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View Full Version : Ever felt okay 'bout losing a customer?



Bill Stearns
09-04-2017, 1:01 PM
Hey All -
Wondering? Your “ego” ‘n feelings ever play a part in your losing a customer?
‘While back, I wrote ‘bout a situation where I had erred ever so slightly in engraving ‘bunch of stainless tumblers for an Outfit. I naturally deleted my engraving charge: the customer, then, insisting that I pay his cost of the 100+ tumblers.


Naively, my posted “Not responsible for mishaps” policy made sense to me at the time. You all set me straight in a HURRY! - smart business-wise, my policy wasn’t worth a grain of salt! (‘though I should tell you, it had never been applied.) Then, ‘couple of you wisely suggested that I ‘least get the tumblers back from the customer, as I would’ve paid for ‘em. Made sense! I e-mailed, informing this customer I would pay for the cups, once returned. Anyway, I never received the tumblers, never heard back, so, I’ve obviously lost this customer!


But, you know what? I’m happier for it! - thinkin’ back to this fella’s uncalled for abrasive ‘n threatening approach to the issue! Guess I’ve decided, sometimes, my ego ‘n feelings trump sales! Do want’ a add: I learned key lessons from you all! - was dumb of me to be figuring my engraving charges based upon the (cheap) selling price of a customer’s item(s). - and, that I should always try, first, to look at my policies from a customers’ viewpoint! Will miss the sales, but sleepin’ easier, now! - BILL

Bill George
09-04-2017, 1:24 PM
Thumbs up, if the customer is the problem... then its good bye. You do not need to take verbal abuse from anyone.

Michael Henriksen
09-04-2017, 1:43 PM
I had a customer I was happy to be rid of. His drawings were bad with no lines joined up. I suggested he used snaps but he insisted he did and "it was the fault of the CAD program". He'd bend my ear for hours then order small quantities. Never paid me for his last order either but I didn't bother pursuing it as that would mean having to talk to him again.

Bruce Volden
09-04-2017, 5:18 PM
I'm going to be happy when my last laser engraver finally gives up the ghost!
Then I won't have to worry about customers, period!

But, yes, there have been a few customers I should have ran from.

Bruce

glenn bradley
09-04-2017, 6:11 PM
I assume a lot of you engraver folks are self employed. If you wanted to work for someone you didn't get along with, you could go to work for someone else :). What I mean is, if a customer is a pain, I wouldn't want to do work for them. An unhappy situation is when a customer is such a large part of your income that you can't afford to lose them. I hope none of you ever end up in that situation.

We have a client that we keep getting rid of. They always seem to be able to find one thing or another that they need us to do for them or assist them with. It's an endless roller coaster of massive relief at their departure and angst and trepidation at their return. I've finally decided that they will never be gone for good until I retire.

Frederick Skelly
09-04-2017, 6:41 PM
Sounds like you made the right decision for you. Thanks for the follow-up Bill. I'd wondered how that all came out.
Fred

Kev Williams
09-04-2017, 11:19 PM
I almost always proof my work, and in the case of graphics, sometimes twice- Y'all notice how I've always got pictures? My trusty F707 is always at the ready... :)

In the case of jobs like tumblers, I take a pic of the tumbler, crop it, put it in Corel at actual size, then superimpose the actual size engraving onto it, best I can taking into account the radius, make a PDF and have them okay it. Then I'll make a blue-tape test run. If to my eyes it's the same as the proof I'll run the job. If there's any question, I'll send them a pic of the test part.

If they okayed what I proofed and the work matches the proof, I've upheld my end of the deal....

Had a lady stand behind me one day while I typed out double-line script onto a photo of the tray she brought in, from a paper she wrote the text on, a 'happy anniversary' deal.. Got it all spaced and fit, I asked her to check it to make sure I did everything right. she looked it over, then said it looked 'wonderful!'... When she picked it up, she was pleased as punch, paid and left. A minute later she was at the door, in total attitude-adjusted mode... "you put the wrong date on this!!" Checked it against the paper-- yup, I sure did-- which is EXACTLY why I asked you to check it out to make sure it was correct, which you did, and gave me your blessing... She wanted me to buy her a new $85 tray. Sorry, but no... Since it was an aluminum alloy tray, I spent a half hour sanding, polishing and re-engraving it at no charge, totally invisible repair, looked good as the first run. She still seemed to feel cheated...

SO Bill, if you offered to pay and they failed to reciprocate-- rest easy :)

Tim Bateson
09-05-2017, 9:06 AM
I have a customer who I charged a premium because I really didn't want to do the work. They paid. Next time, I charged even more... they cam back. I've raised their price 4 times, and now I don't mind working for them.... much.
Another customer just plain --- me off trying to make me believe HIS business would be all I need to make a very good living & no other customers mattered. It was an interesting project, but sometimes you have to look for the warning lights & he had them in spades. He was beside himself (angry) when I finally told him I wasn't interested in his work.

