LaserUser.com Forum (formerly RDWorksLab)

Anyone ever try a lasered lithopane?

I have done them with my CNC, they take forever and the resolution is based on the size of the bit.

I would like to try corian lithopanes. Need to know if RDWorks can do it or if I need something else.

Thanks in advance.

They can be done- it takes a bit of experimenting. Corian engraves nicely with a laser, the Aztec calendar is about 2" and has a ton of detail, the clear flower is acrylic and the small [2 sided] earring experiment is Corian also. I have a lot of .5" corian in colors but have purchased .25" white that is normally used for Lithopanes. You might want to watch Russ' 3D carving videos for a good primer. Gene

Thank you Gene,

I never imagined laser sculpting acrylic, I would have attempted CNC router. Awesome work by the way.

the difference is that with CNC, you know exactly how it will carve on Z-dimension.

with laser, this is try & guess, the combination power/speed/material will get a certain amount of z-carving, and if you use greyscale, there is also the non-linear conversion percentage-->wattage...

and you have to make many passes... which will exacerbate the non-linearity of the power conversion.

russ has good videos on the subject

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xO1hiBQzBg