How to work as a wood engraver: features of the profession and tricks from masters - Setafi

There are several rules that describe how to work as an engraver. They are associated with the peculiarities of drawing preparation and processing of a wooden surface. In general, the burning technology does not depend much on the type of tool. The main stages of work and a master class with step-by-step instructions can be found in this material.

Main stages of work

To understand how to work as a wood engraver, you need to conduct the right preparation. Patterns and shapes can be very different, as well as models of drills. At the same time, the drawing technique in all cases is approximately the same. The step by step instructions are as follows:

1. First prepare a sketch. You can draw it yourself or print the finished version from open sources.
2. The drawing is transferred to paper, better to copy.
3. They process, create a draft, draw contours with a small drill or a needle cutter.
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4. Next, you need to outline the background area using a large cutter.
5. Create a base - processing wood with an engraver requires the use of stain or paint.
6. When the surface is ready, sprinkle it with bronze powder, and then blow off the excess. Can be wiped off with a soft cloth.

This completes the main stage of work. But in order for the drawing to look more beautiful and remain like new for a long time, it is recommended to carry out additional processing. The main steps of the last step are described in the next section.

Additional processing

It is clear that they make an engraver - these are all kinds of drawings, patterns, images on the surface of a wooden blank. Further it is recommended to process with a felt circle. A special paste is applied to it and the surface is wiped. This allows you to make it perfectly clean.

If the product is made of soft woods, such as aspen, willow or poplar, it is also recommended to apply a clear varnish (a small layer is enough). It reliably protects the product from moisture, increases the service life. The possibilities of the engraver are limited by the quality of the wood, so it is better to do additional processing.

At the last stage, they wait for the varnish to dry, after which the surface is polished again. As soon as it takes on a uniform mirror structure, the product can be considered finished. At the same time, hardwood parts (for example, oak, cherry, apple) do not need varnishing. They allow you to enjoy natural beauty.

How to work as a laser engraver

For quality work, you need to choose the right tool, as well as study it. For example, a laser engraver is used for high-precision carving. It burns the surface with a focused laser beam. Thanks to this, it is possible to obtain a very thin, beautiful line with almost perfect edges.

Before starting the carving, the necessary adjustment of the laser engraver is carried out. To do this, you need to read the instructions. In general, the sequence of actions is as follows:

1. Free up work space.
2. Before switching on, check the cable connections and the liquid level.
3. Connect compressor.
4. Turn on the laser itself.
5. Connect the CNC or the desired program on the computer - it allows you to visually see how to work on a laser engraver.
6. Carry out the correct setting - set the parameters. They depend primarily on the type of wood.

Then the operator starts processing. If necessary, the part is varnished, as described above. The procedure is exactly the same, but the result is much better. This is possible thanks to a laser engraver, the use of which allows you to get very accurate lines.

Carving Tips

On the one hand, it is not difficult to understand how to work as an engraver correctly. Already after the first lesson, the operator learns to “feel” the tool and get accurate lines of the desired thickness. In this case, it is recommended to study several video tutorials, as well as the advice of experienced craftsmen:

1. You can work with different types of wood, but it is worth considering that hard varieties do not reflect the texture of the image as well as soft ones.
2. When transferring the contours of the figure to the surface of the board, you must not forget to shade the background, which should then be removed. It is surrounded by a small drill, the cross section of which has the shape of a star. To do this, it is useful to study how an electric engraver works.
3. After that, the entire area with the background is selected. If it is quite large, it is allowed to take a larger drill. Then the whole process will go faster.
4. The main parameter that needs to be controlled during engraving is the depth of cut. To perform high-quality burning, it is recommended to study the lessons of working with an engraver. It is also recommended to practice on a rough workpiece.
5. After the background is cut through, it should be sanded using sandpaper. Then you can start cutting through the elements of the actual drawing.

You need to act carefully, observing safety precautions. This is especially important in the case of a laser engraver, which can burn out the eyes.

Master class on burning

As an example of how to use an engraver, consider a master class on drawing a picture on a shelf in a child's room. The sequence of actions is as follows:

1. They find a drawing and print it on paper, then stick it on a wooden surface.
2. After the paper dries, get to work. In this example, it is easy to see what a wood engraver can do. Using different nozzles, it is really possible to apply any lines. In this case, it is better not to set high speeds on the tool - it is quite enough within 20,000.
3. Carefully trace each contour with the tool, and then remove the stencil. Remove adhesive residue with a clean, damp cloth.
4. Highlight the texture with a stain. Thanks to this, the image will be clearer, which is especially important on a light surface.

Thus, the use of an engraver in everyday life is not too complicated. Using the tool is quite simple - even a beginner can handle it. But first, it is recommended to practice on a rough workpiece, after which you can proceed to the main stage of work.