Photos on wood or plastic using "PhotoGrav"

[Digitalwoodshop]

I am new here and have a start up business called Pocono Digital Woodshop making Tourist Stuff in NE PA. I will be using Laser Engravers and Sublimation Printers. I learned about this unit yesterday and was up until 1 AM reading everything. This will fit nicely with my business plan making V carved signs. So much for that Shop Bot for now.

The reason I am chiming in here is that I have an idea that might help...... With Laser Engravers, especially the old ones that I have, 13 year old 1st generation. You use a piece of software called "PhotoGrav" that converts photos to half tones B&W used by the Laser Engraver Print Driver to let you put photos on wood or plastic or other items.

I have the software but have not opened it or used it as I am still setting up my Laser Shop. I want a Carve Wright !!!!!

Here is a link to a laser product supply house if anyone is interested. I will be trying it as soon as I finish setting up the Lasers and get a CarvWright.

http://www.laserbits.com/

PhotoGrav Software
Laser engraving photos has just become easier thanks to PhotoGrav. PhotoGrav is an image processing program that tunes each photo for laser engraving. The results are spectacular and can be created in a few easy steps.
First scan your color or B&W photo and save as a grayscale bitmap.
Then open the scan in PhotoGrav. Select the material to be engraved and click 'Autoprocess'.
PhotoGrav will do the rest and display a sample of the image to be engraved.
Save the processed image and open it in DRAW or any other layout software. Print it to the laser for engraving.
Get started today offering laser engraved photos!
A product gallery page and more information on using

Sorry about the slightly off topic pictures but it goes to show the software similarities to the CarveWright.


AL in PA

[shaddy]

Well, Photograv and the CW might work in some instances, but what PG does is convert a greyscale photo to a series of black dots on a white background. This can look good with the laser on wood, marble, acrylic... but what the CW is trying to achieve is a different depth for each color of grey (smooth 3D). All the black dots give the appearance of shades of grey to the eye, but the carvewright will make them all the same depth.

Another thing is detail... the largest "spot size" that PG can use is .02, the smallest "spot" that the CW raster bit can have is 1/16 (.0625), so the spots will overlap waaayyyy too much, carving away the detail.

I don't mean to be negative, I'm just sharing my experience with photograv and lasering and the CW

Shaddy

[Digitalwoodshop]

Thank You for your quick reply. It makes perfect sense that PhotoGrav would not work with CW and I now have a better understanding of how CW works.

Thanks !!! AL