PDA

View Full Version : Red Alder Plaques



Ross Lowry
09-12-2008, 5:38 PM
Hello everyone.
I was wanting some tips on engraving red alder plaques.
Last few times I engraved one it just didn't have the darkness I liked.
When I would slow the speed down it would only get deeper, but not any darker.
My power and speed setting I used was 20-25 on the speed and 100 on the power.
I have a 45 watt Epilog that I just put in a new tube.
Most engraving I do are at 300 dpi.
What dpi do you guys use along with your power and speed settings?
Thanks.

Curt Stallings
09-12-2008, 7:20 PM
I usually do alder picture frames with clipart at 400dpi, 35s, 100p. If you want darker you probably need to reduce both speed and power. Reducing the speed only will just burn deeper as you said. If you want real dark you may try 300/20s/50p.

Curt

Ross Lowry
09-12-2008, 7:57 PM
Thanks Curt.
I actually think I am done working with these red alder plaques due to the way they make them.
They take slates of wood red alder, glue them up, cut to size, and then route the edges.
The problem with this is it will engrave one shade on one of the slates then when it engraves on a different one you get a different shade, which is no good for doing photo, but fine for just words.
Sometimes you end up with a persons face that looks like Braveheart!
I will probally make my own out of one piece of wood so everything should be more uniform throughout.

Steven Wallace
09-13-2008, 1:06 AM
Ross I have done several plaques and if you want darker without adjusting the standard speed and power setting recommended by Epilog, just raise the dpi. I have done 1200 and 600 dpi to get a darker engraving.

Mike Null
09-13-2008, 9:03 AM
It's a difficult material but I have improved my results by raising my dpi to 600and lowering speed and power. It goes against logic to reduce power but I didn't want so much depth.

Some have had better results by de-focusing slightly.

Scott Shepherd
09-13-2008, 10:54 AM
You might also try increasing the frequency to 5000 (or way up there) on a piece of scrap.

Ross Lowry
09-13-2008, 11:49 AM
Hello Scott.
I am rastering the photo so the frequency is not used.

Scott Shepherd
09-13-2008, 11:53 AM
Gotcha, sorry about that. I thought it did allow for it on rastering, but in looking at my Epilog driver, I can see it's listed as a vector feature only.

Rags Alan Ragland
09-13-2008, 12:14 PM
Ross
Have you tried spraying your red alder with Pledge furniture polish prior to rastering? I use it all the time for my plaques, it almost eliminates the smoke residue form the oils and seems to come out darker. Would love to see your work when you finish.
Dr. Rags

Ross Lowry
09-13-2008, 10:51 PM
Very interesting Alan I will give it a shot.
Thanks

martin g. boekers
09-14-2008, 12:25 PM
I burn a second pass at a faster speed, this sometimes helps with the maple pen cases too. Not always magnificent, but it looks better with the second burn.

Brian Robison
09-14-2008, 7:13 PM
It just so happens I'm running some right now. I increased the dpi and didn't get a darker mark. I'm having VERY good luck at 200dpi, 20% Speed, 100% power with a 25watt Mini.

Ross Lowry
09-14-2008, 10:26 PM
Would you double the speed on the second pass?
Thanks Martin.

martin g. boekers
09-14-2008, 11:37 PM
I have a 75 watt Epilog, first pass I hit it at 80-85 speed at 100 power and the second pass at 90-95 speed 90-100 power. I sort of feel it out with the batches of wood. Your not looking at a huge difference maybe 20-25% but usually it's just enough to give it some tone.


Marty

Doug Bergstrom
09-15-2008, 8:37 AM
We have had issues with a lot of the Alder plaques that are not made in the USA. They do not burn any where near as dark or get the detail of the USA made plaques.
We do an ongoing project every year with the same settings and I have seen the changes in the past five years as to the overall quality of the plaques probably due to the increase in demand and the need to increase supply of these plaques to the market place. overall we have found the USA made plaques to remain a better quality and have a better color when etched as well as a better match of wood strips that make up the plaques.

Brian Conklin
09-15-2008, 11:03 AM
I usually do alder at 100p 30s 4 LPI on my ULS.

For these, after some recommendations, I ran at 80p 35s 6 LPI (lines per inch) to get a much darker look. However, even though the results are much better, it DOES take much longer to to engrave at this LPI setting.

BTW, these are from JDS...

Ross Lowry
09-15-2008, 11:16 AM
That does look nice Brian.

Steven Wallace
09-15-2008, 1:14 PM
http://www.gunstocksinc.com/web_pages/Odds-n-Ends.htm

If you are looking to material to practice on, you can't beat the deal on a "box of stocks" that these people offer. They are meant as training aids for engravers and those who do firearm furniture finishing.