How to make personalized wooden gifts with Ortur laser engraving machine
Use the Ortur laser engraver to create unique wooden gifts and make your thoughts more precious. In this era of personalization, a unique gift can often make the recipient feel full of heart. With its excellent performance and precise engraving technology, the Ortur laser engraver has become an excellent tool for making personalized wooden gifts. Whether it is giving a special anniversary surprise to relatives and friends, or customizing exclusive gifts for business events, Ortur can help you easily realize your creative ideas. Next, let's explore how to use the Ortur laser engraver to make amazing personalized wooden gifts.
Preparation: If you want to do a good job, you must first sharpen your tools.
Before you start making wooden gifts, you need to prepare the following materials and equipment:
Ortur laser engraver: Ortur has a variety of laser engravers, such as the Ortur Laser Master 3, etc. Different models vary in power, engraving size, etc. You can choose the right model according to your needs and budget. The Ortur laser engraver has the characteristics of high precision and high speed, which can ensure the clarity and beauty of the engraved pattern.
Wooden materials: Common woods include basswood, birch, pine, etc. Basswood has a uniform texture and fine grain, which is suitable for engraving patterns with rich details; birch has a higher hardness and a smooth surface, and the effect after engraving is more delicate; pine has a unique texture and aroma, which can add a natural atmosphere to the gift. When choosing, pay attention to the uniform thickness of the wood, the flat surface, and the absence of cracks and insect bites. The size of the wood should be determined according to the working area of the engraving machine and the design size of the gift.
Design software: Ortur laser engraving machines support a variety of design software, such as LaserGRBL, LightBurn, etc. LaserGRBL is a free open source software that is easy to operate and suitable for beginners; LightBurn is more powerful and user-friendly, and can meet the needs of professional designers. These software can help you convert your creativity into a file format that the engraving machine can recognize.
Auxiliary tools: Including rulers, pencils, sandpaper, wood glue, gloves, etc. Rulers are used to measure the size of wood, pencils can be used to make simple marks on wood, sandpaper is used to polish the surface of wood to make the carving effect smoother and more delicate, wood glue is used to splice wood, and gloves can protect your hands from scratches during operation.
Design pattern: Use creativity to customize exclusive
Designing patterns is a key step in making personalized wooden gifts, which determines the uniqueness and beauty of the gift. You can design patterns according to different occasions and the preferences of the recipient.
Festival theme: You can design patterns such as Santa Claus, Christmas trees, and snowflakes at Christmas; love hearts, couple portraits, etc. at Valentine's Day; and blessing characters, zodiac images, etc. at the Spring Festival.
Personal preferences: If the recipient likes music, you can design musical instrument patterns; if he likes sports, you can design related sports equipment or sports star images.
Photo customization: After the recipient's photo or a photo with the recipient is processed through the design software, it is converted into a carving pattern and made into a unique wooden photo frame or display stand.
In the design software, you can complete the pattern design by drawing, importing pictures, adding text, etc. After completing the design, save the file in a format supported by the engraving machine, such as NC, SVG, etc.
Engraving process: precise operation, witness miracles
Installation and debugging: Place the Ortur laser engraving machine on a stable workbench, ensure good ventilation around the machine, and keep away from flammable items. Connect the power and data cables according to the instructions, and turn on the engraving machine and design software. Set the parameters in the software, including laser power, engraving speed, engraving depth, etc. The settings of these parameters should be adjusted according to the material and thickness of the wood. Generally speaking, the harder and thicker the wood, the higher the laser power required, and the slower the engraving speed. For example, when engraving a thin basswood board, the laser power can be set to 30% - 40%, and the engraving speed is 80mm/s; when engraving a thick birch board, the laser power can be adjusted to 50% - 60%, and the engraving speed is 60mm/s. After setting the parameters, you can first test engraving on a small piece of waste wood to observe the engraving effect and fine-tune the parameters according to the actual situation.
Fix the wood: Place the prepared wood material on the workbench of the engraving machine, and use a clamp or tape to fix the wood firmly to prevent the wood from moving during the engraving process and affecting the engraving accuracy.
Start engraving: Import the previously saved pattern file in the design software, adjust the position and size of the pattern on the wood, and ensure that the pattern is located in the appropriate area of the wood. Click the "Start Engraving" button, and the Ortur laser engraving machine will work according to the preset program and parameters. During the engraving process, keep the working environment quiet to avoid interfering with the operation of the engraving machine. At the same time, pay attention to the engraving situation and stop engraving in time if there is any abnormality.
Post-processing: Polishing and painting to improve the texture
After the engraving is completed, the wooden gifts need to be post-processed to make them more beautiful and durable.
Polishing: Use sandpaper of different meshes to polish the engraved wooden gifts, from low mesh to high mesh. For example, use 120 mesh sandpaper for rough grinding to remove burrs and carbonized parts generated during the engraving process, and then use 240 mesh and 400 mesh sandpaper for fine grinding to make the wood surface smooth and flat. When sanding, pay attention to even force to avoid damaging the engraved pattern.
Painting: Choose the right paint according to your personal preference, such as varnish, wood wax oil, etc. Varnish can highlight the original texture and color of the wood, making the gift look more natural and fresh; wood wax oil can penetrate into the wood, nourish the wood, and give the wood a soft luster. Use a brush or cotton cloth to evenly apply the paint on the wood surface. After the first layer of paint dries, apply the second layer, generally 2-3 layers. After painting, place the gift in a well-ventilated place to dry.
Assembly and decoration: If the gift is composed of multiple parts, use wood glue to splice the parts together, fix them with a clamp, and wait for the glue to dry completely. You can also add some decorative elements to the gift as needed, such as lanyards, tassels, small accessories, etc., to further enhance the beauty and personalization of the gift.
Through the above steps, a unique and personalized wooden gift is made. With its excellent performance and convenient operation, the Ortur laser engraving machine makes creativity no longer limited to imagination. Whether you want to create an exquisite wooden photo frame, a practical wooden bookmark, or an artistic wooden ornament, Ortur can help you achieve it easily. Come visit orturlaser.com to learn more about Ortur laser engraving machines and start your journey of making personalized wooden gifts!