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Martin Boekers
07-13-2010, 3:35 PM
Awhile back there was a posting about Epilog working with a company to make 500 or so engravers to put in pet stores.

Has anyone seen one of these or heard anymore on them?

I just noticed that here at the BX on base they have a coin-op rotary/scratch engraver in the food court (ok, it takes bills not coins:p)

It does a standard selection of dog tags, pet tags anodized aluminum etc.

for these they get $5-$7ea depending upon style, $2 extra for a chain.

Just wondering if anyone saw these yet.


Marty

Belinda Barfield
07-13-2010, 4:13 PM
Marty,

Our local PetSmart has the laser tag engraver front and center when you walk in the door. Folks love it! I believe the tags are priced between $6 and $8. I'm not sure if that includes engraving or not. I have to go to PS one afternoon this week. I'll try to remember to check it out for you.

Martin Boekers
07-13-2010, 4:41 PM
Belinda,
Is that the Epilog version?

I'll have to stop by a local pet Smart and see if they have it yet.

Do you know how much it costs to have a tag made?

I know when it was posted here awhile back there were concerns about
maintaining the machine. I'm curious now that they are out there how they are doing.

Thanks

Martin Boekers
07-13-2010, 4:48 PM
I just searched this out and found a You Tube video of the machine working. MMMM pretty nifty!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oo6zw03OtWU

I did notice it was a ULS laser as you can see in the bottom left.

I wounder what happened with the Epilog version?

Marty

paul mott
07-14-2010, 1:51 AM
Excellent video that - glad you found it Martin.

Looks like we will all be out of work soon :(

Paul.

Rodne Gold
07-14-2010, 3:14 AM
It looks like a severly limited machine in what it does. I doubt that will put a dent in our laser engraving markets unless your main business is onesies pet tags.

Frank Corker
07-14-2010, 3:50 AM
It is very cool mechanism rotating the disc and all, but I would say that someone investing in that, will be waiting an awfully long time for a return on the machine!

Belinda Barfield
07-14-2010, 6:34 AM
Belinda,
Is that the Epilog version?

I'll have to stop by a local pet Smart and see if they have it yet.

Do you know how much it costs to have a tag made?

I know when it was posted here awhile back there were concerns about
maintaining the machine. I'm curious now that they are out there how they are doing.

Thanks

Marty,

I don't know if it is the Epilog version or not. I'll stop by this afternoon and check it out. I do know that every time I go in the machine is busy and there are 3 or 4 people in line. Lots of OOOHs and AAAAHs. As far as I know the machine has not been down since they brought it in somewhere between 4 and 6 months ago.

Spy Natasha . . . on a mission . . . will report back tomorrow.

paul mott
07-14-2010, 8:41 AM
It looks like a severly limited machine in what it does. I doubt that will put a dent in our laser engraving markets unless your main business is onesies pet tags.


It is very cool mechanism rotating the disc and all, but I would say that someone investing in that, will be waiting an awfully long time for a return on the machine!

Thank goodness that we all look at things differently and are not all of the same opinion.

If I were backing those pet tag machines, I would not be looking for the return on investment yet - I would be looking for the next application and where the next machines could be installed. Who was it that said 'He who hesitates is lost' ?

Paul.

Viktor Voroncov
07-14-2010, 9:01 AM
I saw news on Epilog site about 500 lasers delivery to pet stores. If it's true - really good order in crisis time :)

Joe Pelonio
07-14-2010, 10:26 AM
After about 6 years with a laser I have never done a dog tag, so this is not likely to affect our business. For those of us with Epilog machines it's nice to hear that sales are doing well, so they will be there for us.

Martin Boekers
07-14-2010, 10:34 AM
Just imagine......

Walmart going into the trophy and awards business,
You pick out the trophy or award (which comes with a plate)
slide the plate into the proper slot, type in text.
BINGO!

This won't take away from the truly custom orders or the ones that use more than a standard plate, (Acrylics, wood plaques etc) but it does take away from higher profit "hit a plate and attach it awards"

I can see this revolutionizing the basic awards industry just as one hour photo and digital did to the photo industry.

This machine wouldn't need to be complex as you would do one side only.

I'm not sure what they charge in store, but online it's about $20ea


The rotary one that they have on base charges $5 for a dogtag, if they filled it with small blanks it would take away some of my "plate only business" With a bit of modification, a free downloadable layout program and a USD slot to upload files. It could do nametags just as easily.

I could see adding something like this in my shop and supply a basic line of plates, nametags and awards so the DYI could do it themselves.
This would allow for me to focus more on the higher end jobs and services.

Technology is here, they explored the right market as pet owners will pay for it. At least until the newness runs off.

