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View Full Version : New to Laser Engraving!



Conrad Granger
05-24-2007, 5:52 AM
Hi all. Im fairly new to laser engraving, but i have been experimenting... especially on granite. It took me a while to figure out that more power wasn't the way to go. Anyway, after reading a few of the posts on here i tried all sorts... coarser screen, lower power, higher power, higher speed etc. Still not perfect, but not too shabby for a beginner one week later. Plus I live in Zimbabwe so getting Granite is easy. Thanks to blokes like Frank Corker and Gary Hair who have so far imparted insights I might have taken weeks to figure out (Size is 350 x 350mm). PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COMMENT.
65209

65210

65211

65212
These were done on an Epilog 100w Radius.

Mike Null
05-24-2007, 7:55 AM
Congratulations. Your work is excellent.

Frank Corker
05-24-2007, 9:41 AM
Nice work Conrad. Wow, didn't realise you live in Zimbabwe, I was born in Bulawayo!

Nancy Laird
05-24-2007, 9:44 AM
Nice work, Conrad. We haven't tackled granite yet--but we love how LaserSketch's marble turns out.

Nancy

Brian Robison
05-24-2007, 10:11 AM
Nice work Conrad, care to share your settings? Speed Power DPI?

Belinda Barfield
05-24-2007, 11:33 AM
Very nice Conrad! How lucky to live so near the source of Black Absolute Z (as I know it). For a 12 x 12 tile I pay $11.70 plus shipping. Bet you pay a lot less.

Conrad Granger
05-26-2007, 11:13 AM
Nice work Conrad. Wow, didn't realise you live in Zimbabwe, I was born in Bulawayo!
Wow... me too, born an' raised in Skies (Bulawayo) now living in Harare... you might have known it as Salsbery though. Do you think you could get me prices for black granite in... where you are! if you dont mind. Just might be an oppotunity to export some cheaper than what you guys are paying for it. would be an ineresting comparison....

Conrad Granger
05-26-2007, 11:32 AM
Nice work Conrad, care to share your settings? Speed Power DPI?
Hi Brian

I tried different settings for each pic. What i've learned so far is that less power seems to be the way to go (for granite at least). average resolution has been 300/400 dpi for the pix and the laser, power was about 30, speed about 60/70... i only figured that out when i did the elephant, which i think came out best, grey tone an' all! Next on my list is wood and leather (again... im lucky to have plenty raw materials around). I think leather is going to be SWEET!

A lot depends on the actual image and how you balance it before inverting and blah blah blah, and on the quality of granite.

Will update as i experiment!

Rodne Gold
05-26-2007, 4:32 PM
Im in South Africa , surprised to hear that there is actually a laser engraver in Zim......100w nogal!!

Gary Hair
05-26-2007, 5:03 PM
Conrad,
You are doing some nice work!

Gary

Frank Corker
05-26-2007, 7:01 PM
Conrad, I remember Salisbury very well, I lived in Bulawayo went to school in QueQue (KweKwe) before coming over to the UK in Nineteen Canteen. Granite at the moment here is not expensive, getting hold of decent black marble where I am is difficult though.

I usually purchase granite placemats which are 29.5cm x 21.0cm and buy them around £5 sterling for two. I sell them engraved at £45 and have very little shortage for buyers. They have turned out to be very popular, see below, they are a good size and I make a little stand for them to sit on made from acrylic.

Carol VanArnam
05-26-2007, 9:47 PM
Frank- did you make the easle that is holding up your sample? It look like it's acrylic. Did you make the item yourself.... do you have a pattern you can share? PS- I love the artwork:) :)

Carol VanArnam
05-26-2007, 9:50 PM
WOW Conrad you have some VERY NICE items there. I'm very impressed. I haven't tried rock yet. What were your settings and did you use Corel to make the items or some other software? Oh and I'll say it again- WOW VERY NICE...

Dave Fifield
05-26-2007, 11:15 PM
It's a small world indeed. I have very fond memories of living in Nairobi, Kenya, for 2 years when I was 8 to 10 years old (my parents were there on a teaching contract). Malindi, Jadini, Mombassa, and the Rift Valley were my favorite places to visit. One day I hope to go back and visit again.

I recall visiting in SA (Johannesburg area) for a few days on our family's journey back to England - the last ever commercial voyage of the S.S. Kenya - we had to steam all the way around the Cape because the Suez Canal was blocked. We stopped in at the Canary Islands and Portugal as well.

Your granite tiles look fantastic Conrad! Keep up the great work!

Cheers,

Frank Corker
05-27-2007, 6:05 AM
Carol - no problems - Acrylic - the dimensions are included I have done it in Corel 12 in case you don't have x3

Conrad Granger
05-27-2007, 6:29 AM
Conrad, I remember Salisbury very well, I lived in Bulawayo went to school in QueQue (KweKwe) before coming over to the UK in Nineteen Canteen. Granite at the moment here is not expensive, getting hold of decent black marble where I am is difficult though.

I usually purchase granite placemats which are 29.5cm x 21.0cm and buy them around £5 sterling for two. I sell them engraved at £45 and have very little shortage for buyers. They have turned out to be very popular, see below, they are a good size and I make a little stand for them to sit on made from acrylic.
Hi Frank

Thanks a span! Thats quite a sweet number you got going there. Your tiger is perfect!!!
Have you ever tried highlighting the engraved areas with some kind of paint, i know it would kind of kill the 'authentic' feel of the stone but i want to give it a try and see. Any advice?

Conrad Granger
05-27-2007, 6:35 AM
WOW Conrad you have some VERY NICE items there. I'm very impressed. I haven't tried rock yet. What were your settings and did you use Corel to make the items or some other software? Oh and I'll say it again- WOW VERY NICE...
Hi Carol

Thanks for the comment (my head is swelling). I use Photoshop CS2 for all the editing and import to Corel X3 and simply print to the laser. Which reminds me, has anyone out there done anything with colour mapping?

Conrad Granger
05-27-2007, 6:43 AM
Im in South Africa , surprised to hear that there is actually a laser engraver in Zim......100w nogal!!
Hi Rodne

Can you belive it!!! we even got electrik lights an' indoor plumin' an' everthin! (just kidding).... No really we do! Not sure for how much longer though.

Frank Corker
05-27-2007, 7:53 AM
On the granite I for colour I use the old rub'n'buff - turns out well - see below.
BTW I still have quite a lot of family still in Zim, my Uncle owns B&C bus co and another Uncle owns ShuShine bus co, you probably know those. I have a brother in Harare, one sister in Gweru and two sisters in Bulawayo.

Carol VanArnam
05-27-2007, 2:43 PM
Frank - thanks for posting the .cdr file. I appreciate see other folk's work. I learn a lot seeing how others make files. I love your just posted sample. So you just lasered then used this rub and buff paint stuff? Do you ever do any sand blasting on your rock? You and Conrad are making me want to run out and buy some rock to laser on....

Frank Corker
05-27-2007, 3:56 PM
Although I have a sandblaster and blasting cabinet, I only use them when I'm working on my car, so never bothered trying to do anything other than that with it. I prefer using the laser, it gets the job done, without all the mess.

Ray Mighells
05-27-2007, 3:56 PM
Great work guys; howcum y'all don't live next door to me??