Laser Engraving Wooden Knobs

[Joe Young]

I have a LaserPro 30W machine with CD 12. I've been trying to figure out how to engrave images onto wooden cabinet knobs. I've enclosed an attachment from a company that produces it commercially. I've emailed my rep but I thought I would ask for help here also.

The few instructions I did find said to use 100P, 50S and and multiple passes. I did that on a piece of poplar and like what I saw but I had to invert the image first. But for the life of me I cannot figure out how to format the image in a circular design to fit the knob. The knobs I bought are 1.5 and 2 inches diameter.

Thanks to all in advance.

Joe

[Dave Jones]

But for the life of me I cannot figure out how to format the image in a circular design to fit the knob.

Not sure what you mean. Just draw a circle using the elipse tool and use that to trim everything else.

Or draw a solid white rectangle and cut a circle hole in it and then use that as the top layer to cover everything else. It'll turn everything white except what you see through the cutout circle.

[Shaddy Dedmore]

Experiment with the settings, does your manual have recommendations?
Try a lower speed.

Create a circle, select everything except the circle, then, Effects==Powerclip==Place Inside Container. That's just one way to accomplish it.

Creating the circle of the final size of the knob is a good way to do it.

Shaddy

[Bruce Volden]

Joe


I'm fairly certain these knobs are true 3-D engraving. You may be able to do these with several passes, but, unless you know how to set up the file to include the various shading which is required, you are probably out of luck in reproducing them! You can do some "neat" stuff with these machines including 3-D engraving if you have the know how. I don't and neither have I seen it addressed here at the "creek". I'm certain there are more knowledgeable people out there that may be of assistance~~what say ye creekers!!!??? I'd love to learn how to do this also!

Bruce

[Dave Jones]

I use lightwave-3D to do 3D models. I discovered the settings required in it to render an image with shades of gray based on distance from the virtual camera in the program. This means I can create a set of 3D objects in Lightwave and then create the image needed to burn them on the laser in 3D mode.

So far I've only done one test and haven't had time to go back and do more of it. It worked, but the laser isn't linear, so the shades of gray need to be adjusted (for example, using the "curves" in Photoshop) to get a more linear burn.

This is the only test image I've tried burning yet (it was in alder):

http://www.redtengu.com/images/raw/laserv3b.jpg

[Joe Pelonio]

You can get the 3-D look by using a grayscale clipart, where the darkest
areas engrave the deepest.

What I'd do is set up your file with a bunch of circles the same size as the face of the knobs. Then contour -1/8" and cut that from a scrap of wood or mdf. Add blocks "feet" to that to raise it up and put back into the laser fill with blank knobs.

Back to the file, using the original circles place your images inside of them
and laser.

[Shari Loveless]

Joe Y,
I have some true 3D software since I am doing wood carving now as well as laser engraving. Try the attached jpeg and see how it carves. It's just for a test but it might give you an idea if it works or not. Don't have a clue on the settings but start light and just keep running the same file several times on top of itself. That should give it some depth.


Shari

[Joe Young]

Thanks to all who responded to my request for help. I think what Shari said is the key to producing a decent 3D image. I've included two attachments from LaserPro website(hope I'm not breaking any rules here). One is of a completed 3D engraving, the other is the file used to engrave the image. I cannot see how CorelDraw can produce the correct image for proper 3D engraving. Even Shari's example looks similar to LaserPro's. Agree or disagree?

[Joe Pelonio]

Remembering something that we did a few years ago I did a quick search and it seems that Corel Photopaint rather than Draw, or in conjucntion with Draw, is able to create 3D images using fills.

I wish I had time to look into it further and play around, but it's Friday before a long weekend and have orders to get done. Meanwhile there are web sites that have 3d images available for purchase, a few free.

[Dave Jones]

Yeah, it would have to in a paint program. And to try and draw it by hand would take some serious thought and talent. It's not like a photo, where light hits objects on angles. The light and dark have to represent the depth. It would be possible, for example, to take a silhouette of a leafe and use the dodge/burn tools in Photoshop to darken the center of the leaf shape, which would make that area be lower down in the engraving. Or to blend in darker lines to show the veins of a leaf. But it's going to be a touchy thing to do by hand.

