Laser Engraving

In many jurisdictions, organizations that operate lasers are required to appoint a laser safety officer (LSO). The LSO is responsible for ensuring that safety regulations are followed by all other workers in the organization. This is not a requirement for personal use, which is how we are intending to use the laser. However, it is our policy that a staff member or designee supervises the use of the laser similar to the role of the LSO. At a minimum, this person should understand the basic information presented in this training guide.

Note: Working with laser power can be dangerous. Please make sure you are familiar with our policy for the laser system.

Epilog Zing 24, 40W

Project Ideas

You can find a lot of project ideas and resources at the Epilog Laser Sample Club and on Instructables:

Engrave Denim Jeans

Engrave the Rim of a Wooden Bowl

Engrave a Grayscale Picture on Wood

Engrave a Journal

Engrave Rubber Stamps

Engrave Your Phone

Etch a Drinking Glass

Etch a Metal Drink Container

Learn the Basics

Software

Your design can be a raster or a vector image, so check your options on the 2D Digital Design project page. In particular, you want an image that is high in contrast and has clearly defined edges. If you are engraving onto wood, you should consider working in a grayscale mode to get a better idea of what the finished project will look like. For glass, anodized metal, stone, or similar material, your image should be black and white. If you want your black and white image to have the appearance of grayscale, search for a tutorial on dithering, halftone, or newsprint using your preferred design software.

Laser Control

Control over the laser system is provided by the Epilog Job Manager software. This software will intercept your print commands and convert them to GCODE instructions. The settings for power, speed, and pulse frequency -- which vary depending on the material used -- are set in this software.

Epilog Job Manager

LibreOffice Draw

If you are sending a vector file to the laser system, you should consider printing the design from LibreOffice Draw. The ability to send vector instructions to a printer is limited to only a few software options. The free option appears to be only LibreOffice Draw. On its own, this software is not a great choice for creating the design, but it works well for sending the design to the job manager.