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View Full Version : rastering cardstock?



Marc Myer
02-20-2008, 11:56 PM
I know, it sounds goofy, but I'm trying to raster a design onto cardstock. I want it to darken the paper without blowing through.
I'm making some old-fashioned tickets and the brown burned image would look great. But I'm having a heck of a time with settings. Ideas?

Craig Hogarth
02-21-2008, 12:50 AM
i was doing a lot of paper a while back for scrapbookers until i realized it was not the least bit profitable. If memory serves correct, i was doing it at 30 p, 100 sp, 200 dpi. Premium white core card stock works best.

Joe Pelonio
02-21-2008, 8:15 AM
I too have done it, using "polytag" which is a .024" poly coated card stock used for screenprinting political signs. On my 45 watt I go 20p, 100sp, 300 dpi.

Dee Gallo
02-21-2008, 2:29 PM
Marc - I made a bunch of cards on regular greeting cardstock, with a bird's eye veneer insert. I burned them on an older Eclipse, so my settings won't help you, but I can tell you that I used the 100% speed and about 20% power to get a very light burn.

I wish I could show you here, but I don't know how to attach a picture... if you PM me I will email it to you.

- dee

Ricky Gore
02-21-2008, 5:18 PM
I found the neatest thing. I got regular black posterboard from Hobby Lobby, and I found that it engraved and cut beautifully. Make sure when you hold the posterboard up, you can see white on the edges. That lets you know it's the kind that etches well. Below is a packaging prototype I'm working one. I'm going to use different tabs for the final piece, but I think it's kinda cute. I'll send the settings later, I'm at my day job right now.

http://www.chiggerhill.com/Barn1.jpg
http://www.chiggerhill.com/Barn2.jpg

Larry Bratton
02-21-2008, 6:42 PM
Photographic mat board works well also. I sometimes will engrave a title on the mat board surrounding a framed print. Mat board cuts well also. I use the recommended settings on my Epilog settings sheet.

Dee Gallo
02-21-2008, 8:24 PM
I am trying to learn how to attach a picture, so please bear with me. I got some help from Mike, so here goes:

Dee Gallo
02-21-2008, 8:25 PM
Thanks to Mike Null for educating me!

cheers, dee

Mike Null
02-21-2008, 8:32 PM
Dee
Good job. Now what all did you do with the card?

Dee Gallo
02-21-2008, 8:42 PM
Well, every year I design a Chinese New Year card, which is not exactly the kind of thing you can just buy at Hallmark stores. I use them myself to send to friends and family, but I have had people buy the designs for things like T-shirts and posters. The cities of San Francisco and Houston have used my designs for their celebrations. This was the first time I used the laser, usually they are screenprinted, handpainted, etc. This is the Year of the Rat, by the way. Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Thanks for asking, dee

Mike Null
02-22-2008, 5:10 AM
Dee

My compliments!

Judging from your location you cook Cantonese food.

Somebody will ask so I'll go first. do you have any such designs you'd like to share with the members?

Dee Gallo
02-22-2008, 2:28 PM
Well, for whoever might be interested, here are a few designs - also, a picture of my Chinese Zodiak joker set, all 12 animals. These were laser engraved on thermoset plastic tiles (1" x 1 1/4"), then color filled.

EDIT: can someone tell me why my images loaded at less than the size I saved them at? For instance, the last pic was saved at 96KB and it loaded at 41KB, looking pretty blurry too. Thanks, dee

Bill Cunningham
02-23-2008, 9:38 PM
EDIT: can someone tell me why my images loaded at less than the size I saved them at? For instance, the last pic was saved at 96KB and it loaded at 41KB, looking pretty blurry too. Thanks, deeProbably because what ever is uploaded is re-compressed as a .jpg And every time you save a .jpg 'as' a .jpg, it re-compresses (actually 'removes' data) and gets smaller and crappier with every save.. Also, everything else (.gif, .tif, .bmp) will become smaller and crappier when converted to a .jpg ... A lot of people don't realize this.. I was looking at a sandblast site the other day, and the fellow had posted a very good tutorial on how to sandblast photographs.. He went all through the steps of creating a good binary file, and 'then' said save it as a .jpg :eek: That just removed ALL the effort of creating a good binary file? There is no such thing as a binary .jpg.. If you want to try a experiment, load and save the same .jpg 5 or 6 time, taking note of the sizes.. Each time it will be smaller and fuzzier..