Kurt Kintner
09-05-2017, 9:31 AM
My worst experience was a bedframe headboard project I took on....
The customer showed up wanting to "help", so as to
reduce the cost ..... He had no woodworking experience
but, could learn "as he goes" .....
I was as nice as I could be, explaining I couldn't risk him getting
hurt ....
He told me it was the only way he could afford it....
In the end, he paid for the material, and we parted company....

Mike Null
09-05-2017, 10:08 AM
I've had similar approaches and I squelch them without further discussion. The same goes for people who want to rent my machine. These typically come from what I call retail customers and long ago I decided I would try to avoid that business.

Scott Shepherd
09-05-2017, 11:14 AM
If I had reaped the rewards of all the "We're going to be rich together" promises, then I'd be a multimillionaire from the engraving business. We had 2 customers come in recently with rush jobs. We did them and did them very cost effectively. Both wanted to see our machines because they were going to buy lasers to do them themselves in the future. You'd have to do 5 years worth to pay for a machine. Neither got to see our machines.

"Hey, I need you to bail me out of a situation I got myself into, but just know that once you bail me out, I'm going to repay the favor by buying a machine just like yours so that you never get another job from me in the future". Nothing gets me more excited about doing your work than you promising to never give me another job and becoming my competition.

Bill Stearns
09-05-2017, 6:30 PM
KEV -
Helps to know, I’m not the only one who’s had to try ‘n placate an unhappy customer over an engraving error!
Guess I failed to mention, I do “pre-proof” my work, best I can. I use a CorelDraw “template/layout” showing the sizes of logos ‘n images I’ve successfully engraved on tumblers of various sizes. (using Cermark spray.) Figuring ‘long as I stay within the width of those past images, I’ll be okay. Then, I run a “blue-tape” test.


With that particular project everything looked like it was going fine. I had hand-washed ‘couple, early on, to be sure. All of ‘em appeared to mark nicely. It was in the handwashing stage that, surprisingly, a tiny smidgen of the image washed off on 100+ tumblers! (In retrospect, I should’ve been washing ‘few throughout the job; lesson learned!)


Anyway, from this experience: I’m thinking, now, I’ll no longer take-on large quantities of expensive YETI-style tumblers: a benefits versus risk kinda thing. (In that one case, paying for those items would’ve cost me $800, or so!) To quote Bob Dylan ... “Times, they are a changing!” From here on out, I’ll weigh the cost of paying for mis-engraving a customer's item v.s. the cost of losing that particular customers' business! But, ‘least, thanks to you all, I feel better having ‘least offered to pay for those tumblers! The ball was, then, in my customers’court! (Gone,for good,I suspect ... but, way I was treated ... no love lost!) - BILL

Bert Kemp
09-05-2017, 7:52 PM
if the defect was as minuscule as you say and he wouldn't let you buy them back, I bet a dollar to a doughnut he sold them at a discount and still made money. Thats why he would not let you buy them back JMO

Doug Fisher
09-05-2017, 11:53 PM
>>if the defect was as minuscule as you say and he wouldn't let you buy them back, I bet a dollar to a doughnut he sold them at a discount and still made money. Thats why he would not let you buy them back<<

I was guessing something like that too.

Mike Null
09-06-2017, 8:06 AM
In my experience, if Cermark washes off in one spot it won't be long until the rest of the image is degraded to the point of not being acceptable.

John Lifer
09-06-2017, 9:25 AM
If I had reaped the rewards of all the "We're going to be rich together" promises, then I'd be a multimillionaire from the engraving business. We had 2 customers come in recently with rush jobs. We did them and did them very cost effectively. Both wanted to see our machines because they were going to buy lasers to do them themselves in the future. You'd have to do 5 years worth to pay for a machine. Neither got to see our machines.

"Hey, I need you to bail me out of a situation I got myself into, but just know that once you bail me out, I'm going to repay the favor by buying a machine just like yours so that you never get another job from me in the future". Nothing gets me more excited about doing your work than you promising to never give me another job and becoming my competition.

I'm in the situation of basement office with machines close by. I did a couple of quick jobs with customer close, one was a test of some parts and I did get one decent job out of the deal. But he made the comment of wanting to rent my machine, uh, NO! and that they might be getting there own. So, I guess I had a one and done. I've tried to make it a point of not having anything running or on when customer comes down. Which at least right now easy with time between jobs. I've been thinking of using spare bedroom upstairs as initial office. This will be ultimate goal, no one in basement. And the guy would have to spend a lot more that 5 years engraving to pay for his machine from the customer he had, I was cheap...... Some people.

