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Thread: Your opinions on suitable wood

  1. 03-25-2010, 6:28 PM #1
    Hannu Rinne
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    Your opinions on suitable wood

    Hi to everyone and greetings from Finland !

    I'm new here and have been "spying" this great forum about one month

    I'm also quite newbie with lasers, studing engravings about two years and
    just learned to keep my fingers out of the beam...

    As the title is, my question for you concern your opinion for the best solid
    wood for engraving and cutting. I've used birch and oak as those are easy to find from here, but I'm not so happy with the result's. I have a friend who provides wood from all over the world and he will supply also to me if I know what I need...

    So, what wood would give the best effect for example engraving photos
    on it ( based on your experiences ) ?

    I just would like to hear your opinions so I could avoid to get some really
    expencive stack of firewood on my yard

    I apologize my English ( at school my number was 5 - when scale 4-10 )

    Best regards
    - Hannu
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  3. 03-25-2010, 10:31 PM #2
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    Bill Cunningham
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    Cherry and alder give the nicest contrasts, and photos..
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  4. 03-26-2010, 5:09 AM #3
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    Frank Corker
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    I like cherry and baltic birch. Oak as lovely as it is, does not engrave very well, it tends to hit pockets in the wood, which leave an unattractive finish. For pictures lighter coloured woods show more contrast and image appear nicer. If your friend is an importer ask him for an old sample box of various woods so you can try. Trial and error is a great learning method 4:10.
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  5. 03-26-2010, 7:12 AM #4
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    Mike Null
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    I like cherry, mahogany, walnut, alder and maple. Maple will not give you as good contrast as the others.

    I usually color fill walnut with black to enhance the contrast.
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  6. 03-26-2010, 7:55 AM #5
    Michael Hunter
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    Spray oak with gold paint, then reverse engrave. Looks fantastic!
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  7. 03-26-2010, 5:56 PM #6
    Hannu Rinne
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    Thank's to everyone for reply ! Seem's that there will be expencive
    acquiring coming for me

    PS. My best to Dean N. - noticed you here on the forum !

    Best regards
    - Hannu
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  8. 03-27-2010, 2:56 PM #7
    John Lewandowski
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    Michael, do you have a photo example of how this looks. It sounds like something I would like to try, but can't visualize it.

    Thank You,
    John
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  9. 03-27-2010, 3:41 PM #8
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    Ron Chapellaz
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    Hey Bill, seeing as you're in Canada as I am, where do you buy Cherry and Alder wood you mentioned?
    Ron
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  10. 03-27-2010, 4:12 PM #9
    Lee DeRaud's Avatar
    Lee DeRaud
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    FWIW, I had occasion to engrave some bloodwood awhile back and was pleasantly surprised at how well it worked: usually oily exotics and the laser don't get along all that well.
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  11. 03-27-2010, 4:34 PM #10
    Hannu Rinne
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    Hello Lee,

    Please, could you specify what kind wood is "bloodwood" ? Never hear
    about it before - but quite interesting...

    Kind regards, -Hannu
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  12. 03-27-2010, 5:15 PM #11
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    Lee DeRaud
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hannu Rinne View Post
    Please, could you specify what kind wood is "bloodwood" ? Never hear about it before - but quite interesting...
    Try this: http://www.wood-database.com/lumber-...ods/bloodwood/
    Yoga class makes me feel like a total stud, mostly because I'm about as flexible as a 2x4.
    "Design"? Possibly. "Intelligent"? Sure doesn't look like it from this angle.
    We used to be hunter gatherers. Now we're shopper borrowers.
    The three most important words in the English language: "Front Towards Enemy".
    The world makes a lot more sense when you remember that Butthead was the smart one.
    You can never be too rich, too thin, or have too much ammo.
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  13. 03-27-2010, 6:16 PM #12
    Hannu Rinne
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    Beautiful wood, almost like African Padouk or Amarant from middle America... - must ask from local dealer... ( couldn't find from any
    Finnish database )
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  14. 03-27-2010, 6:20 PM #13
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    Lee DeRaud
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hannu Rinne View Post
    Beautiful wood, almost like African Padouk ...
    Way nicer IMHO.

    And the dust from bloodwood is not nearly as bad as that horrible cheese-puff dust you get from padauk. Trust me on this.
    Yoga class makes me feel like a total stud, mostly because I'm about as flexible as a 2x4.
    "Design"? Possibly. "Intelligent"? Sure doesn't look like it from this angle.
    We used to be hunter gatherers. Now we're shopper borrowers.
    The three most important words in the English language: "Front Towards Enemy".
    The world makes a lot more sense when you remember that Butthead was the smart one.
    You can never be too rich, too thin, or have too much ammo.
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  15. 03-27-2010, 6:30 PM #14
    Hannu Rinne
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    Ok - thank's, never testing padouk and seems that I never will...
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  16. 03-27-2010, 9:02 PM #15
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    Tom Bull
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    I like african mahogany and spanish cedar. You might want to use a respirator when you saw it.
    Tom Bull
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