Universal Laser Systems X-600 Safety, Installation, Operation, And Basic Maintenance Manual page 65

Not all wood finishes are created equal. When ordering wood from a supplier, be sure to specify that
it is being used for laser engraving. Some finishes cannot handle the heat from the laser and will
bubble, blister, and possibly turn white. For engraving softer woods such as pine or balsa, reduce the
power settings to acquire the best depth. Engraving too deep on soft woods will reduce quality.
Every type of wood will engrave differently. It is better to engrave woods that are finished. If
engraving unfinished wood and it is not masked with transfer tape, the smoke residue tends to embed
in the wood and is impossible to remove without sanding. To prevent this, mask all unfinished wood
with transfer tape.
Create a drawing with no outlines, only filled areas. Engrave the filled areas almost as deep as the
thickness of the veneer (usually about .003 inches (.1 mm) or less). With some water and a nylon
brush, remove all residue from the engraved area. When cutting veneers make sure they are lying
absolutely flat. In the drawing, give the objects an outline of .001 inches (.1 mm) and remove the fill.
Adjust the power so that there is just enough power to cut completely through the veneer.
Overpowering the cut will cause too much material removal and the fit will not be snug. Some
software programs allow outline offsetting to compensate for the thickness of the beam called
contouring. Usually, a contour to the outside of the vector line of .006 inches provides a tight fit.
Remember if using more power to cut through the veneer, compensate for the thicker width of the
laser cut by contouring a little further to the outside.
Another method is to first create your graphic and fill it with the color black. Then give it a white
outline of .012 inches (.3 mm). If you look at the graphic when you add the outline, you will see that it
appears to shrink. Now raster engrave the graphic to a depth slightly shallower than the thickness of
the veneer. When the engraving is finished, place the veneer into the laser system. Remove the
black fill and change the outline to a different color. Cut out the veneer with the laser system, add
glue to the veneer, and apply the veneer into the engraved area of the other piece of wood and let dry.
After the glue has thoroughly dried, sand the veneer until it is flush with the base wood. A good
veneer to use is one with an adhesive backing. Once cut, place the veneer into its proper place on
the engraved wood block and with a clothes iron, and iron the veneer into the engraved wood. This
melts the glue and causes the veneer to stick to the engraved area. Finish the wood as you desire
and the finished product will look fantastic. The veneer can now be sanded flush with the surface and
a finish coat applied.
LASER ENGRAVING OR CUTTING WOOD CAN IGNITE THE MATERIAL.
Never leave the laser system running unattended for any reason.
MATERIAL SETTINGS GUIDE
WOOD INLAYS - VENEERS
Section 5-23