So I did an engrave test using 5mA power. I was originally intending to do it using the Vector engrave method, but I had major dramas with it where for every one of the 4 layers (out of total 14) that I was engraving at different speeds, the X-alignment would be perfect, but it was stepping away from the Y-origin (vertical). So the first layer started at say 50mm Y. Then the second layer was supposed to be at 50mm also, but once completed it turned out to have been at ~52mm Y. Then 3rd seemed to finish at ~54mm, 4th ~55mm. So it looked to be getting less of a distance as I went through the layers. I started with layer 1 at 45mm/s, then layer 2 was 44mm/s, layer 3 was 43mm/s & layer 4 was 42mm/s. It seemed that the vibrations from those speeds were causing it to skip steps (or something else I am unaware of). 30mm/s & less, which I had tested about 1/2 hour before hand seemed fine (no skipped steps or Y-mispositioning). Unfortunately, even at 4mA, 30mm/s & less basically burned straight through 3mm plywood. So I scrapped that idea for now (until I can get some thicker plywood like 6-9mm).
So instead, I just did the same image, reduced in scale to 25% size (as original was 280 x 180mm & would have taken forever to engrave using standard engrave). So this one, I did 14 layers, with varying speeds again (from 500mm/s down to 240mm/s, stepping by 20mm/s difference between each layer). The intended effect was to show the different shades in the image. Unfortunately, due to the tiny size of the piece, it is not as noticeable as I would have liked. Also, standard engrave is soooooo slow. Took 15-20 minutes per layer. x14 layers = somewhere around 210-280 minutes, or 3 - 4 2/3 hours. Way too long for such a tiny piece.
All this after many hours of designing the original image anyway + breaking it into shades, clipping masking it with rectangles (for vector engrave), etc.
Anyway, the overall result is interesting, to say the least. It works, showing some layers deeper than others but is very subtle in such a small size. I would love to test as the original size (280 x 180mm) but I honestly can’t be bothered sitting there for 16+ hours waiting for it to finish.
One thing I’m curious on, for those of you running Smoothie + LaserWeb, when you are able to set multiple power levels for different objects using colours, can you engrave it all in one run with it adjusting the power as it needs to? (i.e. doesn’t need 14 runs to complete the task like this did?)
