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Thread: Laser Checkering

  1. #1

    Laser Checkering

    Hi
    I'm fairly new to laser engraving ( November 2013) I have a 50W Epilog laser. I purchased it for a specific job with hopes of getting into checkering and gun stock engraving at some point, but all I see in the way of instruction is from epilog and unless you are familiar with Corel Draw they kind of leave you in the dark. Can anyone direct me to where I can learn to create checkering patterns and how to shape them into usable designs ?

  2. #2
    John

    Welcome to SMC.

    I'd advise exploring the post script fill tool on the fill tool flyout. The are quite a few options and they can be adjusted. I have not seen any tutorials for this tool but you can pick it up fairly quickly with a little practice. The one below is a very simple one where the art took about 15 minutes at most.


    rifle.jpg
    Mike Null

    St. Louis Laser, Inc.

    Trotec Speedy 300, 80 watt
    Gravograph IS400
    Woodworking shop CLTT and Laser Sublimation
    Dye Sublimation
    CorelDraw X5, X7

  3. #3
    Thanks Mike ...I didn't even know that existed. Looks very usable . I wonder if you can create your own fill pattern within that feature. I see you used a diamond, but there does not appear to be one in the selection choices...Guess I have to learn Corel !

  4. #4
    John

    That is the crosshatch fill where I set the spacing to be equal. See below.


    crosshatch.png
    Mike Null

    St. Louis Laser, Inc.

    Trotec Speedy 300, 80 watt
    Gravograph IS400
    Woodworking shop CLTT and Laser Sublimation
    Dye Sublimation
    CorelDraw X5, X7

  5. #5
    Thanks Mike. I don't know if that helped John but it sure helped me. I wondered how that was done.
    Gary

  6. #6
    Join Date
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    Mike,

    I may be wrong, but aren't most gun makers interested in the more heavily textured, 3D sort of checkering rather than flat line based checkering? In other words, rather than a flat diamond pattern the interior of each diamond would come to a point. There is one example if this on a rifle stock in the Epilogue Laser samples page.

    Any thoughts on that process? Is that time effective on a laser as opposed to a CNC device or doing it by hand?

    Dave
    PS. 60 degrees and in between rain storms today. A pretty day. Crocuses and Daffodils are up here. Hope you guys are seeing much better weather as well!!!
    900x600 80watt EFR Tube laser from Liaocheng Ray Fine Tech LTD. Also a 900x600 2.5kw spindle CNC from Ray Fine. And my main tool, a well used and loved Jet 1642 Woodlathe with an outboard toolrest that helps me work from 36 inch diameters down to reallllllly tiny stuff.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by David Somers View Post
    Mike,

    I may be wrong, but aren't most gun makers interested in the more heavily textured, 3D sort of checkering rather than flat line based checkering? In other words, rather than a flat diamond pattern the interior of each diamond would come to a point. There is one example if this on a rifle stock in the Epilogue Laser samples page.

    Any thoughts on that process? Is that time effective on a laser as opposed to a CNC device or doing it by hand?

    Dave
    PS. 60 degrees and in between rain storms today. A pretty day. Crocuses and Daffodils are up here. Hope you guys are seeing much better weather as well!!!
    @Dave Somers
    I think what Mike has done is mostly for decoration rather then checkering for better grip. But you can take any of the patterns such as the one Mike did and run it thru in 3d mode to get the depth for better grip. I believe its the gun owners rather then the makers that would get the checkering done. Sometimes they come pre checkered but most stocks come plain so the owner can have it customized his way.
    If the Help and advice you received here was of any VALUE to you PLEASE! Become a Contributor
    Rabbit RL_XX_6040-60 watt Laser engraving/cutting machine Oh wait its a 3D Printer my bad LOL
    Lasercut 5.3
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  8. #8
    Bert is correct. Preparing and engraving 3d art is a very costly process--maybe more than the gun. This was a $400 Marlin.

    This is a business for me and I don't have time to mess with 3d as much as I like it.
    Mike Null

    St. Louis Laser, Inc.

    Trotec Speedy 300, 80 watt
    Gravograph IS400
    Woodworking shop CLTT and Laser Sublimation
    Dye Sublimation
    CorelDraw X5, X7

  9. #9
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    here's a couple of patterns you can try out..
    Attached Images Attached Images

  10. #10
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    Thanks everyone!

    I asked that cause I have a friend/co-worker in another National Park site who is a gun smith as well, and learning to do his own checkering. If I ever end up with an engraver I would help him out if possible. Plus I was kind of asking for John who started the thread, or at least kibitzing and asking in advance of his asking.

    I am curious though....assume you have a commonly sized rifle stock and someone wanted to have a 3d checker on it? And you have about an 80 watt machine. What would be a reasonable time to run the job over? I have always meant to ask him how long it takes him to do this with the method he uses now.

    Dave
    900x600 80watt EFR Tube laser from Liaocheng Ray Fine Tech LTD. Also a 900x600 2.5kw spindle CNC from Ray Fine. And my main tool, a well used and loved Jet 1642 Woodlathe with an outboard toolrest that helps me work from 36 inch diameters down to reallllllly tiny stuff.

  11. #11
    Thanks Mike and everyone.

    Chuck, how do you fill a particular area with one of those patterns? I saw that it provides a reasonable checker type finish as they are, but I am not good at Corel and haven't figured out that part. The pattern that Epilog puts out as a sample isn't really a diamond, more like small 3D triangles. Unfortunately they don't explain how to change the shape of the area to be covered. I appreciate all of the help. I'm a lot closer than I ever was.

    By the way, there is a market for this type of work in the Cowboy Action community. I am primarily a hand engraver.
    John S.

  12. #12
    One of my few real talents is hand checkering A laser would be useful for setting out the primary lines for hand checkering though,nothing more scary than running out the first director lines when working on an expensive Wetherby or Purdy.

    cheers

    Dave
    You did what !

  13. #13
    Dave

    I envy that talent though the guys who contact me are bargain hunters who put no value on skill, equipment, experience etc. So there's not a lot of reason for me to spend the time to do or try to do 3d work.
    Mike Null

    St. Louis Laser, Inc.

    Trotec Speedy 300, 80 watt
    Gravograph IS400
    Woodworking shop CLTT and Laser Sublimation
    Dye Sublimation
    CorelDraw X5, X7

  14. #14
    Join Date
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    Location
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    Chuck can probably do it a lot faster than I could, but I just started practicing on corel draw a few days ago, and I created the same checkered pattern that he has on the right, in about 15 minutes. It simply involved drawing a square, using fountain fill (F11), and then a lot of copy paste... It was quite fun actually!


    Quote Originally Posted by John Saville View Post
    Thanks Mike and everyone.

    Chuck, how do you fill a particular area with one of those patterns? I saw that it provides a reasonable checker type finish as they are, but I am not good at Corel and haven't figured out that part. The pattern that Epilog puts out as a sample isn't really a diamond, more like small 3D triangles. Unfortunately they don't explain how to change the shape of the area to be covered. I appreciate all of the help. I'm a lot closer than I ever was.

    By the way, there is a market for this type of work in the Cowboy Action community. I am primarily a hand engraver.
    John S.

    Don Corbeil

    _________________
    Trotec Speedy 300 (80W) w/rotary
    CorelDraw Graphics Suite x6
    PhotoGrav v.3
    AutoCAD 2000i



  15. #15
    Just to make you nuts, check this out
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZleOfiMd-dU
    George Beck
    Fishers Laser Carvers

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