First you’re going to load your laser with the 1/8 or 3mm basswood. That is going to be your top layer. That layer will be the one that has your design & that will be engraved. 

Once your 1/8 or 3mm basswood is loaded, you’re going to process the design. The purple layers will be scored, black will be engraved, and red will be cut. On canvas 1 you can see the compounded vector with “Welcome to Paradise”. On canvas 2, is the blank Vegas style sign where you can add your own text. You can also edit the size of the sign if you’d like it to be smaller or even larger. Important: any size changes done to the top layer will need to be made to the bottom/back layer as well.

The scoring is optional. I prefer to score the lines around my engraving. I think it gives the engraving nice & clean edges. 

Once you have finished your edits to the design, you can begin processing. Purple will be scored, black will be engraved, and red will be cut. 

I used a classic wood stain to finish my top layer. I made sure that it was sanded & clean before I began staining. You can use whatever colors of paint or stain that fits your personal preference. 

To stain, you simply dip a rag into the stain can and rub the stain with the wood grain. 

Load up your ¼ wood. The purple layers will be scored and the red layers will be cut. 

The purple scored layer is optional. I prefer to include it, because it helps me align the two layers when combining. 

Now that your back/bottom piece has been processed, you are going to finish it like you did the top layer with the design. 

I made sure that it was sanded & clean before I began staining. You can use whatever colors of paint or stain that fits your personal preference. I used a few different colors of spray paint. I used an aged gold base & added pops of teal & glitter. 

I painted both sides of mine, but that is really up to your preference. 

Once both layers are thoroughly dry, you’re going to combine the two. Use wood glue, or your preferred method of adhesive to attach the top layer to the bottom/back layer. 

I applied an appropriate amount of wood glue, following the guidelines provided by the glue, then lined the layer up to the scored line on the back/bottom layer. 

Then, I made sure it was sealed properly and would maintain position and flatness by clamping the two layers together tightly. 

This is optional, but I added some simple hanging hardware to the back to make it easy to hang on a wall.