Make A Laser Engraved Resin Inlay on Bamboo or Wood Cutting Board

[@1elephantmemories]

We recommend using the back of the board for cutting and displaying your food on the front. Never cut on epoxy resin. Fully cured, it is safe for food contact. Perfect for displaying or using as kitchen decor.

[@MrBigMalT]

What a lovely project! Have you ever tried doing a deeper engraving for a simple design (eg a leaf) then fill the resin just below the surface? That way the resin would have its natural shiny surface as it wouldn’t be sanded. Not sure if this would work, so interested to hear your thoughts. Many thanks and greetings from the uk 😊

[@1elephantmemories]

Thank you UK! Yes and No. Resin shrinks as it cures so if it is below the surface, it will cure concave and since this is a cutting board or serving tray, you really want a flat surface. You can do a thin, clear pour on top of the whole thing and it will be shiny again. However, for certain projects including one I have been working on this week, I do exactly that. I poured to just under the surface because I must do a full pour over of clear in the end anyway. So, this does work for some projects. Feel free to ask more questions about this!

[@havocproltd]

so cool! the things one finds at midnite... You said you went for a matt finish. How then for shiny?!

[@1elephantmemories]

I am working on more videos on this subject, but the easy version is to mask off the back at the start of your project (you can watch the video on "My First Ocean Pour" to see how to mask the back and remove the drips at the end). Then follow the video but don't do the cutting board finish. Instead, after you sand smooth, clean well with water or isopropyl alcohol. Once dry, pour a layer of clear resin over the entire surface. This fills in all the micro scratches from sanding and you have a beautiful, long lasting, high gloss finish. Let dry for at least 48 hours, then remove the masking tape, sand the back and finish the back with a natural cutting board conditioner.

[@havocproltd]

@@1elephantmemories THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!

[@forbiddenengravings7306]

Just another tip, you can use Odie's Oil products too. They are food safe and penetrate the wood very well. A bit more on the pricey side but a little goes a long way!

[@1elephantmemories]

I have used a few cutting board oils over the years including Odie's. I recently came across Bumblechutes. I love that they are all natural. Mineral oils are also natural and safe for cutting boards but they are also a petroleum based product. Bumblechutes works great, they are a small business local to New Hampshire and they have a great story. I highly recommend them.

[@takethedoughnut]

Wow! Every step of this process is so interesting to me. That engraving machine works quickly, too.

[@1elephantmemories]

I had to speed this up by about 18X to keep the video short. It was about 15 minutes to engrave the first time and I engraved 2 times. Looks much cooler when it is so fast though.

[@tomzahlman1156]

Great job!

[@1elephantmemories]

Thanks for the visit

[@NikosArgentinos-jx6jb]

Nice job you are doing keep going

[@1elephantmemories]

I really enjoy it. Thank you for stopping by!

[@bumblechutes]

This looks great! Thank you for your support!

[@1elephantmemories]

I only use what I believe in!

[@marceloaraujo7278]

qual link do produto da resina?

[@1elephantmemories]

Eu uso Totalboat Epóxi. Há um link na descrição.

[@alfonso620]

Is it possible to have the file of the zebra drawing? it's very beautiful

[@1elephantmemories]

Thank you. I am in the process of creating instant download files for etsy for laser engravers. I can send you a reply when they are ready.

[@alfonso620]

@@1elephantmemories tank you

[@patdennis4576]

great what about two or more colours

[@1elephantmemories]

I am currently working on a video for that. I usually will carefully pour one color then let it dry, then add the next color and let it dry. You can be more precise using a syringe. I have a video that shows how to use a syringe. kzbin.info/www/bejne/maGypKKrrZaCaJY

[@christineronge1574]

Uebersetzen ! Warum gibt es keine solche metallrelifes mit bilder ? Dann koennte mann die mit zinn ausgiessen und haette ein tolles vorgefertigte fuer buntes glas oder glasmalfarbe und konnte 4 stueck zur laterne basteln oder so ?

[@1elephantmemories]

Danke für die Ideen. Ich bin hauptsächlich Holzarbeiter und Designer. Metallbearbeitung habe ich noch nie ausprobiert.

[@design8studio]

Great job! Thanks for sharing!

[@1elephantmemories]

Thank you!

[@ghjytffjkk]

doesn’t bamboo have much too open of a grain for food prep?

