Pre-cut Cermark Concentrate

[Jared nemec]

I recently purchase some watery (not actual water) cermark and after researching i found out it supposed to be the consistency of honey. Has anyone else had a problem with cermark that has come from laserbits?

[Bruce Volden]

I've never purchased from Laserbits. I bought direct from manufacturer (1995). The Cerdec came in 1# tubs with the consistency of MORTAR! I was aware of the fact you had to thin as required. I experimented and after several attempts figgered it out. I think once you experiment with the consistency that suit you, you will be happy that it is thick like "honey" as it will lead to more metal marking!

Bruce

[Tim Bateson]

I think if you do a search here, this has occurred in the past & if memory serves me (it might not) Laserbits made good on it.

[Jared nemec]

Yea i just called them and got a women on the line who seemed to get defensive and said "every batch is different" and didnt even try to say "we will make it right", so im done with them. I think ill start using engravernetwork. Anyone know any where else to purchase some?

[Kev Williams]

Cermark recently changed their formula due to 'non-availability of a proprietary ingredient'. Since then the viscosity went from 'honey' to 'gravy'. I was a bit perturbed at this, as I immediately calculated in my head that even with the extra gravy in the jar it wouldn't make as much total USABLE product. Turned out that the yield was really close to the old stuff. There's plus's and minus's to the new stuff- a plus is it mixes better, and flows better making brushing easy. It can be wetter and still work okay. On the minus side, it's not as black. And, whereas the old stuff would completely rinse away with warm water, this new stuff doesn't rinse off worth a crap. I've resorted to removing it with a magic eraser to get it off to suit me. I've also noticed it's more corrosive than the old stuff. I laser etch brass plated cowbells, and it's a race against the clock getting the Cermark on, engraved and off before it darkens the brass. The old stuff would cause certain steels to rust quickly, but never affected these bells. I have bells in the garage that have old Cermark still on them from years ago, they can be engraved and rinsed off and there's not a hint of staining...

Now, THAT all said---

I go thru a ton of this stuff. I'm on my third 500 gram bottle of the gravy stuff. The first two were pretty much equal. The last one however, I'm a little perturbed with it because of it's 'thin-ness'. The old stuff I used to be able to get around 6 to 8 parts alky to 1 part Cermark, the last 2 gravy bottles I've been getting around 4 to 1... My new bottle, I'm getting about 2 to 2-1/2 to 1 and that's about it. I get 6-8 months out of a jar typically. This jar I ordered June 7th, received around the 12th, probably didn't start using it till July, and less than 1/4 of it remains. It'll be gone within 6 weeks, and I haven't had any more SS work than normal. It simply isn't stretching as far.

I'm not sure why it's thinner, but it is. Could be many reasons, and I have no idea how many hand's this stuff passes thru before I get it. But I am of the opinion Laserbits or E-network wouldn't risk their reputations cutting the stuff to save a few bucks. I'm more inclined to think it's a factory-mix issue....

[Gary Hair]

Yea i just called them and got a women on the line who seemed to get defensive and said "every batch is different" and didnt even try to say "we will make it right", so im done with them. I think ill start using engravernetwork. Anyone know any where else to purchase some?

Check with JDS - their prices have always been lower than Laserbits and their customer service is 1,000% better! Even if it were a bit more expensive I'd still go with JDS as I have never had good dealings with Laserbits.

[Tony Lenkic]

Here is a list of resellers in US........

http://www.thermark.com/content/view/131/175/

[John Lifer]

Not to Hijack, but which part number are you using Kev?
Looks like either the 6000 or the 14 would work on Brass, but there seems to be a difference in formulation as handling and dilution ratios are different for the two.

[Kev Williams]

All I use is 6000. I DO have some pearl white I bought awhile back, but I screwed up and got some 6000 mixed with it. It does work sorta, but not white. Anyway, for my purposes the fiber laser takes care of any white I need ;)

As for brass, and aluminum for that matter, my Synrad lasers simply won't reliably fuse Cermark (6000) to either. But man, the 80w glass laser does! And ironically, I can't get the glass laser to Cermark stainless to suit me, it simply won't go black enough unless I lower the power, then it doesn't stick. The Synrads lay it down as black and as fused to the SS as possible, I can't make them lighten the mark like the glass tube does even if I try.

yet another reason I own so many machines, one's weakness is another's strength :)

[Chris DeGerolamo]

Just received a 50G bottle of LMM6000 from JDS and it appears to be the "old" syrup-like thick stuff...