engraving too deep on bamboo coasters

[Lisabeth Shaffer]

I have been trying to figure out the best way to adjust the laser so it's not so deep. I've increased the speed, lowered the power, lowered the bed to get it out of focus and I'm still getting it too deep and sometimes very burned, as well. Suggestions on settings? I started with 30 power and 50 speed at 250 ppi. This setting has looked the best, but is still too deep. The depth is about .03-.05".

I would appreciate any suggestions. Thank you.

Lisabeth

[Dee Gallo]

Boy Lisabeth, most people want to get deeper and darker engravings on bamboo! My settings are 40 speed and 100 power at 400 dpi on my 35w Epilog and it's perfect. Try increasing your speed, but somehow the balance seems off if you are getting burnt results at only 30 power. Have you done a step test to figure it out?
bamboo tags.jpg

[Martin Boekers]

Greetings,

What are your settings?..
I have found if I want to go deeper, I slow the speed down. It gives the laser more time on and area.

I speed it up quite a bit for a second pass if I want the engraving darker.

You shouldn't bee burning it unless you are engraving very slow .

Show us a photo that may help.

[Mike Audleman]

I am far from an expert here (total noob would be a better title) but I did some bamboo last week. It was some USB drives I picked up off ebay with bamboo outer cases for the granddaughters to use at school. I used 637lpi (.04mm pitch) 300mm/s at 30% power on my off brand Chinese ebay laser. I got a nice brown with light engraving depth. I required shallow engraving so as not to go through the thin cover nor the wood surrounding the USB stick.

I will try to get a photo of it engraved when I get home tonight...if the GD10 hasn't taken it to school already with her supplies.
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The GD already took the bamboo one to school and the teacher has it. But here is one for her sister done on what I think is birch. Ebay vendor said I got the last bamboo one. The wait for more would be too long to start school so I grabbed a couple more from him that he called "real wood". Who knows what it is. Feels about the same weight and density and the engravings are approcimately the same as the one I did before of bamboo.
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[Joe Pelonio]

I have done a lot of bamboo too, set at 50 speed/100 Power 600 Frequency on my 45 watt. It's just deep enough to paint fill, and has never left burn marks. Sounds like a material issue if you are going too deep at that power/speed. I wonder if the bamboo is green or not as compressed/dense as what we are using.

[Lisabeth Shaffer]

Here is a photo of my first attempt on the left, my myriad of variations in the middle and my final attempt on the right. After all this I believe I like the first one best because the grain is going vertically and looks better than horizontally.

RHMS coaster compare.jpg

[Mike Audleman]

Here is a photo of my first attempt on the left, my myriad of variations in the middle and my final attempt on the right. After all this I believe I like the first one best because the grain is going vertically and looks better than horizontally.

RHMS coaster compare.jpg

Personally I like the burn and depth of the right one with the grain direction of the first one.

[Julian Ashcroft]

I engraved a bamboo chopping board last night. 50w laser, settings were 30% power and 100mm/s speed. I know this isn't a raster cut, but I work mostly in vector cut images.

chopping board.jpg

[Lisabeth Shaffer]

Personally I like the burn and depth of the right one with the grain direction of the first one.

They are they same settings. The one on the right had a darker wood to begin with.

[Mike Audleman]

They are they same settings. The one on the right had a darker wood to begin with.

Well, it looks darker. The detail is better on the cat and the "Wildcats" looks darker. Rotate the grain and i'd buy it for my kid (assuming they went to that school).

[Lisabeth Shaffer]

Dee,

These are nice. They don't look like they engraved as deep. I like this better.

Also, yours don't have as much varied coloring because they are smaller.

Did you paint the pink one and then engrave it? If so, what did you paint it with?

Thanks

[Kevin Gregerson]

Try 500ppi, 90 percent speed, and 30 percent power and set to quality auto margin.