Dan, DPI and a photo

[Dave Johnson29]

Hi All,

As I mentioned in this thread...
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=105230

Dan got me on track with photographs with my 17 year old laser running under DOS 6.22 and Win3.1 and no grayscale option. In fact I don't have much in the way of options at all. :)

Here is a 3" example of the first effort. The grain from the sawn scrap Walnut detracts a little but I got some black granite from HD yesterday and will give that a shot today.

As a first success after many many horrible tries with photos I am excited. Thanks again Dan.

[Dee Gallo]

Congrats, Dave - you did it! Amazing, considering the limits of your system... just goes to show your ingenuity and perseverance.

cheers, dee

[Steve Clarkson]

Dave......I know from experience.....DON'T DO THE GRANITE!!!!!!! Atleast not until you've perfected it on wood......it's too depressing.

But the first pic you did looks great.

[Dave Johnson29]

Amazing, considering the limits of your system... just goes to show your ingenuity and perseverance.


Thanks Dee,

Some call me stupidly stubborn, I like your interpretation much better. :D

Steve:
As the old joke goes, Tttt, tttt, ttttoo late. It is burning as I type.

I'll post a pic good or bad.

[Dan Hintz]

Dave......I know from experience.....DON'T DO THE GRANITE!!!!!!! Atleast not until you've perfected it on wood......it's too depressing.
I think I'll disagree with you on that one, Steve. I did the granite first, partly because it was claimed to be the hardest (I'm a masochist ;)) and partly because I'm not doing anything with fumes (I'm venting internally at the moment, so no wood/acrylic). And now that my granite looks decent, I know when I eventually get my filtering system set up wood will be a breeze.

[Frank Corker]

Dave, just thought I'd mention here that in photograv they always recommend that the image be engraved on a vertical grain. That said, you've made a fine job as you have with horizontal.

[Dee Gallo]

Dave, just thought I'd mention here that in photograv they always recommend that the image be engraved on a vertical grain. That said, you've made a fine job as you have with horizontal.

I don't know, Frank, there is something to be said for the windswept look of this particular piece...

[Dave Johnson29]

Dave, just thought I'd mention here that in photograv they always recommend that the image be engraved on a vertical grain. That said, you've made a fine job as you have with horizontal.

Thanks Frank,

I don't have Photgrav but will try that next time. The laser stopped firing so I have nothing on the granite. How'd you do that Steve?? :D

It is 48F outside at the moment and not sure if that has anything to do with it, but I got it started using a low setting and now it seems to be going OK. I am using a white tile in case it dies again and I don't want to waste a $6 black granite 12" x 12".

[Dave Johnson29]

there is something to be said for the windswept look of this particular piece...

:D:D Love to say I intended it that way Dee, but as usual, just dumb luck.

[Steve Clarkson]

I'm telling you......black granite is a CURSE!!!!!!

[Dan Hintz]

I don't want to waste a $6 black granite 12" x 12".
No need to waste an entire tile for each test... etch a small 3x3 image, each with different settings. Etch one, learn from your mistake, try some new settings and move the image over. You can get 16 small images on that $6 piece of tile... <$0.40/test is a pretty small price to pay for success.

[Dave Johnson29]

No need to waste an entire tile for each test... etch a small 3x3 image, each with different settings.


Hi Dan,

Yup, that's what I am doing. That's why the sample on Walnut was 3" it is to be my test pic.

Had to unload a ton of dog food from my truck and trailer for a neighbor so lasering has taken a back seat today.

I have not done granite before so have no settings to start from with this model laser. I ran the same pic on a Lasertile earlier on today but it came out terrible. Way too black but I suspect that was the power setting too high. I will try an HD tile tomorrow and see what's what. Then the granite.