3D Depth Map Engraving in LightBurn on a Brass Bottle Opener

Project overview

The goal was to engrave a relief-style totem design around the front, sides, and back of a long brass bottle opener. Instead of treating each face as a totally separate design, I built the artwork so the front and side sections could be pulled from one larger image.

The process can be summarized as:

Step 1: create artwork for a long, narrow object

I started with AI-generated artwork. The final prompt described a bas-relief style totem pole featuring ancient deities, with high contrast, smooth gradients, 3D grayscale shading, and even front-facing lighting.

The important detail was the aspect ratio. A default square image was a poor fit for a bottle opener, so I asked for a 3:7 aspect ratio to better match the long, skinny shape of the blank.

Create a matching backside

I wanted the back of the bottle opener to look like the backside of the same carved totem rather than simply repeating the front. I uploaded the front image to ChatGPT and asked it to create the back side of the totem pole.

That gave me a second image that visually belonged to the same object while still making sense on the reverse face.

Step 2: convert the AI image into a depth map

A normal grayscale image is not automatically a depth map. For this type of 3D-style fiber laser engraving, the image needs depth information that represents how the relief should rise and fall.

For this project I used SculptOK to convert the generated artwork into depth maps. I uploaded the images, reviewed the generated options, and selected the versions that gave me the best result for engraving.

The depth map becomes the working image that goes into LightBurn.

Step 3: build a template for every face of the bottle opener

The bottle opener cannot be engraved as though it were one flat rectangle. Each face has to be positioned under the laser separately.

To create accurate boundaries, I took a photograph of each side of the bottle opener and traced a pattern for every section that needed engraving. Those traced shapes became my LightBurn templates.

Lay the faces out like a flattened object

The part that took the most figuring out was how to make the design flow across the front and side faces.

The solution was to place the front and side template pieces next to one another in LightBurn, almost like unfolding the bottle opener into a flat pattern. I then positioned the larger depth-map image behind those shapes.

Step 4: use LightBurn Image Mask one section at a time

For each face of the bottle opener, I selected the appropriate template and used LightBurn Image Mask to reveal only the part of the depth map that belonged inside that shape.

After engraving that section, I released the image mask, moved to the next template, and repeated the process.

This approach has two big advantages:

1. The design stays visually continuous because every section comes from the same larger image.
2. You do not have to build and align a collection of independently cropped image files outside LightBurn.

Step 5: engrave each physical side separately

I engraved the project on my 60W OMG fiber laser. Because the bottle opener has multiple faces, the object had to be repositioned between sections and the laser had to be refocused as needed.

The actual laser runtime for the complete project was about 1 hour and 20 minutes. The real project time was longer once you include moving the bottle opener, aligning the next face, refocusing, and preparing each masked section.

This is one of those projects where the LightBurn file can make the engraving conceptually simple, but the physical setup still requires patience. Accurate templates and careful positioning matter just as much as the depth map itself.

Step 6: clean and darken the brass

After engraving, I cleaned the bottle opener with a brass brush, water, and burnishing compound.

I then applied plenty of brass black to darken the engraved areas and lightly sanded the surface with very fine steel wool. The darker recessed engraving against the brighter brass helps the relief effect read more clearly.

What this project demonstrates

The finished bottle opener is a good example of how several techniques can be combined into one workflow. The 3D effect comes from the depth map, but the wrapped appearance depends on accurate physical templates and LightBurn's masking tools.

The main ideas are reusable well beyond bottle openers:

1. Create artwork with proportions that suit the final object.
2. Convert the artwork into a usable depth map.
3. Trace the real object when you need accurate engraving boundaries.
4. Arrange related faces like a flattened template when you want artwork to flow across them.
5. Use LightBurn Image Mask to isolate the correct portion of one larger image for each engraving area.
6. Expect extra setup time whenever a project requires repositioning and refocusing between faces.

Learn the LightBurn fundamentals first

This is an advanced-looking project, but the workflow is built on ordinary LightBurn skills: creating templates, aligning artwork, working with images, masking, framing, focusing, and running separate engraving operations.

If you are still getting comfortable with those tools, Fiber Laser Ignite is my free LightBurn-focused fiber laser course. It covers the fundamentals and then walks through nine guided projects with downloadable files.

LIGHTBURN

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I engraved this project with my 60W OMG fiber laser. You do not need my exact machine to apply the workflow, but your galvo system should support LightBurn if you want to follow the same software process.

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