What Best Laser Machine for Wood Engraving?
What Best Laser Machine for Wood Engraving?
Laser wood engraving is extremely detailed and intricate art burned into
wood using lasers. Laser wood engraving is a specialized type of woodburning
that results in beautiful pictures with a great deal of definition and depth.
While most people simply order their laser wood engravings because the creative
process can be difficult, you can learn to engrave with lasers as long as you
understand the technology.
Function
Laser
wood engraving is almost always a creative and recreational art form. A
computer program uses an image that has been scanned into the computer to guide
the laser software and create the image on the piece of wood. The laser
vaporizes part of the wood as it burns it to create greater depth in the
picture.
Features
Laser
wood engravings can be very large or small, depending on your mechanical
capabilities. Most laser wood engravings are limited only by the size of the
piece of wood that can be fed through the engraving machine. The wood that is
being engraved also needs to be pretreated to prevent it from being damaged by
residue from the engraving process.
Types
There are
several types of laser engraving available to most people. You can send in an
image and a piece of wood to an engraving company. The company will handle the
process for you and return your image, along with the wood piece that now bears
the image. You can also order laser wood engravings with preset images on them,
such as cats, birds or outdoor scenes. Finally, you can purchase laser
engraving equipment of your own so that you can scan and create the engravings.
However, it is still not a very "hands-on" hobby, such as wood
burning would be, because the process is handled by computer software.
Time Frame
Laser
wood engraving takes several days from start to finish. Once you have selected
a piece of wood to engrave, it must be sanded smooth and then finished with
wood sealant or clear lacquer. After the finish is dry, the wood is ready to be
engraved. Depending on the complexity of the design, this can take one to
several hours. After this, the entire piece must be cleaned to remove the smoky
residue created by the laser engraving process. The turnaround time on ordered,
custom items is usually three to four days.
Benefits
Laser
wood engravings are special gifts. They are a great way to memorialize personal
photos as timeless pieces of art. They also are not particularly expensive, and
you can get custom laser wood engravings starting at about $10 for small,
simple pieces.
Misconceptions
Many people think that
laser wood engraving is just another form of wood burning, a craft that many
people learn as children and then go on to enjoy for many years. However, laser
wood engraving is very unlike wood burning and cannot be done in a similar
manner because the lasers must be guided by computer software. If you are
interested in learning laser wood engraving, you will need to learn as much
about technology as about wood and drawing.
