clip engraving?

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glycerine

glycerine

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Fayetteville, NC
Has anyone engraved a clip for a cigar pen? I know it would expose the brass underneath, but do you think I could get away with it if I sprayed it with acrylic afterwards (to keep the brass from tarnishing)? Or possibly had it lasered all the way through and coated the inner edges? Or have it replated after engraving?
What are your experiences and suggestions...?
 
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The cigar pens that have made had plated clips. You can't laser through plating unless you have a serious laser (not a standard engraving laser).

You can laser mark platings, or you can laser engrave through enamel.
 
Fibonacci said:
The cigar pens that have made had plated clips. You can't laser through plating unless you have a serious laser (not a standard engraving laser).

You can laser mark platings, or you can laser engrave through enamel.
Click to expand...

Really? I thought those things would burn through kryptonite! Ok, if I can't do it, so be it, but someone wants it done if it's possible. I'm sure I could have it etched with a diamond bit or something, but do you think it would look funnty with the brass showing underneath? Any other options that you can think of? I guess I could also make a stainless clip and engrave that instead...?
 
What finish does the kit already have? That will make a bit difference on how the engraving looks.

A diamond bit or other mechanical engraving method should work fine. You could always to a mechanical etching with a color fill that complements the blank.

The greatest majority of laser engravers use CO2 lasers (gas tube or RF pumped) that operate at 10.6 nm. Those will cut wood, acrylic, most kinds of fabric, and etch things like glass because those materials will absorb the energy from it.

Metal does not absorb that wavelength, it reflects it, so it won't cut. That said, there is one metal whose name escapes me that you can cut with a CO2 laser. Additionally, with enough power you can cut it, but you are talking about kiloWatts for metal, where the engravers are generally in the 30-60 Watt range. I have seen one rated as high as 120W for sale, but I don't think it was actually that high. CO2 gas lasers get thier power by length, and there was no dimension long enough on that system to generate the rated power.
 
I once helped a member research plateing one piece. There was a company we found that would do it but it was a minimum of $35.00 at that time. If you can find someone local like a small jewelry store they may be able to help you with both the engraving and replating of the clip. It will not be cheap. I can point you in the direction you need to go if you want to buy all the stuff to electrolplate your self. Its not cheap.
 
Constant Laubscher said:
I have laser engraved many of those clips, you use a chemical and then engrave it.
It comes out a dark gray color.

Last year I did at least 400 for a company in CA. Chrome works best.
Click to expand...

That is laser marking, not laser engraving. You use a laser engraving, but you are adding material to it, not removing it.
 
The kit will be a hybrid cigar, so the clip would be black titanium. But I could probably also use a plain chrome clip. I'll take a look at the limited statesmen cap...
I may check with some jewelers like some of you suggested, or chemically marking. Constant, can you do that on any metal plating? Could you do it for me? If so, please give me a rough estimate...
Thanks everyone.
 
Jeremy,
In defference to what some are saying here, yes you can engrave with lasers, just not the ones typically used by the members here who own one.

If it was not really possible, then part of my job would be extinct.

To elaborate, some of the flow windows in valves are made by wire or plunge edm processes.
however, on occasion we have flow passagea as small os .015 the cannot be wired because the valve sleeve has material opposite.
It is at this point that we have used lasers to cut materials in a controlled manner throu one side, by using materials in the center of the valve sleeve to keep the beam from blowing thru the other side.

It is a wee bit costly, but it can be done easily

Jerry
 
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