[@1elephantmemories]

No. Bamboo is probably one of the best materials for cutting boards. It is a grass, not wood. It is actually more dense than hardwood. It is very durable, easy to sand and is eco friendly. Even plastic cutting boards can get gauges in them which bacteria could potentially hide in.

[@ericholm6599]

Thanks!

[@1elephantmemories]

You are most welcome and appreciated!

[@wYatt121509]

Well done! I like it. Subbed and I appreciate the info friend. God bless. Thanks.

[@1elephantmemories]

Thank you. I have more on this subject coming soon.

[@lotharrommel3456]

Very nice motif and very good craftsmanship.👍🦓

[@1elephantmemories]

Thank you. I've been a zookeeper for 20 years so loads of opportunities for awesome photography!

[@lotharrommel3456]

@@1elephantmemories Animal keeper is also a respected profession for us. If you love animals, you also love people.

[@Sparky6547]

what were your power and speed settings per pass?

[@1elephantmemories]

Every laser is different. I would look to see what is recommended for wood on your brand then tweek from there. I have an Epilog Mini 50 Watt. I did 2 passes with a DPI of 600, Power of 100 Speed of 30, with Stucki dithering. I also brought the bed up by 1 click between engravings. Hope this helps.

[@Sparky6547]

@@1elephantmemories sure does, I'm running a 40 watt mini myself. thanks

[@jukkahuuskonen]

Could to use a hand plane instead of sanding?

[@1elephantmemories]

Short answer is yet. However, if you are using a laser and it isn't deep enough, you have to be careful not to sand or plane all the way through the resin. I am planning another video on this subject with a CNC and planner for an outdoor wooden sign. CNC and even a hand carving can be deeper than a laser so you have more wiggle room when planning or sanding. Hope this helps.

[@jukkahuuskonen]

@@1elephantmemoriessharp hand plane can be set to take those see-through thin shavings from wood, so I am not worried about planing the carved trench away, but I have no experience on planing resin. I'm afraid the resin might be too pliable/tough and might just be ripped out of the trench. I'm waiting for your video showing this.

[@1elephantmemories]

@@jukkahuuskonen We have put boards through a surface planner with no problems. When resin is cured, it is like a thick, solid plastic. I am not sure if it would hurt your blades. I would suggest trying it on scrap wood first to see if you like the result.

[@MsMymiracle]

LOVE! ❤

[@1elephantmemories]

Glad you like it. I will be doing a follow up video that goes more in depth and detail as well as answer questions and comments from this video.

[@benjaminl3084]

Are you selling these? If so what is your price point?

[@1elephantmemories]

I do sell these in my studio. I have them in all different sizes. The prices range from 35 to 100+ depending on size and material.

[@CutItOutWithUs]

This is really beautiful! I love the image you used and your end product is gorgeous! We are learning different techniques with our laser (100 watt CO2 laser my husband built from the Rezo 1390 plans). I’m hoping we get to resin next; there is so much to explore!

[@1elephantmemories]

Wood, lasers and resin are a marriage made in heaven! Some many things to do. Be sure to ask questions if you have them and congrats on the laser.

[@CutItOutWithUs]

@@1elephantmemories I do have one question; do you have a particular source you like for designs like the zebra? I do art quilts and do a lot of animals and birds and know where to go for good foundation paper piecing patterns but being so new to this modality I’d love a referral for great, detailed animal patterns if you have one (or more) to share. I know that not every SVG makes for an ideal laser cut or engraving. We have also seen the differences between lumber that is fabricated for laser cutting and engraving and the lumber you can buy at big box stores. We’ve had to order 1/8” cherry, birch, and walnut because the big box stores close by don’t carry it.

[@1elephantmemories]

@@CutItOutWithUs I make my own designs. I have been a zoo keeper for the past 18 years and a captain/ naturalist for whale watching 16 years prior to that. I base most of my designs on photographs. I am self taught so generally do things the hard way. I usually start the design in photoshop by drawing on top of my photo, then bringing into illustrator and turning it into a vector for engraving and cutting. I am sure I make it a lot more complicated than it needs to be, but it works for me. Honestly, a good place to start for designs is looking at stencils. If it works as a stencil, it will work for a vector. You can actually purchase stencils, draw them, make any changes you might want, then bring them into a program that can turn them into a vector. As for wood for the laser. We never get it at a big hardware store. You want to look around for lumber mills or a specialty plywood shop. We have a lot of places in New England. Good luck!