Tim Bateson
09-06-2017, 3:58 PM
Most of my customers are industrial. So from time to time one of them will hint that it would be easier to do this in-house. I insure they know how complex it is to learn & maintain, all the while being vague on details. Also the cost of a high end machine. Of course I over-state most things. Had a couple try, but came back when they found out in-house was either more expensive than they had believed and/or staff just wasn't trained well. Only one large customer has left & will likely stay gone. They had bought out another gun manufacturing plant, which already used a high end Fiber Laser along with a well trained staff. They didn't buy the plant for this reason, but it was a big bonus when they realized what they had acquired.

Bill Stearns
09-07-2017, 1:17 PM
Hey Mike -
FYI. I've since been doing other Yeti tumblers - small orders - the Cermark images are turning out just fine! (thinkin', maybe, first wiping down with alcohol, now, making a difference?)
Also: after that mishap - my mis-engraving of 100+ tumblers, and the way I was treated - I’ve decided, thanks to you all, it’s okay for me to cease dealing with those customers who regularly cause he angst! (The world won’t stop spinning!)


Have, also, decided I won’t take on “large tumbler orders” anymore; feel that my running a less stressful business will offset whatever sales I might forfeit! - and, guess what? - it already has!
A nice, young man, in my area, recently purchased a “fiber” laser engraving machine: jumped right into engraving tumlers! (No Cermark, no handwashing, etc.) I’ve actually been sending my larger order requests over to him! - a load off my mind ‘n a sense that I’m helping a new business get started! (which, as I’m gettin’ older,kinda makes me feel good!) Guess what? My business in engraving/marking “smaller orders” of tumblers (one to a dozen, or so) has significantly increased! - as this fella’s prices are ‘bout 2x my price. Which has also allowed me to raise my prices, so I’m, now, making more profit ‘n on smaller jobs! - and, from happier, easier-to-deal-with, customers! How’s that for turning a potential competitor into a ‘marketing advantage’ for myself? - and, feeling less stressed at the same time!
BILL

Kev Williams
09-07-2017, 2:48 PM
I happily invite people downstairs to see my dungeon aka workshop... The looks and first responses I get when they see this place are priceless :D

I've told many customers outright for the jobs they want me to do they should just get their own machine, but I'll gladly do their work in the meantime. Not once has any of these customers ever bought their own machine, and the vast majority of them are first-time-here customers with $ signs in their eyes wondering how much engraving 5000 'things' of their own design would cost.... and the vast majority of THEM I've never seen again. But some I do-- I have a few pictures of first runs for their "big internet rollout"... after which---- crickets... ;)

Mike Null
09-08-2017, 8:14 AM
Bill
I certainly understand the desire to have a less stressful situation but I do high volumes of Yeti and Yeti clones. I have 300 on hand at the moment and it is easily the most profitable business I do with the laser.

The problem you had, sad to say, was of your own making. We've all had a similar experience or more than one. All you need do is change your process a bit and you can confidently turn out high quality and high-profit products consistently without stress.

Clean every piece before you coat it. Stop using the spray can and mix your own chemical. Use a sponge brush instead of a spray application. It's more reliable and economical.

Tim Bateson
09-08-2017, 3:30 PM
What Mike said... but I would add - use up your LMM-6000, then switch to 6038 or 14. These are much more flexible/forgiving. They mark even chrome with ease and applying thick or thin doesn't matter.

Matt McCoy
09-08-2017, 3:53 PM
What Mike said... but I would add - use up your LMM-6000, then switch to 6038 or 14. These are much more flexible/forgiving. They mark even chrome with ease and applying thick or thin doesn't matter.

Production of CerMark 6038 to end:

http://cermarksales.com/6222-2/

John Lifer
09-08-2017, 3:55 PM
I DO like the 14, brushes easy, and for the most part, easy to work with. I've not done hundreds at a time, the one thing that is bad about the 14 is it brushed off real easy. You can finger it in the wrong spot hand have to redo. IF you catch it!

Kev Williams
09-08-2017, 5:42 PM
i've never used anything BUT 6000. Not broke ain't fixinit thing ;)

As to 'bare spots', concur with the 'of my own doing' crowd. There's typically only 2 reasons I've had it happen, (1) not quite in focus, (2) didn't clean the metal first, which is almost always the reason. Just a light thumbprint will cause a no-stick from the oil in your skin.

