Better detail on Wood

[Shane Black]

How can I get a better photo? I am using an Epilog mini24 40 watt.
600 dpi on Baltic birch. Is it the wood I am using?204925204923204924204922

[Craig Matheny]

Shane are you trying to get a 3d look here? what are your settings for speed power and freq?

[Martin Boekers]

Check Roy Brewer on you tube he has a great selection of videos

[Dee Gallo]

It looks like you need to invert your images. For instance, the goose should have a black head and neck with a white stripe. The way you've done it, the colors are reversed. Then, to increase the contrast you can put some finish on it and it will soak into the engraving more than the flat, creating a darker wood tone. To really make it darker, try some brown or black shoe polish.

~ dee

[Rodne Gold]

Seaqrch for "the gold method" on this forum and read all the posts , should give you some insight and a "free" eqivalent to photograv.

[Mike Null]

I perceive baltic birch as one of the poorer varieties of wood for photo engraving. It's handy and good for practice but a hard wood such as cherry, mahogany or walnut will produce much better results. I try to engrave on finished wood whenever possible.

I think your pictures are fine it's all in how you manipulate them in the engraving.

[Frank Corker]

I'm with Dee, as soon as I saw it, your images are positive, they should be negatives to what you used. You are heading up a very long uphill if you don't start out with at least 50% right!

[Shane Black]

The turkey was inverted and looked the worst. I tried it at 400 dpi 50 speed and 100 power. The geese I did not invert in this sample. those I tried at 600 dpi and 60 speed and 100 power. I will tried the

[Bill Cunningham]

Also Check the dpi on your photo.. you should be engraving in multiples i.e 300 dpi engrave at 300,600,1200 If your engraving at 400 dpi, your photo should be 200, 400, 800.. Mixing dpi's can result in banding and other weird stuff.. on a 40 watt machine with a 300 dpi photo into baltic birch, try 100 power, 600 dpi, 35 speed. If your photo is only 72 dpi (web graphic grade), don't waste your time..