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Gail LaPorte
01-31-2007, 4:13 PM
Hi I am new to engraving most of the time I am lost. I engrave a lot of mirror's . I paint the back so you can see them. I tried to add a picture but it wont let me add or look at them in this form.

Frank Corker
01-31-2007, 5:32 PM
Hi I am new to engraving most of the time I am lost. I engrave a lot of mirror's . I paint the back so you can see them. I tried to add a picture but it wont let me add or look at them in this form.

Gail,

I also do a lot of engraving on mirrors but I don't understand what you are asking or what your porblem is

Keith Outten
01-31-2007, 5:43 PM
Welcome to The Creek Gail,

Now that you have registered you should be a ble to see pictures in all of our Forums except the Project Plans Forum. Let us know if you are still unable to view pictures and we will see what we can do.

I also engrave mirrors and often use mat board behind the mirror to provide color. The mat board can be changed at any time by the owner to match the color of the room. Painting is still the best means of adding multiple colors.

.

Joe Pelonio
01-31-2007, 6:19 PM
I do them too, though not that much, and I use sign vinyl on the back for color. It's especially nice to use translucent vinyl and place it in a window.

Frank Corker
01-31-2007, 6:37 PM
Okay I see the problem now. Jeepers I was reading too much into it. You are limited to the size of the photograph that you add, it has to be quite small in kb size in order to get them as an attachment. If you are trying to post one, then it has to be quite small and a thumbnail will appear which everyone who is logged in will be able to see

Gail LaPorte
02-01-2007, 12:17 AM
Thank you very much for tell me it has to be a thumnail.

Lee DeRaud
02-01-2007, 12:36 AM
Whoa, hang on! You don't post a thumbnail: that's done automatically by the forum software. The picture file you upload can be up to 107KB in size...for most JPEG files, that allows a good-quality image about 640x480 or so.

There is (or used to be) a "sticky" thread in the Support Forum with a tutorial on how to resize image files for posting.

Ed Newbold
02-01-2007, 8:32 AM
I also do a lot of engraving on mirrors but I don't understand what you are asking or what your porblem isOut of curiosity, what's involved in engraving mirrors? I haven't added this to my line of products, but it sounds like something I should start doing.

What do you do, engrave it from the rear with an inverted image, and then paint/color fill afterwards?

Thanks,

Bill Cunningham
02-01-2007, 9:39 PM
Out of curiosity, what's involved in engraving mirrors? I haven't added this to my line of products, but it sounds like something I should start doing.

What do you do, engrave it from the rear with an inverted image, and then paint/color fill afterwards?

Thanks,
Photographs do not always work out well on mirrors, because of the mental confusion of black or white, with the reflection which could be any colour at all...
However, 'line art' type drawings usually look pretty good when backed up with a coloured foil, or paper..

Here's a couple of simple line art drawings backed up with blue metalic foil, the type used for hot stamping.. It's just laid behind the etched mirror to add a nice contrast..

Their also darn hard to photograph :)

Gail LaPorte
02-02-2007, 6:52 PM
You just need a mirror you can get to from the back . I have a 40 W Pinnacle Laser and I do them on 70-100. with PPI auto -Dpi -500. I spray paint the back to help the picture show. I do them twice .

Gail LaPorte
02-02-2007, 6:56 PM
I have tried everything I still can not post or see a attachment if its a paperclip thing. If its a picture like Bill posted I can see it.

Frank Corker
02-02-2007, 7:33 PM
I have had quite a bit of success with pictures on mirrors but the biggest problems I have found has been obtaining mirrors with the same consistency. The backs of the mirrors are sprayed with a paint which on occasions can be a real bugger to engrave. Quite often it's not enough and then other times, bang, too much. These are all done at 300 dpi 100power 33 speed. To finish them off at the back I use black acrylic paint, no smell and a nice dark finish, look pretty good

.

Dave Jones
02-02-2007, 7:46 PM
Gail, Attachments are typically files that have to be downloaded and viewed in another program. You can't simply click on them and view them.

Try right clicking on the link to an attachment and select "Save Target As..." or "Save Link As..." (depending on your browser). You'll then need to rename the file and save it to your hard drive and then open it in whatever program is appropriate (such as CorelDraw). Some people have had to click on an attachment link, then click the back button and then do the right click and save.

Jim Good
02-02-2007, 10:19 PM
Frank,

Your mirror-work is awesome. All 4 mirrors look like high-quality photos. I may have to give it a try.