Dee Gallo
02-23-2008, 11:07 PM
So what you're telling me, Bill, is that I can save my image at about twice the required limit and it will be okay once it loads?

Dee Gallo
02-23-2008, 11:15 PM
I hope the Mods don't mind me trying this experiment.... I'm loading a picture that's 140KB to see if it flies and if it looks better. It didn't take, but the next one at 136 did. Hmmm..

Thanks for your indulgence, dee

Bob Cole
02-23-2008, 11:51 PM
I've done a few designs on cardstock. This is the same stuff you would use for scrapbooking. I've only done this for friends and family as I am not sure there is any margin.

I usually use 10%pwr, 80%spd, 250dpi.

Mike Null
02-24-2008, 8:39 AM
Along this line, for my better plaque customers, I engrave the recipients name on the brown presentation box. Takes about 10 seconds.

Bill Cunningham
02-26-2008, 9:58 PM
So what you're telling me, Bill, is that I can save my image at about twice the required limit and it will be okay once it loads?

Dee Ignore the size, when your uploading to a website, your only interested in getting the picture up as clear as possible in a size that the system will accept.. Worse comes to worse, convert your pictures to 640 x 480 pixels @ 72 ppi that will give you a large enough picture on anyones screen, still be 'fairly' clear, and probably won't exceed the size limit.. If someone wants a higher res. pic, you can email them one.. The one attached, is the same file size as your original (which was at 150 ppi), but posts much larger because is lower res. (72.ppi) It is much fuzzier, but it's also a .jpg thats been saved a few times before posting again.. If you have to do work on photos, that originated as a .jpg then save the work as a .tif and only revert back to a .jpg for the ones you post on the web..

Dee Gallo
02-27-2008, 7:22 AM
okay, I'm trying it again.

Dee Gallo
02-27-2008, 7:26 AM
Thanks, Bill! I saved this one directly from the scanner at 150 and did not compress it before loading into the post. The 2nd and 3rd generation jpegs were a lot blurrier. Thanks again for the explanation.

dee

Bill Cunningham
02-28-2008, 7:54 PM
Yup!! A big difference ! That big enough, and nice and clear...

Marc Myer
02-29-2008, 1:04 PM
While I haven't been able to get a nice brown 'burn' yet, I have had some success with cheap packing cardboard. I designed a box to put my wood sculptures in, and lasered the image on the front. Rastering on the cardboard creates a nice image that 'changes' with the light!

Dee Gallo
02-29-2008, 1:54 PM
Marc, that looks great! For some reason, the dancer on the box looks happier than the other one to me.

cheers, dee

James Wright
03-12-2008, 9:00 AM
I found the neatest thing. I got regular black posterboard from Hobby Lobby, and I found that it engraved and cut beautifully. Make sure when you hold the posterboard up, you can see white on the edges. That lets you know it's the kind that etches well. Below is a packaging prototype I'm working one. I'm going to use different tabs for the final piece, but I think it's kinda cute. I'll send the settings later, I'm at my day job right now.

http://www.chiggerhill.com/Barn1.jpg
http://www.chiggerhill.com/Barn2.jpg

Rick...you mentioned sending settings later on this box....did I miss that thread?...do you have .cdr for it to? Thanks....

James A. Wolfe
03-12-2008, 3:52 PM
One technique I use with cardstock is to purposely focus above or below the area I want to "brown". You have to play with the settings to balance darkening with resolution but you can get some interesting effects.

Jim