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Thread: Darker Burns

  1. #16
    Just a couple examples, nothing special or amazing, but it shows the type of results you get, one is in cherry, one is bamboo, and one is Spanish cedar.

    wood1.jpgwood3.jpgwood2.jpg
    Lasers : Trotec Speedy 300 75W, Trotec Speedy 300 80W, Galvo Fiber Laser 20W
    Printers : Mimaki UJF-6042 UV Flatbed Printer , HP Designjet L26500 61" Wide Format Latex Printer, Summa S140-T 48" Vinyl Plotter
    Router : ShopBot 48" x 96" CNC Router Rotary Engravers : (2) Xenetech XOT 16 x 25 Rotary Engravers

    Real name Steve but that name was taken on the forum. Used Middle name. Call me Steve or Scott, doesn't matter.

  2. #17
    Are you sealing the wood first?
    Equipment: IS400, IS6000, VLS 6.60, LS100, HP4550, Ricoh GX e3300n, Hotronix STX20
    Software: Adobe Suite & Gravostyle 5
    Business: Trophy, Awards and Engraving

  3. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by Ross Moshinsky View Post
    Are you sealing the wood first?
    Bert, or me? Me, no, unless it's already sealed. In my photos, the bamboo and the Spanish cedar are not sealed.
    Lasers : Trotec Speedy 300 75W, Trotec Speedy 300 80W, Galvo Fiber Laser 20W
    Printers : Mimaki UJF-6042 UV Flatbed Printer , HP Designjet L26500 61" Wide Format Latex Printer, Summa S140-T 48" Vinyl Plotter
    Router : ShopBot 48" x 96" CNC Router Rotary Engravers : (2) Xenetech XOT 16 x 25 Rotary Engravers

    Real name Steve but that name was taken on the forum. Used Middle name. Call me Steve or Scott, doesn't matter.

  4. #19
    I was engraving a bunch of rosewood and found that it tended to vaporize with little color change. I had to run slow and low power to "toast" the wood, but found a couple of pieces that still didn't have any contrast. I experimented with hand-darkening those with shoe polish, Rub-n-Buff, and a couple other options, but it's much quicker to spray-and-wipe (assuming you have a finish that doesn't react to your tint spray). I initially tried masking when a tint reacted with the finish, but the weeding was too onerous. Either apply a finish that doesn't react to the tint, or find a tint that your existing finish repels, and you can simply spray and wipe off the excess. Plus you can run the engraving much, much faster since you don't care what contrast it creates, only that you get the desired depth.

    Instead of engraving for a piece for 90-100 seconds, slow and low power, and hoping for good contrast (but having to re-run, replace, or hand-tint the occasional piece when the rosewood simply wouldn't darken), I found that I could engrave in 20-30 seconds at high enough power for the depth I want and spend 10 seconds to spray and wipe for a consistent, dark, high contrast mark every time. Sure takes the fuss and bother out of the process...

    That Laser Dark spray in the current give-away is supposed to be good for this sort of application. I think it has a clear over-spray that is supposed to go on afterwards, in case you need to seal the color in the engraving.

  5. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Shepherd View Post
    Bert, or me? Me, no, unless it's already sealed. In my photos, the bamboo and the Spanish cedar are not sealed.
    Yes, the question was directed towards you. The only reason I ask is sometimes the paint will go into the grain and bleed and the results are less than desirable.
    Equipment: IS400, IS6000, VLS 6.60, LS100, HP4550, Ricoh GX e3300n, Hotronix STX20
    Software: Adobe Suite & Gravostyle 5
    Business: Trophy, Awards and Engraving

  6. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by Ross Moshinsky View Post
    Yes, the question was directed towards you. The only reason I ask is sometimes the paint will go into the grain and bleed and the results are less than desirable.

    Gotcha, solved that problem I can get that look on any finish.
    Lasers : Trotec Speedy 300 75W, Trotec Speedy 300 80W, Galvo Fiber Laser 20W
    Printers : Mimaki UJF-6042 UV Flatbed Printer , HP Designjet L26500 61" Wide Format Latex Printer, Summa S140-T 48" Vinyl Plotter
    Router : ShopBot 48" x 96" CNC Router Rotary Engravers : (2) Xenetech XOT 16 x 25 Rotary Engravers

    Real name Steve but that name was taken on the forum. Used Middle name. Call me Steve or Scott, doesn't matter.

