What is the difference between engraving, cutting and marking?
Cutting uses the laser to go all the way through a sheet. Engraving burns or removes a thin layer from the surface, so a design appears in the material: a name on a plaque, a pattern on a leather wallet, a logo on a wooden box. Marking is the light end of the same idea. It changes the colour or finish of a surface without much depth, as on some coated metals.
The process is the same machine with different settings, and many fabricators offer both engraving and laser cutting. A cut-out sign with engraved details uses both. If your job needs the item shaped as well as decorated, say so, because it changes how it is made.
Which materials engrave well?
It depends on the machine and the laser, so the final answer comes from the fabricator. As a rough guide:
- Wood and plywood engrave to a brown or dark burn. Darker woods give less contrast.
- Leather engraves well and gives a dark, slightly sunken mark.
- Acrylic engraves to a frosted white look, which shows well on dark or clear pieces.
- Slate and some stone give a light mark on a dark surface.
- Coated or anodised metal can be marked by removing the coating. Bare metal usually needs a different kind of laser or a marking compound.
- Glass can be engraved by some lasers. The result is a frosted mark, and a poor setup can crack the piece. Ask first.
Some materials are not safe to laser at all, because they release harmful fumes. If you are bringing your own item, tell the fabricator exactly what it is made of. They may decline anything they cannot identify. That is the right call, not an obstacle.
What jobs suit engraving?
Engraving shines when something needs to be personal or one-off: a name on a gift, a date on a cutting board, a tag for tools, a plaque, a custom coaster set, a logo on a batch of wooden boxes. It needs no ink and no setup for each copy, which is why short runs and single items are practical. You could ask a fabricator whether they engrave items you supply, or whether they sell their own blanks.
For a pickup, it helps to bring the object so they can test on it. For shipping, ask who is responsible if an item you send gets damaged, and keep the answer in the offer.
What artwork should I send?
- For text, logos and line art: a vector file such as SVG, with the text turned into outlines so no font goes missing. A clean vector gives sharp edges.
- For photos and shaded images: a high-resolution image, preferably greyscale, with good contrast. Tiny, blurry or heavily compressed pictures engrave badly.
- The size you want it engraved, in real units, and where it sits on the item.
- The exact spelling of any names or text. Check it twice. An engraving cannot be undone.
Ask for a proof. A simple mock-up that shows the design on the item catches mistakes cheaply. Agree how many changes are included before work starts.
What can a photo engraving look like?
Be ready for a surprise. A laser makes a photo by burning a pattern of tiny dots in a single tone, so you get a monochrome image whose look depends heavily on the material. Light, fine-grained wood and coated surfaces can give a good result. Rough or heavily grained wood hides detail. Colour is lost, and small faces in busy pictures often turn to mush.
The honest answer to "will it look like my photo?" is: sort of, in one colour. Ask the fabricator for an example of a photo engraving on the same material before you commit. A portrait with a plain background and strong contrast works best.
Where do I start?
Search the fabricator directory for laser services, look at photos of finished work, and message two or three with your artwork and the item. For ideas of what to have made, browse the marketplace. To see how an order moves from offer to delivery, read how PrintCommons works. If your job also needs shaping or cutting, custom parts made near me explains how to brief a fabricator.