Jim

Gail LaPorte
02-02-2007, 11:50 PM
this is a wedding picture I just finished.http://mirror-13/

Keith Outten
02-03-2007, 2:08 AM
Frank,

I agree with Jim, your engraved mirror photos are awesome.

Bill, thanks for the blue foil tip.

.

Frank Corker
02-03-2007, 7:28 AM
Thanks for the comments guys. Gail, your picture hasn't shown up though. I am going to send you a PM

Gail LaPorte
02-03-2007, 9:29 AM
Thank you all very Much for helping me. This is a wedding picture on a 17 X 23 I paint the back so it can be see.56882
Thank You All
Gail Laporte
Laporte's Laser Engraving Plus

Gail LaPorte
02-03-2007, 9:36 AM
opps wrong picture But it Worked

Gail LaPorte
02-03-2007, 9:43 AM
Ok think I got it now. Thank You Very much for all the help. ( See an old dog can still learn ). This is a wedding picture done on a 17 X 23 . I paint the back black depending on the picture. 56883. I also have it done the other way I have it posted in the suport form.
Thank You All Very Much
Gail LaPorte

Bill Cunningham
02-03-2007, 1:14 PM
I have had quite a bit of success with pictures on mirrors but the biggest problems I have found has been obtaining mirrors with the same consistency. The backs of the mirrors are sprayed with a paint which on occasions can be a real bugger to engrave. Quite often it's not enough and then other times, bang, too much. These are all done at 300 dpi 100power 33 speed. To finish them off at the back I use black acrylic paint, no smell and a nice dark finish, look pretty good.

Those look really good Frank.. The photos that give the most problems are ones where a background is required.
I had a customer that wanted the exact photo, (handler,horse,barn,trees,birds,rocks,outhouse :D..etc) all left in the picture.. Even with a black painted back, you could get a headache looking at it..
As for the mirror back coating, I try to buy a large mirror, and cut it myself. That way you at least get consistancy in the coating until 'that' sheet is gone anyway..
Just out of curiosity, did you have a big white, or off white sheet behind you to nutralize the relection, when you took those pictures? The representation came out real nice..

Frank Corker
02-03-2007, 4:04 PM
Okay this is Gail's correct picture- great example

Frank Corker
02-03-2007, 4:06 PM
No white sheets required for photographing - careful angling - bounced the flash gun off the ceiling and used the ceiling as the backdrop.

Best results as with my picture of Reuben (the dog) - I laid it out on the table in the garden and photographed the sky. Unfortunately our skies are generally that colour - white or grey!

Bill Cunningham
02-03-2007, 10:33 PM
No white sheets required for photographing - careful angling - bounced the flash gun off the ceiling and used the ceiling as the backdrop.

Best results as with my picture of Reuben (the dog) - I laid it out on the table in the garden and photographed the sky. Unfortunately our skies are generally that colour - white or grey!

Ahhh the ceiling..ha.. If I take anything outside lately, it just gets covered in snow..:D

Dave Fifield
02-03-2007, 10:58 PM
All the mirrors you guys have done look great!

I have to ask though, is there a big demand for them? Isn't putting a picture right in the center(re for you Frank!) of the mirror, right where you need to look to do you hair etc. a bit "silly"? Do people hang these like pictures and not use them as mirrors at all?

Just wondering....

Bill Cunningham
02-03-2007, 11:19 PM
All the mirrors you guys have done look great!

I have to ask though, is there a big demand for them? Isn't putting a picture right in the center(re for you Frank!) of the mirror, right where you need to look to do you hair etc. a bit "silly"? Do people hang these like pictures and not use them as mirrors at all?
Just wondering....

I think a lot of them are decorative, but many people like to 'see' something in the reflection.. Religious icons are popular, and looking at a picture of your child can 'really' be a reflection of yourself :rolleyes:
I look in mirrors, and see Gray Hair!! Why? it's hereditary... You get it from your kids :D

Dave Jones
02-04-2007, 12:06 PM
I doubt people are using those in place of a bathroom mirror. :D

If you go to a bar you'll often see mirrors on the wall with beer company advertising all over it. The mirror isn't used by people to comb their hair. It's just decorative. I suspect most mirrors with engraved images are the same, unless the image is in a corner.

Frank Corker
02-04-2007, 2:45 PM
It's really weird actually when it comes to mirror. If you focus on the mirror you see the picture you created. If you focus on yourself you see the distance between yourself and the mirror then back to yourself, the picture is out of focus and you are not. On mine, most people have said that they actually are quite amazed at how the picture does not change the usage of the mirror. Quick glance of course, anything more detailed (ie admiration of oneself and shaving.....not such a good idea).


