If you find that you’d like to avoid smoke marks you might want to invest in some masking. Check out #2 here:
Also might like 1a, and 6, and 4… it’s actually all pretty handy for new users! Enjoy and keep posting projects, it’s great to see new creative energy here.
Sand the engraved BB with a nice 250-350 grit sandpaper using a block, it’ll take all the smoke marks right off without taking too much material. As a downside, it’ll also fill the engraved areas with sawdust, so use a soft paintbrush or something to remove the dust. (An air compressor works but do it outside because that dust goes everywhere!)
You’d be surprised how easy it is to clean out, and the contrast is still good. Even better, if you’re sealing the piece with poly or oil, any remaining dust is completely unnoticeable after you apply the sealant.
This is what i have had to resort to so it doesn’t have any scorch marks…I hate sanding:-) even the easy stuff! Masking seems to fit me better but it’s a pain to mask it all because i’m too cheap to pay the extra on my wood orders to mask it when i can do it for pennies myself
My experience says eye of the beholder.
I did a trial burn of a cross on draft board for a friend and showed it to see if it was acceptable before using expensive lumber.
I mentioned it would be masked and the char down the edge and around the image would not be there.
Reply was, Why Not?
Its even easier to clear coat first, then use denatured alcohol to wipe clean. No masking. I pull the masking off of proof grade material beforehand now. So much easier than weeding
it is in the eye of the beholder, but i think most people who like it don’t see much laser cut/engraved stuff and it’s unique to them. for most of us, doing so many pieces, the novelty wears off and i never like it on the raw wood.
and yes, i’m a sander, too. a quick buff with the random orbital sander most of the time, but for smaller stuff, like @evansd2, a quick block sand by hand will do. i bought 4 blocks (they’re cheap) and i keep a 120, 220, 320, and 600 on hand. no need to constantly change paper.
Thanks for the reference. I’ll get some of these and give it a try. I have the tiny sanding pads for little corners, etc. and a couple of other pieces i keep at my desk. Ordering them now!