for dry lumber I would be glad to send you some.