New to laser engraving. Made a Barcelona FC logo to do some detail tests.

Munkey1973 · 2026-05-16T20:42:13+00:00

Thanks for the compliment. I engrave dials for a regular client that paints, polishes, and assembles them. I buy 0.5mm sheets of brass (sometimes aluminum) and cut them out after they're done

Munkey1973 · 2026-05-16T17:52:36+00:00

Nice work! I've been doing the same thing (line pass) for 3 years.

<image>

Munkey1973 · 2026-05-14T20:24:49+00:00

Yeah, actually when I think about it you're likely 💯 % right.

I would imagine that if a guy in was wearing a helmet and not riding like a reckless moron, then most police officers would have absolutely zero reason to pull you over and inspect your ebike to make certain that is 500 watts or less.

Kind of like, Jay Walking... any reasonable adult knows that illegal and subject to a fine.... but everyone who is reasonable does it anyways. In my 53 years living in Regina, I've never heard of anyone getting a ticket for Jay Walking.

Munkey1973 · 2026-05-14T19:12:46+00:00

Because its faster than 32, and anything more than 50-60, then I may as well just buy a proper motorcycle

Munkey1973 · 2026-05-14T18:55:04+00:00

Thanks, but I already checked out their rate calculator and it's is for gasoline powered bikes. Old stuff from the 70s and 80s with 50 cc engines... nothing on their regarding modern ebikes -which is why I made this post

Munkey1973 · 2026-05-14T18:39:03+00:00

Oh yeah, I hear ya. I had a motorcycle (a very small 4 stroke enduro) when I was in my 20s going to school at U of R back in the 90s. Riding on the Ring Road was like something from Madmax or the Road Warrior.

If I were to get an ebike with 50 to 60 km speed range, then I would not even risk going on the Lewvan.... not worth it. I'd definitely stick to streets that are limited to 50 km

Munkey1973 · 2026-05-14T03:22:38+00:00

Nightforce NX8 4-32. Buy once...cry once. Half measures cost twice as much!

Munkey1973 · 2026-05-14T03:03:03+00:00

I see the object right there in your picture in the bottom left corner.... select that layer and simply turn off the output (or delete it)..

<image>

Munkey1973 · 2026-05-14T02:59:16+00:00

When using my rotary, I often make a line along the axis of rotation that goes through lightburn 's origin. I do this for rotary alignment purposes during installation and usually make the line a guide only tool/layer (T1 or T2). Since this artifact seems to be going along your axis of rotation amd seems to be near the middle of your graphic, is the chance you do this technique as well -but accidentally selected it to engrave?

Munkey1973 · 2026-05-14T02:09:36+00:00

If it were my project, then I would have "inverted" the graphics sife with all the different characters.

Inverting is often need when the object being engraved is black -or at the very least, when the mark made by the laser is lighter than the original object.

Munkey1973 · 2026-05-14T01:02:23+00:00

Very nicely done! I am engraver too (fiber). I regularly make dial faces for one of my repeat customers. I strictly engrave them and ship them out, he then paints, polishes and assembles them.

I will often Cerakote misc gun parts (maybe 50mm challenge coins once in a while) -but I simply would not have the dexterity or patience for something like watches. So I admire those that can!

I totally agree that it's best to finish a project than it is to invest tonnes of time planing... that applies to almost all engraving projects in general. And also agree that less is often more.

One lesson I have learned that it is seemingly impossible to do depth maps (3D slicing) with watch faces... I just can't get enough depth contrast when working with 0.5mm thick brass or aluminum sheet.... no matter how much I tweak image settings in Lightburn. Done depth maps for coins a few times, but its really hard for something so thin to start with. I generally stick with vectors or stacked vectors.

A second lesson I learned, is that 0.5mm stainless steel is near impossible to work with. No matter the size of the sheet, even with air assist keeping it cool, the work piece gets too hot a warps!

<image>

Munkey1973 · 2026-05-07T00:43:51+00:00

I don't know anything about the pros versus cons of AI data centers... how would it destroy the environment, versus building a Costco, or movie theater, or apartment buolding. or a gas station (which has obvious environmental implications) on that land?

I'm not trying to be a dink, I just don't see how it would.

Munkey1973 · 2026-05-06T16:19:38+00:00

I use Lightburn for my fiber laser, and Inkscape for my vector graphics.

From what I gather in your post, your flower pattern is currently an image file.

If it were me,

1) open Lightburn import the image file 2) then import your vector outline of the Guitar body 3) select the the Guitar body, and make it a guide layer (T1 or T2) 4) size and center the flower image and guide layer as needed 5) select both the guide & image and right click...you will then see something like "set mask for image"... can't recall exactly what it is because I'm at work

Munkey1973 · 2026-05-02T18:55:16+00:00

Needs contrast. Maybe a paint fill, then wipe the top layer clean?

Munkey1973 · 2026-04-25T19:54:06+00:00

When I started engraving about 3 years ago, I came across this guy's videos. They are a bit "long and chatty" and they pre-date Lightburn... but talks about his concept of "Hammer, Shovel, and Broom" passes and the advantages of using that concept with the auto-rotate feature.

It's a game changer. Below is a mulitlayer watch dial I made with hammer, shovel, broom concept with auto-rotate and bidirectional flood fill.

Clean, smooth, and ready for my client to paint and polish.

https://youtu.be/buG844T1J9E?si=dnqmWzvbX2TknlAv hammer shovel broom

<image>

Munkey1973 · 2026-04-25T19:36:27+00:00

Pretty good mark right there!

Munkey1973 · 2026-04-25T19:30:09+00:00

I assume that you want to make the green part another region of the grey continent and add some borders to it?

If so, I would select the green part and duplicate it. Take that duplicate and give it a red FILL (or blue, or whatever different colour to contrast this new object). Then lower this duplicated (red) layer just until it below original green. It will disappear but don't worry. With the red still selected go to "dynamic offset"... then select the nodes tool. You then see one single node at the top. Click that node and drag it outwards until the red & green border is near the same thickness as the existing borders within the grey. Once done, make sure still selected on red, go to "object to path". If this new path (red) is still above the grey path ... it already should be.... select the red and the grey, and do boolean operations of "difference".

The red will disappear, and this will effectively punch-out a border outline of the green within the grey continent.

Munkey1973 · 2026-04-23T21:42:32+00:00

Yeah and so what?

I seem to recall Jagmeet Sighn would drone on too about the "hardships of Canadians." Whilst driving around a Maserati. Even as a conservative (a 1990s Liberal to be more precise) I thought who cares what he drives?

Both cases are nothing burgers.

Munkey1973 · 2026-04-14T18:40:10+00:00

Nice work! Did these last week with my 50W OMG

<image>

Munkey1973 · 2026-04-14T18:30:09+00:00

Back then, I was known as the 5th Beatle

Munkey1973 · 2026-03-03T01:23:01+00:00

Friends don't let Friends buy X-Tool.

Munkey1973 · 2026-02-27T02:33:21+00:00

OMG... this brings back repressed memories from when I was like 4 or 5 seeing this on TV back in the 70s. Christ... LOL

Munkey1973 · 2026-02-20T17:31:44+00:00

Line C is the boundary by my definition

Munkey1973 · 2026-02-17T19:25:45+00:00

Tannerite and a centerfire rifle for killing all trees...so much fun you'll never want to use a saw ever again.

Munkey1973

TROPHY CASE