Shari, that was done on a 3D program? The "cap" of the acorn doesn't look rendered. It looks like a shaded pattern was masked in the shape of the cap. But the shading doesn't follow around the curve of the cap. In other words, those vertical lines should have curved if it were rendered as a 3D object.

[Shari Loveless]

Dave,
I did this in ArtCam Pro. It does curve around the acorn some, it just doesn't look like it in the pic. I'm only working on 3 axis at present so maybe thats why the pic looks strange (I guess it's only 2.5 D?). Below is a sign I just carved with the oak leaves and the acorn in the pic (not on the laser). The sign measures approx 7.5 x 32". The leaves vary in heights and lay on top of one another. I've only had this program a couple of weeks, but I am enjoying it very much. I also have Turbocad but I haven't used it for anything like this.

I can run some tests with the laser if someone wants to give me an idea on settings. I have some pine scraps I can use.

Shari

[Dave Jones]

I've heard of ArtCam, but never used it. I'm sure the image will etch great, it just seemed odd that the lines in the cap were in a uniform grid instead of curving around the 3D shape of the cap.

I've been using Lightwave 3D for a few years to do 3D animations, and am going to try using it to model some objects and then render them so they'll engrave in 3D mode on the laser. Haven't had time to go past one quick test yet. :D

[Mike Mackenzie]

Shari,

I would be happy to run some tests if you want to send me a file.

[Shari Loveless]

Mike,
I sent you a test file. I made it 300 dpi. If you need different, just let me know. I made it smaller so hopefully it won't take forever to run.

Thanks,
Shari

[Mike Mackenzie]

Shari,

I Just wanted to let you know that the file you sent did pretty good if you would like I can post a picture of the finished piece.

Using a laser system like yours I ran 4 passes at 60 pwr 60 speed 1000 ppi image density 4 and air assist.

If you run higher powers you tend to burn the wood then it is ruined.

The total time was about 7 minutes per pass so it is not a fast process but the file you created did in fact work.

[Frank Corker]

On that subject, I would be grateful to anyone who can recommend the program that makes this type of greyscale image, also how hard are they to create from a flat image? :confused:

[Shari Loveless]

Mike,
I would like to see a pic of the engraved piece. When I get time, I'll give it a try with those settings. Maybe this weekend. Right now I'm working on some pinecones. :eek: Not the easiest thing to learn on, but it's a good project for testing all the tools and settings.

Frank,
I'm using several programs at present. Corel and ArtCam Pro are two of those. How hard is it to create dimension from flat? Well........I may learn to like flat! :p Just kidding.

I actually invested in these programs to be able to do designs for my own customers as well as other carvers and laser users.

Shari

[Mike Mackenzie]

Shari,

Here is the picture, by the way I used popular to engrave this on.

[Shari Loveless]

Mike,
Did you put a finish on it. It looks kind of shiny. And about how deep is it? Did you refocus at any point. I am definitely going to give this a try. I wonder if very lite sandblasting would remove the burn? I don't have that capability yet, so just curious.

Thanks for running the test for me. I'm sure I would have "toastied" the board. Have a great weekend.

Shari

[Mike Mackenzie]

No finish this is a raw piece of wood the depth is a little less than 1/8 inch. The burn is the reason to do multiple light passes rather than one or two heavy power passes.

[Frank Corker]

Shari,

I have just been looking at the ArtCAM site. That is amazing. Tell me, when you have finished creating your 3d image, are you able to save it to a .tif format?

[Shari Loveless]

Frank,
Yes you can save as a tif. I just save as a bmp usually.
Shari

[Frank Corker]

I went to the Gantry site and requested they send me a 'test' picture and the one was very similar to the acorn that you posted. I told them it was for my Epilog 45w Helix, they said it was a bit 'lean' for a good result. I think they would probably have to eat their words this is the result using 2 passes at 45%speed 100% power on black acrylic.