Anybody have any tips to get the best detail when trying to engrave someone’s picture onto wood
If you’re trying to do a photo engraving, got a few tips for you:
First, you’re going to want to use the fusion pro. It’s much better at doing high detail work than the thunders are. I’d precut the wood first and then do your engraving as the very last step in the process, but that’s just me.
Second, Before you do anything with the laser cutter, take your image into some form of image editing software and convert it to greyscale. That’s the best result the laser will be able to give with your image, even if all of your other settings are perfect. Unless your image is very contrast-y, you’re likely going to have difficulty getting clear shapes from your engrave. If there’s any large sections that are visually distinctive in color but turn into very similar shades of grey once you convert it to greyscale, you’re going to have difficulty telling the sections apart in the laser. Do what you can to play with contrast and hues and balance until you get a high contrast greyscale image, and then use that.
Third, you will want to definitely have some material to do your tests on first. You’ll probably want to have power that is relatively low compared to what the material can take if you want to get all the details in that you can. Keep your speed as high as you can compared to what power requirements you’ll need, and pin your resolution at 500-600, depending.
Good luck, and don’t forget to post photos of the end result when you’re done 
7 Likes
I think the dithering algorithm you choose plays a big part too.
Practice lots!
1 Like
I made a guide to dithering algorithms a while back. When you go to use the fusion, they’re in the top drawer of the metal cabinet next to the fusion computer.
Very short version: Don’t use none, don’t use standard. Beyond that, they’re all relativelly identical, but I go with Stucki. Take a look at the examples and get a feel for them all. Like I said, you’ll be doing a lot of tests.
1 Like
Lol so I have found, my first go at it was horrifying, as in the faces came out looking like something out of Dante’s nightmares, so definitely gonna have to get the feel for it cause I don’t think I can wash the image of the first try out of my eyeballs
1 Like