![[Laser cut and engrave] Minwax oil stain samples with xTool S1 20W](https://image-res.xtool.com/resource/xtool/community/attachment/xtool-community/35868078-92ec-4020-9ad8-162ca3b25dc8?x-oss-process=image/resize,w_1200,h_900,limit_0/interlace,1/format,webp/auto-orient,1)
Oil Stain Swatches
Instruction
Information
A quick way to visualize how different stains will look with various engraving settings using different shades of stain.
Instruction
Step1: The Cuts, Engraves, and Scores
Grab a 12x12 piece of 3mm basswood. You may also used scraps, as I did. Just make sure that the scraps are at least 295mm x 55mm. You can get up to 5 of these on one sheet of 12"x12" stock with the size as used in the design file. You may also resize the group to make smaller swatches and get even more on a sheet.
Layers:
Red - Cut
Orange - Score
Light Blue - Engrave - There are 4 different engraving settings for each of the test squares.
Black - Ignore - The black layer is ignored, it's the outline of the stock used for arrangement of the objects to process. I did not list this layer in the settings section.
Step2: Modify the Stain Color Descriptoins
Modify the text on the left side of the swatch to note what stain you are using. I used the following stains for this example:
Minwax Oil Stain - Cherry 235
Minwax Oil Stain - Red Chestnut 232
Minwax Oil Stain - Dark Walnut 2716
Minwax Oil Stain - Ebony 2718
Be as specific as you want, these are your swatches!
Step3: Verify Cut, Engrave, and Score Settings
It's always a good idea to check the cut, engrave, and score settings to make sure they are what works with your laser. Not all lasers are created equal. Make any changes necessary to achieve your desired outcome.
Step4: Release the Laser!
Cut away! It took about 22 minutes total to process all 4 on one 12x12 sheet of basswood. It took a little over 5 minutes when I did one. Your mileage will vary based on your settings.
Step5: Mask and Stain
I very much recommend masking off the scored label, especially when using a dark stain. I didn't do that on the first one I did, and I could barely make out the text. Learn from my mistake so you don't have to!
Once masked (or not, but don't blame me if you can't read it when done LOL), stain it. I did both the front and back, but you don't have to if you don't want to. Wipe off excess stain. You can apply as many layers of stain as you wish. If you do multiple layers, I would recommend noting the number of times you apply it, the more stain the darker the color.
Step6: Examples of Use
You're done, great work! You can use the swatches to get a good idea of how your stains will look when deciding on which colors to use, and even see how the stain will look over an engraved or scored surface.