  7. #22
    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Shepherd View Post
    Gotcha, solved that problem I can get that look on any finish.
    Trade secret or something you're willing to share?
    Equipment: IS400, IS6000, VLS 6.60, LS100, HP4550, Ricoh GX e3300n, Hotronix STX20
    Software: Adobe Suite & Gravostyle 5
    Business: Trophy, Awards and Engraving

  8. #23
    Yes I do have a small air compressor for the laser guess that would work. These examples look awesome, now that I see what it looks like guess I might try it , can't cost that much and I add another tool to the basket. Thanks for these pictures Scott.


    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Shepherd View Post
    Just a couple examples, nothing special or amazing, but it shows the type of results you get, one is in cherry, one is bamboo, and one is Spanish cedar.

    wood1.jpgwood3.jpgwood2.jpg
    If the Help and advice you received here was of any VALUE to you PLEASE! Become a Contributor
    Rabbit RL_XX_6040-60 watt Laser engraving/cutting machine Oh wait its a 3D Printer my bad LOL
    Lasercut 5.3
    CorelDraw X5

    10" Miter Saw with slide
    10" Table Saw
    8" bench mount 5 speed Drill Press
    Dremel, 3x21 Belt Sander


  9. #24
    Sometime yes sometimes no, I find that unfinished cuts easier, finer kerf, seem when I finish then cut I get a much wider kerf, might be just the finish melting that makes it look wider.


    Quote Originally Posted by Ross Moshinsky View Post
    Are you sealing the wood first?
    If the Help and advice you received here was of any VALUE to you PLEASE! Become a Contributor
    Rabbit RL_XX_6040-60 watt Laser engraving/cutting machine Oh wait its a 3D Printer my bad LOL
    Lasercut 5.3
    CorelDraw X5

    10" Miter Saw with slide
    10" Table Saw
    8" bench mount 5 speed Drill Press
    Dremel, 3x21 Belt Sander


  10. #25
    Hey Bert, this is what I usually aim for on BB (250dpi). The last pic shows the walnut material.

    IMG_6547.jpg

    IMG_6549.jpg

    IMG_6551.jpg

    IMG_6422.jpg

    IMG_6559.jpg

  11. #26
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    These look fantastic Steve!

  12. #27
    Join Date
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    Those are really cool and beautiful Matt! What type of laser and power are you running?

  13. #28
    Quote Originally Posted by Keith Colson View Post
    When I engrave wood I generally put the laser out of focus. This achieves a couple of good things. I can get an almost black engrave and it hides any raster lines when doing lower resolution engraves. If I got out of focus a lot I adjust the artwork to match the defocus.

    Cheers
    Keith
    I agree about taking it out of focus a bit. With my helix 24, I lower the table a bit (usually .2"). It burns much darker and also has the added benefit of less smoke residue on the wood (not sure why, but it happens). I would suspect that most of the residue is staying within the burn, which is why there is less smoke.
    Epilog Helix 24 - 50w
    Kern HSE 50x100 - 400w (rated at 479w!)

  14. #29
    Yes thats what I get also but I would like a blacker color, guess the air brush is a must to get that.

    Quote Originally Posted by Matt McCoy View Post
    Hey Bert, this is what I usually aim for on BB (250dpi). The last pic shows the walnut material.

    IMG_6547.jpg

    IMG_6549.jpg

    IMG_6551.jpg

    IMG_6422.jpg

    IMG_6559.jpg
    If the Help and advice you received here was of any VALUE to you PLEASE! Become a Contributor
    Rabbit RL_XX_6040-60 watt Laser engraving/cutting machine Oh wait its a 3D Printer my bad LOL
    Lasercut 5.3
    CorelDraw X5

    10" Miter Saw with slide
    10" Table Saw
    8" bench mount 5 speed Drill Press
    Dremel, 3x21 Belt Sander


  15. #30
    Your moving laser head away from your material and the smoke residue is less and drawn out quicker, there for less residue. The reason I option to go down rather then up out of focus.

    Quote Originally Posted by Jay Selway View Post
    I agree about taking it out of focus a bit. With my helix 24, I lower the table a bit (usually .2"). It burns much darker and also has the added benefit of less smoke residue on the wood (not sure why, but it happens). I would suspect that most of the residue is staying within the burn, which is why there is less smoke.
    If the Help and advice you received here was of any VALUE to you PLEASE! Become a Contributor
    Rabbit RL_XX_6040-60 watt Laser engraving/cutting machine Oh wait its a 3D Printer my bad LOL
    Lasercut 5.3
    CorelDraw X5

    10" Miter Saw with slide
    10" Table Saw
    8" bench mount 5 speed Drill Press
    Dremel, 3x21 Belt Sander


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