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Mark Conde
12-18-2011, 10:23 AM
Is is at possible to to laser engrave sterling silver--- maybe with cermark.

My gut says no way. But SMC members know best.

Merry Christmas--

Mark Conde

Joe Pelonio
12-18-2011, 11:48 AM
I read something on this in a Cermark tip sheet, possibly from Epilog or maybe Laserbits. As I recall it may require more power,
50 watts or more? and slower speed and sometimes will not work at all. Perhaps try it on one of your wife's old silver forks.
I think sterling has a high percentage of silver and is therefore softer than most materials Cermark is used for.

john banks
12-18-2011, 11:59 AM
http://www.laserbits.com/images/LaserResources/TechTipsandFeatureStories/TECHTIP_PDFs/TECHTIP_CerMarkFAQ.pdf

matthew knott
12-18-2011, 12:28 PM
nope but a yag does a great job, if you get stuck have a word with Ted laser laserscribe in Indy, hes a great bloke and can engrave stuff for you.

Jeff Aichinger
12-18-2011, 2:02 PM
Keep in mind that sterling is frequently lacquered and if that's the case Cermark will not be an option.

Mark Conde
12-18-2011, 6:34 PM
Thanks for the good info. And now I am anxious to meet Laserscribe in my backyard.

Merry Christmas

Mark

matthew knott
12-18-2011, 7:08 PM
Hes not doing the same thing a you so you have nothing to worry about, also here been doing his thing for over 20 years, i worked with him in Indy 12 years ago, its all galvo laser he has. Also hes way down on the south side, from memory fishers is up north (but it has been 12 years)


Thanks for the good info. And now I am anxious to meet Laserscribe in my backyard.

Merry Christmas

Mark

Kasey Maxwell
12-18-2011, 11:49 PM
i have had no luck with my epilog 40w, I have tried it with cermark and 2 speed with 100 power, just rubs right off, just needs a more powerful tube........

Rodne Gold
12-19-2011, 5:50 AM
There is a major problem , sliver tarnishes and is cleaned with abraisive polishes which DO remove the mark.

matthew knott
12-19-2011, 6:32 AM
Our fiber laser is amazing on silver but with 40 watts it should be!216379

Mark Conde
12-19-2011, 7:10 AM
Sounds like I need an additional big boy Laser. Hopefully there is still time to get it on Santa's list.

matthew knott
12-19-2011, 7:56 AM
Hes going to have fun trying to get it down a chimney :)

Joe Hillmann
12-19-2011, 11:31 AM
Matt,
do yo mind giving me settings for silver with my electrox? I have done one silver job and I wasn't happy with the results (customer loved it) so I have since turned down all silver engraving jobs that are brought to me.

matthew knott
12-19-2011, 11:57 AM
Keep the power high 90-100% and on the yag i would start with about 8khz and speed of about 200mm/second. Focus is critical on silver, and it normally need to be run at least twice, onces it starts engraving its easy. After a couple of goes at high power i run a clean up pass 20khz/1000mm sec/90% power as it removes the soot, you normally get a burr that i polish off and its done, we do quite a few rings in silver and gold.

Joe Hillmann
12-19-2011, 12:03 PM
Do those settings just mark it or does it actually engrave into it? Just so I know what to expect.

matthew knott
12-19-2011, 12:43 PM
Engraves into it, i give it a good polish on a wheel, the more repeats the deeper its goes, your electrox should do great job.
Matt

Joe Hillmann
12-19-2011, 1:42 PM
Do you have any suggestions for gold? I always do it with the hans because I know what settings to use but have no idea how to transfer those settings to the electorx

matthew knott
12-19-2011, 2:08 PM
Same as the silver, you cant really just mark gold and silver, it always engraves a bit. With the 100mm lens the electrox should fly into gold, again focus is critical, its all or nothing, the gold will refect 100% of the beam till you get the focus just right then it will start screaming as it eats into the metal. Dont forget to get some optisheild, di water is corrosive (beleive it or not) and it can eat away at the copper inside your diodes, just a capfull is all you need. You might have diodes that are gold plated inside in which case you can get by without it, but theres no way to tell and optisheild will only be a positive for your water system.

Joe Hillmann
12-19-2011, 4:18 PM
Never heard of optishield. Is it just a conditioner added to the water? Where do I get it from. I am hoping since Troy (the sales rep) never told me I needed it that I don't need it.

matthew knott
12-19-2011, 4:24 PM
Troy Simon ?? You can get it from electrox or here http://www.optishield.net/home.php it does depend on the diodes but i add it to all our diode pumped lasers, you wont need it for the hans

Joe Hillmann
12-19-2011, 5:21 PM
Yeah, Troy Simon. I will look into getting some.

matthew knott
12-19-2011, 5:26 PM
not sure what the shipping regs are, we had to buy a litter of the stuff we have used about 1% if that, i could post you some but it would come from the uk, ask Troy if he has any, you need a drop!

Alex Zausner
06-29-2015, 12:09 PM
@Matthew Knott, what settings did you use with your 40W Fiber? I am trying to mark some Sterling Silver right now with a 30W fiber without much luck.

matthew knott
06-29-2015, 7:23 PM
are you using the 400flex? it should be a good machine for Silver as it will have a short lens, focus is quite critical, often need to slightly adjust the height as the laser is going to make sure its at its optium. As for settings speed should be around 400mm/s frequency=30khz and power 100% should get results, start from there