Engraving Issue with image quality


Looking for help with engraving. I’m trying to engrave on a cutting board made from Acacia using a PNG file from something I created using Canva. I have the laser settings to engrave with 1000, 70, 340 which I found other threads.

As you can see from the image only half of the letters and images are dark (burnt). I’ve tried cleaning the laser, refocusing, and various settings and nothing seems to work. I’ve even burnt just letters from the Dashboard and they seem to work just fine. But everything I import a image or letters this happens. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Not sure what I’m doing wrong. New user here.

Looks like variation in material density to me. Natural wood is not uniform.

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Uploading: 20221203_105348.jpg…

I think you are correct. With the various colors of the wood I’m wondering if there is a work around? Attached is where I was playing with the settings and it didn’t really repeat the same thing.

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Since settings are included in this post, I moved it over to the beyond the manual category.

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The cutting board is clearly made from different pieces of wood, each responding to the laser in a different way.

You could tediously figure out the settings for each piece of wood in the board, but even if you could align it perfectly you’d likely not get a 100% color match. I think you have to adapt to the board and come up with a design that will fit into one single piece of wood, so it is uniform.

Or, you could figure out a way to stain the engraved area so it was all uniformly colored.

OR, find different cutting boards that don’t show such extreme variation. Someone may have links.

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A thin layer of clear to keep the color from soaking in and then applying permanent black marker before removing the masking will make a much more even darkness. The idea that the laser is burning to black in every case is not always so, and even then the black often washes off.

i have done alot of engraving on arcadia and bamboo ctting boards and utinsils. i ran into the same problem as you are having now and my solution was to lighty sand the area you are going to engrave. i found that the particulars of bamboo specis are prone to burn marks on certian areas and some that just dont engrave dark at all. my theroy was that as the item sits on the shelf of a store or where ever it has led lighting and possibly the sun uv rays hit it all the time and since i lighty sanded the area im engraving it seems to be a lot better then before when i started this adventure. for me it works but each machine seems to be different and everyone uses different setting on there items. mine is set at 1000 speed and power varys from 50 to 57. this is setting for banboo and i use 60 to 67 with arcadia and lines per inch were 270. give it a try and see if it helps. it did for me as im into around 100 or more cutting boards andclose to that on untinsils.

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Thank you so much, I will give your suggestions a try. Worked on it all day Yesterday,…I now have 2 cuttings boards that are just TEST BOARDS. Do you mask after you tape? Going to try again today. Greatly appreciate your help.

I did try what you suggested, light sand, 100/67/270, and it worked GREAT. I do think I will bump it up to 70. And I was able to do it with out tape.
Again thank you.

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Thank you everyone for your advice and tips. Here is the final product. Lightly sanded, 900/70/270. Didn’t use any tape, and I think it came out pretty good.

Thanks again for your help.

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looks excellant from the picture you are showing and kodoos to you also. If its a gift to some one i would suggest using a good quality mineral oil or a mixture of mineral oil and liquid bees wax mixed. I never use masking tape on prodjets lie this cause i feel it leaves a sticky kind of residue on it. And then your possibly doing a sanding touchup will leave a slight dimple in certain areas. beautiful work on the board and the person getting it will be happy happy happy.

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