[@CutItOutWithUs]

@@1elephantmemories Oh my gosh! What a fascinating life you are living! And you make your own designs; incredible!!!! Well, that zebra is a show stopper! I thank you for your candor and your tip about stencils; that’s a really good thought. As for making a design from a photo, that’s way beyond what I know how to do. You obviously have a great deal of computer/software savvy. I do some machine embroidery and know there is a market for your art there as well as in the laser space should you ever venture into it. Really beautiful work and thank you for your generosity with your guidance. Wishing you continued success…I’m going to go to sleep tonight imagining the wonders you’ve seen. I’ve gone whale watching off the coast of Gloucester, MA and had an incredible experience. The west coast whale watching trips weren’t as bountiful but we still managed a few glimpses. Ah, it’s lovely to have “met” you! Dana

[@1elephantmemories]

@@CutItOutWithUs I started by just taping my photos to a window, putting printing paper over it and drawing over the photo. Baby steps. I worked at the New England Aquarium when I was whale watching so we worked with the guys from Glouchester all the time! Gray whales are on my bucket list!

[@jamesm5392]

How did the resin not go into the pores around your laser etching? I did one and got streaks in random places😂

[@1elephantmemories]

I haven't had a lot of issues with bamboo. Sealing wood or bamboo is the best way to go but you do have to be careful if it is something that food will be touching. You could try to seal the wood with a food safe wax finish, engrave then pour the resin. You can also put the resin in a syringe, but if your engraving is super detailed, that can be difficult and time consuming. Also, if you do a deep enough engraving, you might just be able to sand out any grain that has resin bleeding.

[@edtucker7313]

😊😢 😢

[@edtucker7313]

I8o8k

[@1elephantmemories]

I am currently working on another video on hardwood to show how to seal wood and help avoid "bleeding"

[@musc258]

Could you mask the areas outside of the engraving?

[@donloughrey1615]

Awesome.👍

[@1elephantmemories]

Thank you!

[@matthewruble5900]

Awesome

[@1elephantmemories]

Thank you!

[@BakeJake]

I was looking around and found this on their website! Thought you might want that, do as you will with that though as it says no BPA or VOCs. "Tabletop is more suitable for limited contact with food. Note: we don’t recommend using epoxy for a cutting board, though." Nice Idea! Liked the video.

[@1elephantmemories]

I typically tell people to cut on the back where there is no resin, then can use the front as kitchen decor.

[@BakeJake]

@@1elephantmemories Right on!

[@XFinityDesigns]

I think I remenber this image. It is a Zebra whose snout was grabbed by a crocodile at Mara River during the annual animal migration.

[@1elephantmemories]

Not exactly. I took this photo while visiting Disney's Animal Kingdom. Although in Florida, there very well could have been an alligator in there.

[@andyb7754]

Very nice looking project, thank you. One thing, I wouldn't use denatured alcohol for anything but lamps or a small stove, it's a fuel. I'd use IPA, 91% or higher. Thanks for the project.

[@1elephantmemories]

Thank you. I will look into that. I often sand everything after I clean but always looking to be safe. Appreciate the comment.

[@georgeblank2648]

Where can I find the file for this?

[@1elephantmemories]

This is my own design. At the moment, I have not started selling them, as I hadn't thought about it yet. I might look into it in the future though. Thank you.

[@sherryleggett1612]

You could likely use half of the amount of resin and still be able to get it in all the engravings and have half as much sanding to do. Sure love that zebra.

[@1elephantmemories]

True, but there is a lot of detail and we didn't seal the wood since it was going to be for a cutting board. I also like to make sure that it is somewhat overflowing because as the resin cures, it cools and shrinks. We want to make sure that the resin is flush with the surface when done. This particular design only used about 20 grams of resin. Some people are more precise and will use a syringe. I am not very fond of that method though.

[@SantaDragon]

Looks great. But what is if I use the cutting plate? I think it sadly lose completely its use, as cutted resin sure is not the healthiest stuff you wanna ear.

[@1elephantmemories]

Absolutely correct. I mentioned at the end of the video that you want to use the back of the cutting board to cut on and the front with the inlay for display and serving. Always be sure to use a BPA free epoxy resin, like Totalboat or whatever is available in your area. You want to make sure that it is safe for food contact. If you ever have any doubts, contact the epoxy manufacturer directly. Once this is cured (which for tabletop takes a full 7 days), then it is safe for food contact. Hope that helps.

[@funkam0nkey]

Great video and a great idea. Just out of interest, what software do you use for your laser work?

