What is the best hardwood to use

[Beltramidave]

Looking for suggestions on the best hardwood to use for doing photo vcarves. Not interested in lithophanes. I see that some people recommend staining before vcarving, is that the standard?

Thanks

[dhellew2]

I like red alder and red aspen. Nice uniform color without out much grain to detract from the art work. They also works well on a laser engraver coated with acrylic lacquer first.
For a lighter color try Alder or Birch.

I sometimes spray on a coat of lacquer then use a gel stain to bring out the detail. If you get too much stain you can wipe off the excess with a rag dampened with MEK [always do a test piece first]
Dale

[martin54]

Pretty much the same as what you would use to cut 3d models from what I have seen. Anything that machines well & doesn't create lots of fuzzies
Try to find the most plain bits you can, anything that is heavily figured is best put to one side for another project. The wood grain as Dale says can detract from the artwork you are trying to show

I buy most of my wood from a sawmill, before I got the cnc machine I would look for the most interesting boards I could find. Now I tend to think more about what I will be doing with it, a nice piece of figured timber for a shelf or cupboard, a plain bit with very little grain pattern for 3d machining
Some of the boards I wouldn't have looked at twice before I got the cnc machine are now the first to get picked

[adze_cnc]

best hardwood to use for doing photo vcarves

I'd look into jelutong and basswood (linden) as two potentials. Very little grain to speak of and machines easily.

Steven