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View Full Version : NEW to engraving and need help..



sharon oren
10-20-2015, 11:48 AM
Howdy all and thank you for this great forum! We are a gun shop that is looking in getting into the engraving world, mostly to offer custom engraving to our customers and local LE/Military community....mostly handgun slides, lower receivers, badges, challenge coins etc, mostly metal and alloys though wouldn't mind getting into a limited contracting and gift making opportunities....been looking at Epilog...but really have no exp or knowledge so gathered Id ask up here for advise and tips on which one is most stupid friendly and best for my applications....

Thanks in advance...

Sha'ron

Gary Hair
10-20-2015, 12:04 PM
If you are going to engrave metal, firearms specifically, then you'll want a galvo fiber laser, not a gantry co2 machine (not a gantry fiber either). The reps will tell you that their gantry co2 machines will mark metal, and although they are technically correct, it's not going to work out like a fiber would. co2 won't give you any depth so you are limited to aesthetic marking only, and except for stainless and anodized aluminum you won't get much of a mark at all with co2. So, if you are serious about marking metal then check into galvo fiber - everything from a $10k Chinese up to a $60k "mainstream" are available. I have a $10k+ G Weike that has performed exceptionally well for the last 18 months and am about to buy another, for the money you can't beat it! You will get much better support from something other than Chinese manufacturers, but when you consider the price difference is $20k - $30k, it is easier to accept and do your own experimenting to get things figured out.

Bert Kemp
10-20-2015, 12:04 PM
we need more info on what you want to do. Co2 lasers will not cut metal unless extremely high powered. They will mark coated metal like anodized Alum. Powder coat, and other types of coated metal. Also you can use cermark to mark some uncoated metals.