[@1elephantmemories]

I use Adobe Illustrator, but my husband uses Corel Draw. Honestly, there really isn't a difference. Use whatever you are most familiar with.

[@funkam0nkey]

@@1elephantmemories Thanks. I’ll give them a try.

[@ob1coyote]

I wonder if it would be a little easier to just pass the resin-covered board through a planer to remove the excess. I'm just trying to imagine putting that much time and effort into each piece if you got a bulk order. Time is money, and you can't charge TOO MUCH for a cutting board, ya know?

[@1elephantmemories]

True, but you can calculate your time into the price. These are pretty unique. As long as you have just a thin layer of resin that is outside the engraved area AND you have a nice deep engrave, you might try a planer. Trouble is, you will still have to sand to get the planer marks out. I find a coarse grit on an orbital sander goes pretty quickly. It is about 5 minutes of sanding per board. Love to hear if you do the planer, how it comes out.

[@ob1coyote]

@@1elephantmemories my planer leaves a very clean surface so, sanding off planer marks is very quick. I should also admit that I have been a woodworker for many years, and I absolutely hate sanding, and painting. So, I always look for shortcuts when it comes to those two tasks. Every time I look at a project I think, "what if someone orders 100 of those?"...

[@atherisgreen1391]

It's cool and all, but with all the time and effort put into making just one of these, I'd have to sell them for $800 to justify it.

[@1elephantmemories]

Understandable. I will say that if you are only making 1, then it is a lot of work. However, if you are in a production mode which could include multiple designs instead of just one, then the profit goes up alot. The key is to plan ahead. As I work on other projects, I let my laser work on engraving sometimes for days, it is just a push of a button. Then, once you have all the engraving done, just do them in stages. If you mix a good amount of epoxy, then just pour all at the same time. The next day, those can be set aside and you can continue to pour. Once everything is poured and set, it is just sanding and adding a finish. I easily sell this size cutting board for $50+. My material costs are about $5.

[@systemerror50]

I watched that video in 2x speed on my break and briefly stopped 2x and it was trippy soundly slomo

[@1elephantmemories]

Thanks for watching!

[@leahannwhite1111]

👍💓!!

[@1elephantmemories]

Thank you!

[@schlaus_kwab]

so somebody will eat resin? :D

[@1elephantmemories]

We tell everyone to use the back to cut and serve on the front. We also include a care and maintenance card when we sell ours.

[@jonfortner3919]

Once you add epoxy it should not be used as a cutting board. It becomes a serving board. A knife will slice the epoxy, and slivers will end up in your food. Nice tutorial though.

[@neon72]

Someone didn’t listen to the very end!

[@jonfortner3919]

@@neon72 Safety info should be at the beginning. And the video title says cutting board.

[@1elephantmemories]

@@jonfortner3919 I appreciate the comment. I did talk about using the back, but I am now putting it in the description and more in the beginning. I am also adding that you should never cut on epoxy surfaces. Thank you for the suggestions!

[@SantaDragon]

Hope nothing will be cut with this board, due to the I guess really unhealthy resin :X

[@1elephantmemories]

I have a care and maintenance card that goes with all cutting/charcuterie boards which explains that you should never cut on epoxy which is basically plastic. Plastic cutting boards are used, but once it is beat up, bits of plastic could get into your food. Wood and Bamboo cutting boards are better. I make sure people know to use the blank back for all the cutting and the decorative side for food serving. Tabletop epoxy is safe for food contact like at restaurants and bars. Thank you for bringing this up. It is a very important subject that I will make sure to touch upon in my next epoxy cutting board video.

[@libor-vitek]

Nice job, but please never use it for cutting food (poisonous resin). Nevertheless, as a decoration it's awesome 👍

[@1elephantmemories]

Absolutely. I tell people in the video and in my shop to use the back for cutting on and the front for serving or kitchen decor. I will make sure that is in several places in my next video. Thank you for the comment.

[@IRISHDRAGON77]

Sorry but the eyes and hands are good for acuracy. Art isnt there because of machines. But i appreciate the result. Nothing a human cant do.

[@1elephantmemories]

Creating in all forms is good for the soul. I created this original design and hand carved on a block for a print press. Unfortunately, my hands nor eyes work as well as they used to, so I have upgraded with the help of machines. I can still create to my hearts content, just pain free. I do miss painting though. Nothing like it.

[@lockedboxcustomerservice7048]

People do this to make money Yes it can all be done by hand but how much would you have to charge for it to be worth your while?