Laser Engraving Redwood?

[Ernie Kuhn]

Making a redwood wedding plate and wondering how well the redwood takes laser engraving? It will have several coats of lacquer sanding sealer on it first.
Thanks in advance,
Ernie

[Leigh Costello]

I don't know about Redwood, but I do not recommend laser engraving Redheart. Nor does my doctor or my insurance or my hubby or my boss or my pharmacist or my sis-in-law the resp. therapist, etc. :eek:

[Mike Null]

Easy--a good wood for the laser.

[Carol VanArnam]

I would think redwood would behave like cedar. I'd be afraid to raster or vector very deep. I don't think the wood will like the laser. Test a small piece of wood before you get going on making that plate.

Redwood is a dry semi soft wood. I think the key will be using low power.

[Brian Conklin]

My experience with redwood.....It's easy enough to do and looks good when finished, but it takes me two passes on my 30w machine to achieve what one pass on alder gets me.

I use a masking tape, laser, spray paint the lettering, pull off mask....Finished!

When I made routed redwood signs I just spray painted the letters and ran the sign through my planer. Of course the router gave me greater depth than the laser.

[Lee DeRaud]

I don't know about Redwood, but I do not recommend laser engraving Redheart. Nor does my doctor or my insurance or my hubby or my boss or my pharmacist or my sis-in-law the resp. therapist, etc. :eek:Ok, I'll bite: why the concern with that wood in particular? (As opposed to rosewood, bubinga, or a couple dozen other exotics, or domestic species for that matter.)

My initial reaction is, if you don't think it's a good idea to engrave that particular wood, either (1) it probably isn't a good idea to engrave any wood or (2) you badly need to upgrade your exhaust system.

[Lee DeRaud]

I would think redwood would behave like cedar. I'd be afraid to raster or vector very deep. I don't think the wood will like the laser. Test a small piece of wood before you get going on making that plate.I "signed" a small redwood turning with the laser, no problem. Of course, that was a bone-dry piece (from a 4x4 that had been in my garage about 15 years)...the problem with cedar is the oil.

[Ernie Kuhn]

To all:
Thank you so much for your suggestions, warnings, etc. I've printed everything off and will give it to the guy that is going to "burn in" a copy of the invitation into the plate for me. I also have a prepared smaller sample for him to experiment with.
Lee, this piece is bone dry too. Was in someone's garage for who knows how long. Think it was part of a bar top at one time since it had a coating of decoupage type epoxy on one side. It is dry.
Again, thanks to all.
Ernie

[Mike Shauer]

I cut that Epilog box out of 1/4" cedar. Does a nice job, a little dark on the cuts but it looks fine. Air assist is a must thou flame like crazy when I forget to turn it on.

[Carol VanArnam]

Ernie- I was on ebay and saw a wooden box laser cut out of redwood and it was also rastered. It looked really nice check it out.

[Ernie Kuhn]

Mike,
Thanks for the info about keeping the air on. I will pass that along to my engraver.
Carol,
After looking at that box, I'm convinced that the plate out of redwood will work. Thank you so much.
Ernie