u/superawesomemeuk

I got a reasonably good depth, colour and consistency on this piece despite it being pine. Should I just leave it as it is? Or could you recommend any treatments?

I decided to try something a bit different after a few engravings where I was fighting against the prominent rings in this pine wood. So, I changed my approach and played to them instead.

While pine is cheap and accessible, it is actually one of the most frustrating timbers for engraving due to the extreme difference in density between the rings.

I’ve been experimenting with how to integrate the natural texture and properties of the timber, and for this piece, the growth rings felt like they were meant to be part of the sky.

I think the way the horizontal bands undulate adds a nice sense of depth and interest, and I'm really pleased with it.

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Just finished up this 15cm basic white gloss tile and I’m pleased with how the gold pops against the ceramic. I started on 1% at 250 DPI and it was painfully slow, as expected. About 7 minutes for just 1 cm, so I axed that as it would have taken nearly 2 hours, and adjusted the settings.

With the adjustment it completed in just over 30 mins I think. I didn't note the time unfortunately, but it was definitely much quicker. The only problem was how light the engraving was.

​Process:

- ​Machine: Trotec Speedy 100

- ​Settings: 100% Power / 2% Speed / 125 DPI

- ​Finish: Gilded using gold spray paint after the engrave.

​I decided to go with a classic local landmark, Donnington Castle, and because the engraving was so shallow/light I decided to try my hand at a colour fill, using a can of gold spray paint to achieve a gilded look. I think it turned out ok for a first attempt.