Make the darkest tone count
Normalize Black expands darkness proportionally while keeping white fixed. Contrast stretch and histogram equalization offer other ways to redistribute tones.
Better Laser Raster
Your image.
More control.
Turn a source image into a grayscale preview and raster G-code, with control over the tones your laser is asked to reproduce.
Mac update in development
Why it exists
A photograph has more shades than a piece of wood.
That is the challenge Better Laser Raster was built around. An image can contain hundreds of subtle grays, while a laser and its material may produce only a small number of distinct results. Preparing the image thoughtfully matters.
Originally created and published independently by Paul Martinez under CandlerCustoms, Better Laser Raster is getting a new chapter: preserving its practical purpose while making it easier to explore and adjust an engraving.
Inside the current Mac development build
More control. Less clutter.
Transparent images, on your terms
Import PNGs and choose a white or black background for transparent areas, including partially transparent edges.
Work at an engraving-sized scale
Large imports are reduced to fit within 40 × 40 cm at your selected pixel pitch, with a working-pixel limit to keep processing bounded.
Try it. Compare it. Undo it.
Focused adjustment panels leave more room for the source and preview. Undo and Redo make image and setting changes easier to explore.
Explore a sketch direction
AI Studio offers pencil, cartoon, figure, and digital sketch prompts. Review imported or generated artwork before applying it.
Keep output settings close
Set pixel pitch, output shades, power range, speed, and G-code commands in dedicated panels with hover instructions.
From image to engraving preparation
Bring in your image
Choose pixel pitch, import the source, and decide how transparent areas should look.
Shape the tones
Compare the preview as you adjust contrast, sharpening, shade count, and the ignore threshold.
Prepare the job
Review the dimensions and controller settings, then export raster G-code for your workflow.
The preview is a guide to commanded tones. It is not yet a calibrated prediction of wood color. Material, focus, speed, and laser response still matter; physical testing is part of preparing a release.
Release status
Back in the workshop.
The refreshed Mac version is in development. There is no public download of this update yet. Broader Mac testing, distribution packaging, and real engraving trials are still ahead. Windows modernization is planned.
Have experience with the original app, or a controller and material you would like to see tested?
Share feedback by emailA few useful details
Will it support GRBL and Marlin?
The goal is generic G-code workflows for GRBL-style and Marlin-style controllers. The development build retains configurable commands and ordering; compatibility across real machines has not yet been validated.
Does AI editing require a subscription?
You can prepare a prompt and source PNG, use your own ChatGPT account in its website, and import the result. Availability depends on that account. The optional direct-edit route uses a separate OpenAI API key and may incur API charges. A ChatGPT subscription should not be assumed to include API access. Direct generation has not yet been tested end to end in this update.
Are my images automatically uploaded?
Regular image preparation happens locally in the Mac app. In AI Studio, direct editing sends the source and prompt to OpenAI only when you choose Upload & generate. The website workflow requires you to attach the image yourself.
Will the preview exactly match my engraving?
Not yet. It shows image adjustments, selected grayscale levels, and ignored light areas. Material calibration—starting with maple—is a planned next step toward a more useful physical prediction.
Is this replacing the original app?
This is a modernization of the original project. The refreshed build is not a public replacement release yet, and its Windows counterpart has not received the same updates.