Problem with Dog Tags

[Jeff Belany]

I do a fair number of Anodized Dog Tags and never (to my knowledge) have had any issues with the anodized coating. I had a customer who I did about 10 tags about a year ago call me and told me that the black had worn completely off many of the tags. Not sure what happened and I bought tags from a couple suppliers so no way to tell where I got those from. Of course I offered to make some replacements but the customer is asking me for something different than the aluminum. She says she has some plastic tags. Anyone here used any other material for Dog Tags? I can make Rowmark tags but I can't imagine that they would hold up around the hole where the tag attaches. Any other ideas about making sturdy tags other than rotary engraving on metal? I do have an old Scott rotary that was used for plastic. Is it possible to put a bit on that to engrave metal? I'll have to do some research.

Any comments, ideas welcome.

Jeff in northern Wisconsin

[Chad Fitzgerald]

hey Jeff, i make alot of key rings out of 1/8" acrylic. as long as you leave the hole 1/8" from the edge they hold up very well.

[Mark Sipes]

Answer about bit for Scotty rotary to do metal tags. I do most of my tags with a diamond drag bit. they come in various size diametersbits. most common is 1 1/8 x 1/8 bit.. Can also be the same size as your plastic cutters...... 5 x 1/8, 6-7 x 11/64, 6-7 x 1/4.....

Bruce Diamond is a great supplier..they sell on e-bay-@ [ebaycom/Bruce-Diamond-Corporation big savings... if you buy multiples thay adjust shipping..

[Kenneth Hertzog]

Jeff
First - the scott will work if you use a diamond drag and don't run the motor.
second - I've made them from leather ( laser engraved ) which seem to have lasted
third - the black tag that has worn off could be caused by the dog's collar and other items mounted with the tag ( like a license)
and the dog shaking his head and or scratching.
hope that helps
Ken

[Mike Null]

stick with the anodized an replace the bad ones. I know a lady who has made over 50,000 tags to give to military families and she's still using anodized.

[Jeff Belany]

Thanks for the help. I've done a lot of leather key rings but wasn't sure how the lasering might take the weather.

I'll try some from Rowmark. Any ideas if any are any stropnger/thicker than others? Even considered gluing 2 sheets together.

Also, I think I'll dig out my Scott machine. Down side to that is customers these days expect fancy fonts.

Thanks again.

Jeff in northern Wisconsin

[John Noell]

We tried Rowmark but the cap is so thin that it wears through pretty quickly on active dogs.

[Bruce Dillingham]

I use anodized tags and coat them with the film they use on the front end of cars for chips. Had it on my dog for a year, no more chaffing, holds up well.

[AL Ursich]

Any chance the Tag was exposed to a Flea Collar Chemical? Flea Dip?

[Rodne Gold]

Was this a marking compound on anodised ally? There is no ways that laser engraved anodised ally (leaches the dyes) can have the lettering "rub off"
Most anodising has a sealant applied - the anodising is merely a porous layer that absorbs a dye (to colour it) and then is sealed after colouring. If you used a marking compound on natural (which is still sealed by not dyed) then you might have had issues with the sealant not allowing the mark to be truly permanent.

[Mike Chance in Iowa]

First off, we are talking about dog tags that are being used on a dog, right? If so, then yes, the anodized coating can be "worn off" in about 1 years time when it is attached to the collar of an active dog (i.e. ball fanatic) or one that is a working dog. Ask the customer if the "worn off" tags appear thinner then the others. What is probably happening is the customer has multiple tags on the dog and they are rubbing against each other and physically wearing the metal thin.

My dogs are very active working herding dogs. When they are pups, they typically wear collars & multiple tags full time so that we can hear the tags jingle and know where they are. Because they are such an active breed, the aluminum tags are worn thin by the time they are 1 year old. It does not matter if I laser engrave or diamond drag them. They all go through several tags in their lifetime. For my dogs and other active dogs, plastic tags are not an option.

[Jeff Belany]

I like the idea of the film over the top. Do you put it on first and laser through it? Or put it on after? Any issue with the film coming up on the edges? Where is the best place to get this? Auto parts? Body Shop? Brand?

BTW -- I am using pretty standard tags from Chewbarka and Laserbits. Anodized, so I laser off the color leaving the aluminum show through. Seems to work pretty well. Never had a customer tell me they wore off -- maybe they just don't come back??

I see at least a couple of the Rowmark products have a .003 capsheet compared to most that are .001. The rotary ones are .01 thick capsheet. I know I have lasered some of the rotary plastic (by mistake) and although is takes longer it will laser. On an item as small as a dog tag it shouldn't take that much longer. Might try it. Plus, I can get it in 1/8" thick which would be a plus.

Jeff in northern Wisconsin

[Rodne Gold]

Use Pratleyglo or an equivalent US product and dome them after lasering..
http://www.creatrix.co/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=6

[Ian Wilson (AUST)]

HI,

I use a plastic zip tie to attach tag to collar as opposed to the metal ring....the metal ring rubs against the anodised and wears it off after about 12 months...the zip tie works a treat and the anodised lsts much longer.

BTW my dogs are ball fanatics....twice a day!!!

Cheers Ian

[Scott Challoner]

My brother's and my neighbor's Labs both ripped out the holes on the aluminum tags. I can't image that plastic would last long with them. I now use stainless engraving tags from McMaster Carr with Cermark. I've had one on my German Shorthair mix for about a year now and it still looks good. I blurred the phone numbers to protect the innocent.
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