We use an Epilog Helix 24 60-watt CO2 Laser Engraver with air assist, which helps prevent burning while cutting through the wood. You can read more about our machine here. 

You can email your design to us digitally or give it to us on paper. We accept .JPG, .PNG, .BMP, .SVG, .PDF, and .CDR file formats. We also have a scanner that is capable of scanning an 8.5" x 11" sheet of paper.

For very basic designs, it's possible for us to create a mock-up from scratch, although we charge the standard design rate listed above.

For more detailed designs, we suggest working with a designer who is more proficient. The designer you hire may also be able to provide the file in a vector format, which will greatly reduce any design costs we may charge.

Your satisfaction is important to us, which is why we provide as many revisions as needed.

If there is an error on our part (such as a misspelled name), we will make the correction at no extra charge. However, if the error originated in the information you provided or you need to make a revision after you approved the design, we will charge for any additional engraving time, as well as any materials that were purchased through us.

Our laser engraver is capable of cleanly cutting through wood that is up to 1/4" thick, depending on the density of the wood. It's possible to cut through slightly thicker material, however, this typically results in significant charring along the edge.

Engraving and cutting the wood will leave some superficial residue on the surface. In some applications, such as prototyping a product, this may be acceptable. However, it's possible to remove the residue in a couple of ways.

The first is to gently hand sand or power sand the surface of the wood after it has been engraved. This works particularly well if you are engraving everything at the same depth. Once the residue is sanded off, you can finish the wood as you like.

Another options, which we prefer is to finish the wood prior to engraving. Two or three coats of lacquer will protect the wood from the residue, which can then be wiped off with a little bit of water.

If you are engraving a product that you don't want to lacquer, such as kitchenware or baby toys, you can apply a thin coat of wax (we use Clapham's Food-Safe Salad Bowl Finish). After engraving, the residue can be wiped off with a little bit of rubbing alcohol. This is the method we use when engraving our logo on many of our products.

It's possible to engrave a variety of materials with our laser engraver, however, our experience is primarily with wood. Our rates would be the same no matter which material you want to engrave.

If you would like to engrave a different material than wood, we ask that you provide us with samples, so that we can test the appropriate settings for the engraver. Without testing the material, we cannot be responsible if you are not satisfied with the results.

Materials that we will not engrave include: PVC, vinyl, polycarbonate, ABS, and fiberglass

We currently do not have the capability to engrave cylindrical items such as baseball bats or rolling pins.

However, if you are interested in this option, please let us know and we will put you on a notification list once we purchase the necessary equipment.

It's possible to engrave a photo. Photos with simple, uncluttered backgrounds and clearly defined subjects tend to work well for wood engraving. Images with too much detail or too many fine lines may not translate well onto the wood's surface.

The photo should be high resolution to avoid any blurring or pixelation when it's enlarged or reduced to fit the wood's surface.

The amount of time it takes to engrave an item is affected by the engraving resolution and speed, as well as the thickness of the wood if you are cutting through it.

There is also the time required for us to make changes to the design file if each item has a unique engraving (such as different serial numbers or names).

To give you a general idea, an 8" x 10" high-resolution engraving typically takes about 30 minutes to engrave while an 18" x 24" engraving takes about 2 hours. Engraving a centered logo on the bottom of a wood bowl takes about 6 minutes.

Typically, we can have small projects completed within one week, once the design is approved. For larger projects, please let us know the specifics and we will provide an estimated timeline.

In general, it is best to bring scrap material with you of whatever you want engraved so that we can test the settings before engraving any items. This is not essential, though it's helpful.

If you're providing your design on a printed sheet of paper, be sure to print it as large as possible on an 8.5" x 11" sheet, with the highest resolution possible. This will make it easier to convert the design to a vector file.

We guarantee that the engraving will be accurate based the digital proof that you approve.

We will always do our best to place the engraving at the specified location on the wood. However, we may not be able to guarantee the exact placement of the engraving if you bring your own items to be engraved. This is because of unintended variances in the dimensions of the items that we can't control.

If you purchase wood engraving material from us, we will replace the wood and re-engrave it if it breaks due to a natural weakness in the wood, such as cracks.

This warranty does not apply to items that will be subjected to regular use such as wood keychains that are consistently put under strain. It also does not apply to materials that you provided for us to engrave.

We provide no warranty on the durability or longevity of the engraving itself due to the natural properties of the wood. Simple engravings such as text or line art should be quite durable, while larger or very detailed engravings are more prone to damage and should be handled carefully.

While we charge based on our standard rate listed above, we can work with you to minimize our production time, thereby saving you money.