2×4 Name Badge: CNC Laser Engraving Pine

Making a 2×4 name badge is pretty straight forward, just slide the plank using a stop for consistent thickness, then laser engrave and finish.

CNCROi.com finished-up a project using 2x4s and I thought it would be fun to cut off some ends and see how they would look like if they were a name badge.

It’s not often that CNCROi.com gets the opportunity to make a project involving end-grain, it’s a lot more difficult to work with as it isn’t as strong, especially at these thicknesses and finishing is hit and miss due to different absorption patterns caused by the varying growth ring densities.

To give you an idea of what CNCROi.com can make for you using Pine but functional in another way, check out this recent beer bottle opener we made.

That custom beer bottle opener was made using the surface of the Pine, compared to the end-grain that this 2×4 name badge is made from, it’s easy to tell, one has solid and very visible growth rings while the other doesn’t.

There are actually two end-grain name badges being made here but only one came out well, the other was a little too thin, thus very brittle and with the laser engraving, just too weak to be of any good… all part of material testing!

CNCROi.com also uses Pine to make custom wall plaques, awards and a bunch of other stuff to customer’s specs.

CNCROi.com‘s Austrian wide-format industrial laser CNC engraves the end-grain 2×4 name badge quite easily, we’ve powered through far more dense and thick Pine before in the shop here, but masking this is just about impossible so it will require a bit of sanding after.

End-grain is very difficult to mask as not much sticks to it well, these 2×4 name badges are a good example of the challenges using different woods in the not-most-optimal way to make something that’s actually useful and functional.

If you are wondering about what CNCROi.com can produce using Pine detail and resolution wise, check out this amazing wooden cottage pyrographed onto Pine from a photo I took while I was there in the summer.

It just goes to show you, the options when it comes to Pine alone, much less the other woods we have here in the shop are endless.

CNCROi.com‘s CNC laser also has plenty of clearance for larger items made out of just about anything to be laser engrave or cut, how much? Well, 13 inches!

When it comes to this 2×4 name badge project, you can see CNCROi.com can handle just about anything thrown to it using our experience, equipment and materials.

You can see there is minimal smoke settling on these 2×4 name badges, which actually measure 1.5″ x 3.5″ due to shrinkage, they leave the mill at roughly that thickness but after drying, they lose a lot of moisture, that’s why when you buy a 2×4, it never is 2″ x 4″ but generally a lot less.

CNCROi.com also has extensive experience making projects out of live edge, generally we use Pine or Basswood but it all depends on what the local mill has in stock.

Now that this 2×4 name badge is finished the laser engraving process, you can see how the grain is engraved at different depths, that due to material density, the denser the wood, the more power is required to make it even with the less dense growth rings.

There are of course ways around this issue somewhat but 9.9x out of 10, our customers really like the extra detail that’s added for free thanks to the growth ring pattern on the wood.

That’s one thing that I really like about wood, you can make the same project over and over again and each will be completely different in its own way due to natural material density variations.

Another great use of Pine are custom coasters, it’s really a nice material when it comes to a bunch of different applications where a nice wood is required to make a custom project all the more special and unique regardless of your requirements.

It’s now time to sand the surface of the 2×4 name badge, you can see some burning along the edges of the engraving, CNCROi.com will get through that in no time, sanding it before would make no difference by the way as the density is through the material, not just at the top surface about to be given a hair-cut.

After sanding, you can see the words far clearer, and that’s the point of that exercise was, it’s really nice to see sharp details with very clean lines on a 2×4 name badge and our other woodworking projects, a simple step, well worth the effort.

Another item that’s popular with Pine at the CNCROi.com shop of custom fabrication are key holders, we use them and have given many to our family as well.

A layer of varnish by CNCROi.com makes the grain pop and the engraving naturally darkens due to shadows created by the hallowing-out of the 2×4 name badge.

To compare this to something that wasn’t varnished (but sanded only), check-out this ornamental Pine poker chip I made to show you how much light, natural wood variation and density affect the end result when it comes to CNC laser engraving.

The end result of this CNCROi.com custom 2×4 name badge look amazing, far better than I thought it would come out.

If you are looking for a custom name badge, any material, size or shape, contact CNCROi.com right now!