Engraving Preparation

[johnkofi]

I did some searching and couldn't find what I am looking for..... I have my first job of doing multiple pens, the buyer wants them engraved with his logo too.
What I need to know is.... do I finish the pen completely then send them to be engraved or do I just sand the barrel to the point of the CA finish and send just the barrel that will be engraved?

Thanks - John

 

[SherryD]

finish the pen and assemble it. Imagine you received the pen as a gift and wanted to have it engraved. There are many engravers out there, check around and you may find one close to home. I am prejudiced, but I believe one who turns pens and also engraves has the advantage of knowing what they are doing. For example power/ speed settings on a cigar are much different than a sierra. To much power on a sierra and you are seeing brass tube, not likely the look you what. If you have a local wood turning chapter you may have somebody a few miles away that you can use on a steady basis. I do engraving locally in Texas, but I am sure you can find someone real close. Price should range from $$ to $7 dollars for single line engraving. A few charge by the letter or character but that is the exception rather than the rule. Any questions send me a PM. BY the way CA finish is ok to laser if the engraver knows what they are doing it is not a problem at all.

 

[Sylvanite]

Determine exactly what you want to achieve, find an engraver who will do it for a price you are willing to pay, and ask him how he wants them. The answer will vary depending on the kind of engraving you want done, and who does it. I do engraving two different ways, using different jigs, (at different prices) depending on how the desired result.

If I'm just putting a line of text along the pen barrel, such that the curvature of the pen doesn't interfere with the engraving, then I just put the pen in a stationary jig and treat it like flat work. In this case, I request that the pen be finished and assembled before engraving.

If I'm putting a large design on--one that wraps around the pen enough that the flat method doesn't work, I put the barrel on a mandrel in a rotating fixture to engrave. I'll ask for the unassembled pen barrel, possibly finished, possibly not.

So, for me, it would depend on how big the logo is that you want to engrave. Others may well do things differently.

Regards,
Eric