Wood Engraved City Skyline

Intro: Wood Engraved City Skyline

The Wood Engraved City Skyline is a beautiful piece that can be scaled to fit into any home or office. PLUS! it is super easy to do!

STEP 1: Prep the Wood

First you need to prep the wood by sanding it. I use steel wool starting with 00 grade then move to 000 grade.

After sanding, put a coat of polyurethane on the wood and let dry. This step helps reduce smoke stains that the laser cutter produces.

STEP 2: Pick an Image

While the polyurethane is drying, go and pick your favorite or most memorable skyline. To me, the place that has the most memories attached is Chicago. Then I choose to take some design freedom and inverted the image so the sky is black and the buildings are white. You do not have to do this. It turns out looking great both ways!

STEP 3: Lasercut and Sand

Once you take your wood and the image to your local fabrication lab with a laser cutter and have them etch your image into the wood, there occasionally will still be smoke marks present. All you need to do to get rid of the smoke marks around the image is to sand the piece a little more with the 000 steel wool.

STEP 4: Finish Product

Enjoy your finished skyline! It's a beautiful piece that can go anywhere! Make it big and hang it over a couch or make it small and put in on your desk! Its a true beauty!

Comments

[DylanD581]

This makes me wish I had a laser cutter. Are the contrasting colors a result of laser engraving?

[philmjordan]

The darker color is a result of the laser cutter and the lighter color is where the laser did not touch the wood, the red tint is just a discoloration of the pine I selected.

I do all of my laser cutting at a place called SalukiCraft. Its a maker space and craft store. I know that if you send them an email at [e-mail] with your idea or file they can work with you on cutting it and the price and have your idea shipped to you.