Rodne, I believe your right for a "true engraving shop" it probably won't affect us to much at least in the short term. I try to keep an eye on technology and new developments as not to be surprised in the near future. There will be a call for custom engravers for quite awhile, but the smaller shops that aren't as versatile, that count on the little league, church groups, etc could see something like this as it appears in the future to be a challenge.

Marty

Chuck Stone
07-14-2010, 10:42 AM
J

I can see this revolutionizing the basic awards industry just as one hour photo and digital did to the photo industry.

You mean by flooding the market with cheap, low quality products and
then holding those up as the new standard and then eventually abandoning
the market so that there are no more vendors left for the people who
actually need them?

Yeah.. I can see it

paul mott
07-14-2010, 11:17 AM
I really don’t think any of us should underestimate the importance of this laser pet tag machine / idea.
I have a small dog and I am quite proud to have engraved my dog’s tag myself (conventional spindle engraved) and I am confident that many other pet owners would feel just the same. If one proud pet owner, who laser engraved their own pet tag, told just two of their pet owning acquaintances then there would be no need to advertise this machine / product – It will sell itself – In fact it will outsell itself. I would not mind betting that people who have made one of these tags just can’t keep their mouths shut about it. (Did you see the smiles on their faces in that video?).

Last year, with one of my CNC machines, I made this tiny ‘Turners Cube’ (in fact I made quite a few of them) to demonstrate the change in engineering skills. Now I do not have the necessary skills to make this by conventional means (I could try but it would be an embarrassment to photograph the end result) but with CNC it was not only possible it was remarkably easy.


http://www.cooperman.talktalk.net/files/14_files/image2897.jpg



In exactly the same way, the pet tag laser machine has enabled those without the skill to achieve a product which they will be proud of and tell their friends about.
It is basic human nature to be proud of our achievements and things we have made or done and pet tags may just be the tip of the iceberg for D.I Y. laser engraving machines in the mall of the future.


Paul.

Martin Boekers
07-14-2010, 11:40 AM
You mean by flooding the market with cheap, low quality products and
then holding those up as the new standard and then eventually abandoning
the market so that there are no more vendors left for the people who
actually need them?

Yeah.. I can see it

Amazing how that works!:eek: You're right on, on the process!

It seems that since the digital age of photography, some think that owning a camera and a bit of PS makes you a pro photographer.

It can happen here also.

Paul your right about pet owners, if I had my shop in a storefront I would seriously consider having one Sat a month set aside as pet day for a couple hours. Maybe try to get one of the chains to supply "doggie treats" I think there could be some potential there. And from my line above get a digital camera set up a smaller corner as a Photo Studio and do seasonal pet photos. It could bring in enough to make you month!

There is a place in St Louis called Groomingsdale, they have taken it to another level, pet spas, photos, grooming etc. they do real well! Although it helps when you pantent and manufacter a defevice called "The Furminator" and it actually works and sells well.


Marty

Rodne Gold
07-14-2010, 2:14 PM
I view this as an extension of the way some lasers are marketed in the USA - almost like the back ads of popular mechanics - make a 1000$ in your spare time...
The next logical extension is buy a machine that will make $1000 in IT'S spare time ....
If I were the guys punting this , I would give the laser to the "buyer" free on a loan basis - hook him into consumables like tags and give him 1/2 the profit and charge maintenance out his share of the profit. Must be a market of at least 20000 of em at gifty shops , vets or any other place that can market laserable stuff.
A $20k laser must cost about 10k to make - this one prolly less , but lets say 10k
At $8 a pop including the tag and 20 customers a day , thats $3500 a month t/o - laser guys will get 75% of that (1/2 for the tag , 50% profit) - a revenue stream of at least 2k a month at a BAD site - not bad for a 10k machine that is still theirs :)

Martin Boekers
07-14-2010, 5:52 PM
Rodne

Now your thinking!

The one on base here isn't even a laser but a rotary/diamond drag
(cheaper, less maintenance?)

If shopping malls weren't dying here that would be the place with all the teenagers going through. I can remember the popularity of ID bracelets in my younger days:D every kid had to have one or two.

Short life? maybe but as you can see with a nice location it can make money and pay for itself quickly.

Yeah Popular Mechanics and Popular science the back classifieds were great weren't they!

I bet they still have ads about make money in your spare time stuffing envelopes!

Marty

John Barton
07-14-2010, 7:50 PM
Coin-op engravers/stampers have been around forever. I did my pet tags on a machine at a pet store that stamps the tags Army dog tag style.

These machines are nifty special use machines that have a great gee-whiz factor to them.

They are highly unlikely to take much business away from engravers. However they could send business to engravers.

