Introducing myself

[Pete Cyr]

Welcome Teena.
1. Don't be over whelmed - laser engraving is a bit like driving, lots to learn but it gets easier as you go and soon you will be doing things as if you always did.
2. Your profile indicate you are using RDWORKS V8 - which version v8.01.18. v8.01.19, v8.01.24 etc
I have posted a link to a manual some members here revised to be closer to English than the manual that came with the software
viewtopic.php?f=107&t=3507

3. Go to this post - read - execute - these setting if corrupted can be problematic to restore if you don't have a copy viewtopic.php?f=104&t=3459

4.Go to this post - read - execute when you have some time - no rush but this will show you what your machine will do at various powers and is a good benchmark to compare in the future when or if you have to troubleshoot viewtopic.php?f=104&t=3475

"Exploring RD Works right now. Wondering if people are using programs like Corele Draw or Illustrator to design in and then importing into RD words for the alignment and etching set up. I heard that having vector graphic design software is best to avoid the pixellation problems and I don't have anything but Photoshop at present."

I am not an artist - but I can copy most things fairly well and manipulated pictures well enough to suit my ends
RDWORKS is pitiful to design or work in.

I bought a copy of Corel X7 because the plugin for RDWORKs work very well with Corel AND older versions are relatively inexpensive compared to new.
I use Photoshop for a number of functions when prepping pictures for engraving it works well. If you are proficient in Photoshop you may not need any other software. Before you decide you need more software I recommend attempting to work with Photoshop - review this link viewtopic.php?f=110&t=3549

"vector graphic design software is best to avoid the pixellation " True but when engraving it is less important unless you have used a 1" sq gif and enlarged to 6"x6"

Glass - lots of folks etch glass, glass bottle, Glass glasses, shot glasses etc
Here is an etch I did on plain sheet glass

Glass.JPG

Here is a Yeti cup being engraved using Laserbond ( a spray coating that is bonded to the metal with the laser)

rotory.JPG

006.JPG

There is lots of things you can do and many different ways to do it with a laser - you can be as creative as you choose.

BTW power and speed are proportional - you have a 50w laser. If you find parameters for engraving on a 100w machine and the setting listed is 25% pwr 400mm/sec then you would use a power setting of 25watts or 50% pwr and 400mm/sec OR....12.5 watts 25% pwr at 200mm/sec

[Pete Cyr]

Jeff and I are both compiling an organized list of instructions by topic. Might share that once we get more of it put together.

RDWORKS Versions - Files created in a version RDWORKS are not backward compatible.
So if you were to download a *.rld file created version 8.01.18 and tried to open in your version 8.01.11 it would not work and you would probably have delete and re install your version of RDworks - this is why knowing your version can be useful

Cataloguing your process, question you started with, question you developed and your solution would make a good case study for others - when you fell you have become comfortable with you level of knowledge please do compile you experience and I will post it on the board in the FAQ section for others.