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Jimmy Williams
07-12-2009, 10:08 PM
I am in the process of making a wooden braclet/bangle for my wife and would like to have a favorite saying engraved on the inside. The internal diameter is 2 1/2" and is 1 3/8" wide. Is this something that is even possible? The braclet/bangle is made out of walnut. Please let me know if you can do this sort of thing and are interested in doing this.

Thanks

Bill Cunningham
07-12-2009, 10:51 PM
'Inside' might be a bit of a problem.. Outside would probably be no problem at all..

Dee Gallo
07-13-2009, 6:33 AM
How about "around the side" - would be unique and easy to laser, plus leave the outside untouched.

cheers, dee

Jimmy Williams
07-13-2009, 7:57 AM
Thanks for the replies. I was afraid that engraving on the inside would be a problem. Around the side would be a good alternative but I have made the wall thickness kind of thin in order to keep the weight down. How small of a font can be engraved?

Peter Meacham
07-13-2009, 8:55 AM
Jimmy

The inside could be done by a jeweler who does rings - they engrave inside of rings all the time - they use a special rotary engraver.

Pete

Tony Lenkic
07-13-2009, 2:41 PM
Jimmy

The inside could be done by a jeweler who does rings - they engrave inside of rings all the time - they use a special rotary engraver.

Pete

Jewlers use dimond drag engravers for inside the ring engraving. In this case ring is wood product that will not engrave all that well.

Jimmy, if you have steady hand you can do it with pen like engraver sold at the dollar store.

Jimmy Williams
07-13-2009, 2:57 PM
Thanks Tony. I have called around town to several engravers and have yet to find one that will engrave on the inside. I was just starting to check into a flexible shaft for my dremel. I may even be able to get to the inside without it. I'll have to check that out tonight. I think if I then print out what I want to engrave and then use spray adhesive to hold it in place, I should be able to trace/engrave over that.

Thanks for the help everyone.

Dave Johnson29
07-13-2009, 5:49 PM
I am in the process of making a wooden braclet/bangle for my wife and would like to have a favorite saying engraved on the inside.

What about canting the bangle over on say a 10 or 15 degree range on the rotary . The depth of field for a 2.5" lens would more than compensate for the shift in focus length.

I do not have a working rotary to try with, but I would get a chunk of round aluminum bar a little larger than the OD of the bangle and about 1/2" long.

Tape the bangle to the aluminum then drop the lot onto the rotary wheels so the mass of the aluminum holds it in place. Maybe even use a bit of Teflon tape where the aluminum leans against the rotary frame so that it rotates smoothly. Internal should be easy. You might need to have the writing mirrored so it burns correctly.

Mike DeRegnaucourt
07-13-2009, 9:18 PM
Hi Jimmy,

Not sure if this would work or not...all depends on the type of wood and thickness. If you could steam the wood and straighten it out by clamping it in a jig. Once dry, one could engrave everything you'd want on the band. Once the engraving has been completed, it could once again be steam bent back into it's bangle shape. :)

Just trying to think outside the box. :cool:

Dee Gallo
07-13-2009, 9:52 PM
Mike, unless I'm wrong, a bangle is a complete circle. You are talking about a cuff bracelet, which is not a whole circle.

Jimmy, you can engrave very small letters, depending on the typeface. I've done 6pt. letters on walnut and they were readable still.

cheers, dee

Jimmy Williams
07-14-2009, 7:53 AM
Dee is correct, the bangle is a full circle so I won't be able to flatten it out any.

I am still in the process of sanding the whole thing but as it stands now, the wall thickness, at it's thinnest, is 1/8". Also, I'm not sure if I had mentioned it but the external shape is that of an octogon with the 2 1/2" hole in the middle. At the middle of each side of the octogon is where the wall thickness is the thinnest. I have attached a crappy cell phone image taken this morning on my way out the door.

Thanks for the ideas thus far.

Dave Johnson29
07-14-2009, 9:23 AM
I think Eric Clapton must have me sized up for this group, "I must be invisible."

Jimmy, that pic shows exactly the angle I was talking about. Tape the thing to a chunk of round and then put it all on the rotary. Engrave it on the lower inside surface.

Sometimes I sit and wonder, but then sometimes I just sit. :rolleyes:

Jimmy Williams
07-14-2009, 11:29 AM
Does anyone have the ability to do what Dave is suggesting and want to give it a try?