On the video the people were expressing their wonder at what is for us a simple operation. When I did a billiard show and engraved people's pool cues I got the same reaction whenever they stood there and watched it happen.

So on a general level this introduces people to laser engraving. On this particular machine I notice that ULS has "Laser Power at Work" right on the front and their nameplate easily visible. So I can see that a certain percentage of the people will make the connection and look for a full service engraver when they need something more than a dog tag. I like the way that ULS has used the machine as a way to advertise the industry.

I feel that an enterprising local laser engraver would do well to try and hook up with any place that has these machines and offer a larger range of services.

For example leather dog collars are relatively easy to procure or even to make. They are easy to engrave and color.

Trophies for doggie competitions.

Engraving pictures of pets onto other stuff (people love this one)

Basically just figure out a list of things you can offer and work it out with the pet store to advertise your services. Maybe give them some freebies to give away as promos as a way of payment. If nothing else put a card on their bulletin board if you are allowed to.

John Barton
07-14-2010, 7:59 PM
I view this as an extension of the way some lasers are marketed in the USA - almost like the back ads of popular mechanics - make a 1000$ in your spare time...
The next logical extension is buy a machine that will make $1000 in IT'S spare time ....
If I were the guys punting this , I would give the laser to the "buyer" free on a loan basis - hook him into consumables like tags and give him 1/2 the profit and charge maintenance out his share of the profit. Must be a market of at least 20000 of em at gifty shops , vets or any other place that can market laserable stuff.
A $20k laser must cost about 10k to make - this one prolly less , but lets say 10k
At $8 a pop including the tag and 20 customers a day , thats $3500 a month t/o - laser guys will get 75% of that (1/2 for the tag , 50% profit) - a revenue stream of at least 2k a month at a BAD site - not bad for a 10k machine that is still theirs :)

This is essentially the cornerstone of the whole coin-op business. Coin-op vendors look for favorable locations and split revenue with the location.

It works and is a proven model. The biggest expense is the machines and servicing the routes/machines.

Something like this machine designed to do a specific task at constant focus with a very limited set of fonts, self contained and protected from the environment.....it might run forever :-)

Actually - they do run forever - at a recent laser show in China here I saw many machines designed for specific use and I asked one vendor how long they run without stopping. One guy told me that many of his customers run thousands of pieces per hour through the machine 24 hours a day. They have them set up as pass through conveyor belts and also as tray styles like this ULS machine.

Bill Cunningham
07-15-2010, 8:22 PM
Awhile back there was a posting about Epilog working with a company to make 500 or so engravers to put in pet stores.

Has anyone seen one of these or heard anymore on them?

I just noticed that here at the BX on base they have a coin-op rotary/scratch engraver in the food court (ok, it takes bills not coins:p)

It does a standard selection of dog tags, pet tags anodized aluminum etc.

for these they get $5-$7ea depending upon style, $2 extra for a chain.

Just wondering if anyone saw these yet.


Marty

I just noticed last week, our local WalMart had one of these things along the wall with the the gumball and kid beckoning crap machines... Never took notice of what or how much the junque it was selling was.. It struck me as being along the same lines as those crush a penny into a souvenir machines you see in the tourist traps..

Belinda Barfield
07-16-2010, 6:40 AM
Went to PetSmart last night. The engraver is an Epilog machine. Tags are on a rack at the check out. They are priced from $9.50 to $21.50, including two sided engraving. Really great selection of tags.

Dan Hintz
07-16-2010, 6:50 AM
$10-22?! Yikes... anyone remember the days of $2-3 tags? ;)

paul mott
07-16-2010, 7:01 AM
$10-22?! Yikes... anyone remember the days of $2-3 tags? ;)

Before my time Dan. :)

Paul.

Nick Michalares
08-05-2010, 4:18 PM
The Universal Laser version of the pet tag engraver was a trial done mostly here in the Valley of the Sun, Phoenix, since that is where Pet Smart ( I THINK that is their name) has their home. they ended up opting for the Epilog unit for unknown reasons. The Wal-Mart version of pet tag engravers operate on cutting the store a percentage of the sales, after the manager allowing them in the individual stores.

James E Baker
08-05-2010, 7:55 PM
I hope those tags last longer than the ones I LASER engraved for our mutts.

With a rabies tag and their data chip implant tag also sharing a ring with the LASERed tags, it took less than 3 months of the tags banging together during the dog's normal activity before the LASERed tags were as good as unreadable.

Paul Brinkmeyer
08-05-2010, 8:07 PM
What material tag was this?

James E Baker
08-05-2010, 8:11 PM
What material tag was this?
Anodized aluminium