Cast Iron

[Joe Hillmann]

I just tried engraving on the bottom of a cast iron fry pan. It is something I have wanted to do for quite a while, I don't know if the engraving will show up when I re-season it though. The blue light is the laser.
213129
213129


The engraving was done with a yag so the metal changed to almost a golden color. I would think you could do it with a CO2 but then it would only be for decoration because a CO2 would only etch into the seasoning.

[Dan Hintz]

CO2s will mark it, but you have to pour a lot more power into it than a YAG/fiber... increasing the power density with a fine focal point lens (1 mil) is one way, and that 50W X-660 you have should have no problem doing it.

[Vicki Rivrud]

Hi Joe,
I never thought of the cast iron skillet! I have some old ones kicking around and will try this with my 150watt CO2.

How deep is your engraving?

Vicki

[Joe Hillmann]

It didn't really engrave it, what it did was remove the seasoning and then marked the cast iron below it. It turned the iron a brown/purple color. I reseasoned the pan last night by wiping it with oil and getting it smoking hot and the engraving is still perfectly visible so I think it should be pretty permanent.

If you try it with a CO2 it you will probably have to run it at 100% power and very low speed if you want to get to clean metal through the seasoning. With the yag it took 2 passes at 98% Power, 8 inches per second and 8kHz. (although I did a few test runs and found if I run it at the same settings except at 1kHz the engraved area gets a nice rose engine turned pattern to it. I will put a picture of it up on Monday.)