Looking for advice.

[Mike Monroe]

Can someone suggest free software that I can use to create simple engraved signs? Any good tutorials aimed at the hobbiest out there? I've searched and just find commercial tutorials. I understand I need to create a dfx file for the laser engraver to use, but that's about the limit of my knowledge of laser engravers.

I have access to a laser engraver that's located at a local wood/craft/electronics coop - a community center with tools. I want to engrave something on a number of Bluebird nest boxes I made for a friend who recently retired. I'd like to engrave his name on the front of the nest boxes along with the image of tree. He's big into nature, wild life, and trees, he owns a property in the country that he is constantly improving for nature, wild life, and trees; quite the operation actually.

Thanks for any help!

[Bert Kemp]

I think what your really looking for is cdr or dxf files of trees and such. Most free cad programs can convert to dxf. Try downloading inkscape its a free cad program. then you can use the text tool to create his name and convert to dxf for the laser. Google trees free clip art or free vector files and you should get a ton of hits that you can download and use. hope this helps
Im sure theres some one at the makespace your going to use can help you with the laser

[Julian Ashcroft]

Inkscape is what you want as mentioned above. Just google search for tree images, paste the one you like into Inscape and trace the image. There are lots of video tutorials on Youtube to help you. I have been using Inkscape for years, but still watch the odd tutorial when I forget how to do something.

[Tony South]

I use inkscape and it works good, you just have to know a couple tricks to get it to work right in the laser software. if the laser is using ez cad I can send you a quick video to get the tree to hatch correctly. you can also use this for the tree.https://www.autotracer.org/

[Mike Monroe]

Thanks for the Inkscape suggestion. Was able to download Inkscape and create a tree-scape sign .svg file without too much difficulty. Next I get to figure out how to get the laser machine to engrave the design.

[Mike Thornbury]

What kind/make of laser have you got?

After years of using RDWorks and other less salubrious Chinese laser apps, I recently trialled, then bought, Lightburn - a US product that works with a lot of laser cutter/engravers.

$80 well spent!

[Tony South]

just make sure when you save it. save it as a .dxf file.