Best engraving wood, and where do you buy it?

[Keith Winter]

Wow! Gorgeous work!

[Keith Outten]

I like Cherry, Alder and Maple in that order but I really like to engrave Hickory when its available. Hickory engraves very dark and the warm tones of the wood makes for an exceptional plaque.
Generally speaking I make my own plaques unless I get a very large order.

[Art Mann]

I use a CNC router to carve plaques rather than a laser to engrave them but material prep is just the same. Like Keith, I glue up my own material. I use Cherry, maple, soft maple, walnut and occasionally western cedar, eastern red cedar or redwood. I have a reliable and fairly economical source of hardwoods. I have all the equipment to turn kiln dried rough sawn boards into beautiful plaques of any size I need (within reason). If you lived near me, we might be able to strike strike up a deal wherein you get what you need and I help pay for my woodworking equipment. I think your ideal solution would be to find a local person like myself who would be willing to work with you. There are quite a few manufacturers of plaque blanks, some of which have already been mentioned, but their prices for small quantities is too high for me.

[Luke Puckett]

Thanks for all the help. I did end up ordering some pre made plaques from http://www.studioworkshop.com I found them to be very helpful and good prices. I order most in alder, but also got some cherry. I also found a lumber yard about an hour away that carries alder and cherry and they have it in S4S, so everything is cut, ripped and smoothed out. This is very helpful as I don't have a planer or jointer yet.

[Mike Null]

Luke

Years ago I bought some aromatic cedar from a friend in Kentucky to make a few wood working projects. I found that it engraves beautifully.

[Matt McCoy]

Luke

Years ago I bought some aromatic cedar from a friend in Kentucky to make a few wood working projects. I found that it engraves beautifully.

Smells nice too.