10—How to engrave a nice wood painting

To engrave a nice wood painting, we need not only to set proper parameter settings, but also combine the skills of choosing a proper image and photo processing tips.

Choosing the Right Wood and Image Processing

Selecting the appropriate wood type is crucial for achieving a detailed and clear engraving. Opt for fine-grained woods like maple, birch, or walnut, which have uniform color and minimal knots. Before engraving, ensure the wood surface is smooth and free of defects by sanding it if necessary.

Image Preparation

1. Image Quality: Ensure the photo has a high resolution to retain detail during engraving.
2. Grayscale Conversion: Convert the image to grayscale to better control the engraving depth and detail.
3. Adjust Contrast and Brightness: Enhance the image’s contrast and brightness to highlight key features.
4. Sharpening: Apply sharpening filters to enhance edges and fine details, making them stand out during engraving.

Setting the Engraving Parameters

The following parameters are the standard settings for Nova35-80W machines. If you are using a laser cutting machine with a different wattage, adjust the power and speed parameters accordingly. Additionally, when engraving with the standard head of Thunder Laser, ensure the focal length is aligned at 6mm.

1. Power: Set to 8%.
2. Speed: Set to 500mm/s.
3. Air Assist: Enable air assist to protect the lens and reduce residue.
4. Engraving Interval: Set the interval to 0.08 mm to accommodate the roughness of plywood.

Key Points for Plywood Engraving

1. Enhance Image Detail: Use software to convert the bitmap into a sketch to emphasize the main subject and enhance the three-dimensional effect.
2. Suitability Check: Use the sketch to judge if the image is suitable for laser engraving.
3. Parameter Adjustment: Fine-tune power, speed, and spacing settings within an appropriate range. Practice with your laser engraving machine to perfect these settings.

Additional Tips

• Test Engraving: Before engraving the final piece, conduct a test run on a scrap piece of wood to fine-tune the parameters.
• Cleaning: After engraving, use a soft brush or compressed air to clean the surface and remove any debris.
• Finishing Touches: Consider staining or painting the engraved areas to enhance the visual impact.

By combining these techniques, you can achieve a high-quality engraving on wood, with clear and detailed images that stand out. Continuous practice and adjustment of parameters based on different wood types and images will lead to consistent and excellent results.