Can I request that the GF Manual has extensive explanations of the different options for engrave/raster, etc (including pros and cons of each).
Going get to need to get the most out of our GF investment.
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I inadvertently had made a fill a gradient and when I went to print the design, a message popped up about gradients being simplified to one color.
Interesting. I’d expect the same result as raster there, only with more precision. And that might change my design thinking… And that was in Inkscape or Illustrator or…? And whatever the app, have you had a chance to try it in another app to see if the result is the same?
- Tom
We recommend rasterizing the gradient before printing. Then you will get the (most likely intended) effect.
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Okay… I see. So I can start off with a nice, clean vector gradient and then just rasterize it. I have no problem with that. 
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Worked on a practice cut in chipboard. I think I have the design file set. I got the basic shapes made and then cloned them. Interesting that the way the kerf works it just all collapses down.
This also helped me understand how to place the parts on the grain patterns and do an efficient cut.
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Lookin’ sharp! Can’t wait to see the finished piece…it’s going to be stunning! 
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Really excited to see how this one comes out! Take good pictures!
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Looking good 
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I ended up resizing everything to be able to fit on a piece of wood I can get into the bed to work with, so this is about nine inches.
The way the cut profile works makes the kerf thinner at the bottom than the top. Ideally you would cut the veneer on the back, flip it over and then you would have a close tolerance with the edges lining up. Since this veneer is masked on top and adhesive on bottom there is going to be a slight gap between pieces. Not sure what I’ll make of that. See what develops.
I cut the darts out of the maple and walnut veneer. I could use one more type of veneer to add contrast. Need four colors. The base will be one color.
Working on the base engrave. Interesting problem. I could have cut pieces and have the whole thing inlay, but I am trying to use the base as another contrasting wood. So I punched out the design and shrank it enough to compensate for all the kerfs and everything should lay in the pocket. 1 hour and 30 minute engrave. This is in some plywood for a test fit. I scored it first to see how it lined up on the outlines of all the pieces. Now I’m engraving. Not full depth for this time because that would take quite some time.
Very simple design file in the end. four different darts and three different inner rings, one type of outer ring.
Whoops, orphaned a ring on the left.
Test engrave for the base.
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Very nice work my friend. I will need one like that for my nautical theme bar.
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That is just lovely!
I’m hoping that you really can just flip it over, so that you engrave with the bottom-side (with the adhesive backing) facing up and the proof-grade masking facing down. I’m assuming you can just “tell” the GF software that the material is proof-grade “xyz” or have it scane in the masking before flipping and cutting.
Is that correct? Can you tell the software that “this is proofgrade walnut veneer” ?
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No. That’s been pretty well covered before. But your trick with having it scan the QR code first should be good. Until it’s UV painted on in which case maybe GF needs to be able to paint the QR code on the adhesive side as well.
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I assume you mean “cut” with the bottom side down. You aren’t engraving the back side. You can do it that way and just enter the settings manually for what works for the proofgrade with maybe a slight adjustment as needed.
That’s an interesting point to make. Once you open the lid and flip the material, a new image is acquired. If that side doesn’t have a QR code, it will assume it is not proofgrade and you will need to manually add settings.
It’s really not that big of a deal, doing settings manually. ProofGrade is a convenience. Primarily, if it fulfills the promise of the materials I have, because it is consistently and uniformly excellent as a material. The automatic settings are a convenience and do make it easier to get something printing quickly but are not adding something that isn’t available manually.
It would be nice to save settings. But it also would be nice to save settings from Proofgrade items. Maybe your engraving design needs something other than the three options so you go manual. You’d have to write that setting down somewhere to remember it for the next time.
I will do some inlay pieces tonight with the ProofGrade veneer and take the masking and the backing off and inlay them some masked side up and some sticky side up and see how the edges meet. It will be interesting.
Most veneers you might buy are a thinner than what I have at the moment from Glowforge so kerf profile will be minimally if at all relevant.
Where this plays out is if you are doing thicker inlays, closer to intarsia. I found that out when I did some inlay cutouts for a Christmas tree ornament.
I still don’t have a whole lot of real world experience, but I will keep documenting as this progresses. Thanks for your interest.
One thing is certain, the Glowforge cuts to a precision that you can compensate whatever you need to in your design sizing of the inlay pieces to get them to snug up tight. I don’t know how often kerf profile will figure into this, but it will be a factor at times.
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yes - that’s what I meant. Thanks again for the thorough explanation and sharing your work
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Do we know if the software would handle 2 different proof grade codes in the bed at once?
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Sounds like hopper material…