Alternative to Cherry and Alder

[John Lifer]

A LOT of difference in cherry. Older heartwood is going to be different than younger outer wood. (not including sapwood which will obviously be different) And how you are lasering the wood makes a difference too. Out of focus usually gives me darker look, but it can't be too far out. Usually dead focus is very little char. Which depending on what you are after, works well. You can always color fill if you have masked it before you laser. (or if burned deep enough, Fill and sand top layer back down.

[Andrew Stow]

A LOT of difference in cherry. Older heartwood is going to be different than younger outer wood. (not including sapwood which will obviously be different) And how you are lasering the wood makes a difference too. Out of focus usually gives me darker look, but it can't be too far out. Usually dead focus is very little char. Which depending on what you are after, works well. You can always color fill if you have masked it before you laser. (or if burned deep enough, Fill and sand top layer back down.

Hm, so even just using a longer focal length lens might achieve the same result.

[Melissa BurnerMN]

A lot things are being made with Acacia wood these days and I've had pretty good luck with these. My coworker keeps wanting me to make gifts for her friends so I've worked with some. I am not sure if it is available across the pond.

[Kev Williams]

All I know of acacia, is that's what these are! (Ikea outdoor flooring)
acacia.jpg

[Matt McCoy]

Acacia is a collection of lots of species that grow in mostly Australia, Africa, and Asia. Hawaiian Acacia is called Koa. It's typically thorny, grows fairly quick, and not very tall. Lots of Chinese goods are made from it, since it is moderately priced and plentiful.

[Lee DeRaud]

I'm a bit surprised no one has mentioned bamboo.

Lyptus is another good choice: it darkens slightly over time but nowhere near as much as cherry.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyptus

[Kev Williams]

I don't buy the stuff, but I get plenty brought to me, and much of the bamboo I'm seeing lately is highly variegated- very pretty to look at but engraves very inconsistent.

A couple of years ago a nephew brought me some bamboo flooring scraps, that stuff engraved beautifully.

[Lee DeRaud]

I don't buy the stuff, but I get plenty brought to me, and much of the bamboo I'm seeing lately is highly variegated- very pretty to look at but engraves very inconsistent.

A couple of years ago a nephew brought me some bamboo flooring scraps, that stuff engraved beautifully.

Depends on how they lay out the strips for gluing: some of the stuff has "vertical grain" for lack of a better description, where the strips are perpendicular to the face of the board, making it look almost like zebrawood. OTOH, the stuff where they cover that with horizontal strips is very nice to work with.

[Matt McCoy]

Bamboo is not right for every project or client, but engraves well.