They are popular, although they are the harder of the engraveable items to create, personally I like them and so have a lot of my customers. So I make a few quid doing them and you all know ....go where the money is.

.

James & Zelma Litzmann
02-05-2007, 11:17 AM
Frank your mirrors are gorgeous! You do great work.

Gail yours is also great!

zll

James & Zelma Litzmann
02-05-2007, 11:51 AM
Here is a "bad" picture of a mirror we did, haven't quite got the hang of taking pictures of mirrors, yet?

Scott Shepherd
02-05-2007, 12:08 PM
Really nice work from all of you who have posted photos. Are you doing anything special, or simply taking a b/w photo and burning it just like you would on anything else? Or do you have to prepare the image in some way prior to doing this?

Jim Good
02-05-2007, 1:17 PM
The "bad" picture still does a good job of showing your "great" work! It's hard to believe it's a mirror. That would look great hanging on the wall.

Jim

James & Zelma Litzmann
02-05-2007, 2:41 PM
Hey . . . thanks.

The only thing we do is take our pictures through PhotoGrav, sometimes we have issues about things like clouds but other than a little tweeking, it's not too difficult.

zll

Bob Keyes
02-05-2007, 5:27 PM
Really nice pictures! I like them.
One source of mirror with a pretty consistent coating is mirrored tiles available at most home stores (Lowes, HD, etc.)
I'll have to try some pictures. They look really good.

Bill Cunningham
02-06-2007, 9:33 PM
Hey . . . thanks.

The only thing we do is take our pictures through PhotoGrav, sometimes we have issues about things like clouds but other than a little tweeking, it's not too difficult.

zll

Do you use one of the general photograv parameters, or did you work one up yourself.. I find the new 'glass' parameter (with the output positive) works well if you 'just' get through the coating, and not lay a real etching on the glass itself

James & Zelma Litzmann
02-07-2007, 11:10 AM
We use one of the general, white/black, IPI plastic, mostly, but you really have to look at the picture and decide which will work the best. Because we are usually going to paint the backs black, this is the best we've found.

I think I have my shoes on the wrong feet this morning, I'm gettin to tell how we do something instead of asking for help . . . :eek:

Let me know if there is anything else.

God Bless,
Zelma

Gail LaPorte
02-07-2007, 1:28 PM
The large picture I did was taken at night ( is a wedding picture ) so I had to take out the black back ground. But most of what I do is just scaned in or downloaded from e-mail and is done as is.
Gail Laporte

Jason Lippert
02-07-2007, 3:50 PM
Frank, are those photos all done with Photograv or are some just regular photos? They look great, we do mirrors like that quite a bit, and many are ones the customer brings in. So the consistency problem is run into a lot. As a result we have developed a good relationship with a local glass shop so we can get replacement mirror when the occasional mishap occurs.

Frank Corker
02-07-2007, 5:07 PM
Hi Jason,

No they were all done through photograv, but as I stated, the mirror backing is very 'iffy' generally causes me a few problems but I have got used to 'losing' the odd mirror to achieve the best result. As for the photos, the best one's come from photographs with good lighting (flash in particular) helps a great deal when it comes to the final finish

Jason Lippert
02-14-2007, 5:20 PM
Hey Frank, I was just wondering what settings you use in PhotoGrav as there really are'nt any ones for mirror as I know of. I have settled on using the white/black plastics setting as it mimics having to color fill the back of the mirror.

Ron Hartl
02-15-2007, 12:18 PM
I have had quite a bit of success with pictures on mirrors but the biggest problems I have found has been obtaining mirrors with the same consistency. The backs of the mirrors are sprayed with a paint which on occasions can be a real bugger to engrave. Quite often it's not enough and then other times, bang, too much. These are all done at 300 dpi 100power 33 speed. To finish them off at the back I use black acrylic paint, no smell and a nice dark finish, look pretty good

.

For my first post here, I have a question. Frank, are you using photgrav or?
They look fantastic.
We have a universal, 60watt
thank you

Frank Corker
02-15-2007, 8:57 PM
Sorry about the delay on replying to this one, slipped through my fingers I guess.

The mirrors were done using photograv, but the settings were set to those for cherry wood, arriving at the exact speeds and power were roughly the reverse of what photograv recommended for wood.

instead of 35 power 100 speed - I used 100 power to 35 speed. Then if it didn't work out it was only a matter of amending slightly either way. Occasionally I would lose a mirror which is a disappointment but not often. Talking of mirrors I am going to post another thread as this one is getting too long in the tooth, to discuss the new 'black mirrors'