What to clean with? I've found no one yet to agree with me, but Windex and Fantastik work every bit as well as DNA or acetone. I use Windex at least half the time. As long as it cuts grease, it works. I also know many of you clean off all visible DNA residue when pre-cleaning. That's one thing I never do... why? The worst things I have to Cermark is the knife blades a local guy makes. They're so highly polished they make chrome look like sandpaper. Cermark would stick better to Teflon. After the Cermark dries on one of these blades, it loses its grip, curls up and all I have to do is pucker up and a light poof will blow the patch of Cermark right off. But, if I give the blade a good wipe with DNA or Windex, and follow up with a light-smear wipe, it evaporates and leaves that haze nobody likes. Except me, because that haze gives the Cermark something to adhere to...

I've gone thru 3000g worth of LMM6000 so far this year with no failures, regardless of what I pre-clean with or the haze I leave behind. What can I say, it works for me! :)

Bill Stearns
09-08-2017, 7:39 PM
Hey All - Bill 'gain!
Well, get this!
No sooner had I told you all I had decided I wasn’t gonna take-on “large quantity” tumbler orders ever again, than I received an order for four-hundred! - 400! - and, best part, this company’s not squeezin’ the life (aka: profit) out’ a me like that other outfit I had the run-in with! - was kinda like in the Godfather movie, “an offer I can’t refuse!”- so, thanks to your encouragement 'n advice, I'm gonna accept the job! Heck, would probably miss the stress anyway! (Plus, I’ve since done several smaller orders, this time, wiping down with alcohol ‘n experienced no problems!) Have several cans of Cermark-6000 to use up; would like to try brush-on, but I'm ‘little leery of changin’ horses in midstream. (Time I did try the liquid, years 'go, I had used an airbrush 'n it seemed like a hassle!) - So, anyway ... Wish me Luck! - BILL

Kev Williams
09-09-2017, 12:52 PM
Bill--

Take all those cans of Cermark and put them on a table, preferably within arm's reach of a vice. Find a hacksaw, a nail and something to hit it with...

You'll need a couple of small storage tubs or old cottage cheese containers, and some sort of reasonably air-tight jars, at least a pint size--

You'll need a gallon of DNA. Don't get a quart, it costs 75% of the gallon cost, and you WILL use it. (between mixing and SS pre-cleaning I've gone thru 3 gallons this year)

Grab a can with each hand, turn it upside down, and start shaking- for at least 3 minutes... flip the cans around occasionally, and to roll the marbles around the bottom occasionally...

- take the nail an poke a small hole in the top of the 2 cans, and wait for the pressure to escape.

The vice is to hold the can but a helper will be handy here-- About 3" down the can, hacksaw the top of the can off. Halfway thru you'll run into the feed straw, just cut thru it. These cans are only slightly thicker than soda cans, a little tricky to cut the tops off of...

Once the top is off, pour the Cermark into one of the tubs, and remove the marbles and straw pieces. Transfer the Cermark to your jar...

Check the bottom of the can for hardened 'mud'. For what this stuff costs, it's essentially liquid gold! Get a screwdriver or similar and dig it out best as possible, and add it to the jar.

take about 1/3 cup of DNA and pour it in the can- swish it around to get all the excess Cermark. A long artists paint brush helps if it's stubborn.

Now pour this into the second tub. This is now your thinning agent for the rest of the Cermark.

Repeat this for all the cans, reuse the 'thinning agent' DNA to clean all the cans. Add a little more DNA if necessary.

You might be amazed at how much hard mud is likely hiding in the empty cans too. I had one empty can make a half-cup of premix once, that's about $30 worth!

Once you're done you'll need to put the thinning DNA in its own airtight container. Also use this DNA to soak out your foam brushes too after 'painting'. Soon it will have enough residual Cermark in that it will be almost strong enough to use as pre-mix itself!

You'll need one more jar for making pre-mix and to brush from. Put a couple of the marbles in to help with mixing...

I use my old 500g Cermark jars for everything, because they're very airtight, and tall enough to 'spin dry' the brushes. I use wood handled brushes so I CAN spin-dry them, spinning them between my thumb and finger quickly-- a few spins flings away nearly all the Cermark, then a couple of dunks in the thinning bottle and a few spins and the brushes are 95% Cermark free, brushes last longer and waste is kept to a bare minimum...

The 250g bottles are good too, but I go thru this stuff so fast they just aren't big enough! ;)

I just cut open a half-full can just last week, and I found what's in the can is almost as thick as what comes in the bottles- This was an old can of the old formula stuff however. 2 parts DNA to 1 part canned was perfect for brushing-- I'm only getting 2.5 to 1 with the current formula bottled stuff. Anyway, start with an equal portions DNA to Cermark mix to start...

Here's my way of judging the perfect brush mix...

Take one of the medium (20oz?) yeti's or a clone...
Dunk the brush into the premix-
pull the brush just above the surface of the mix- let it drain out--
give the brush one 'medium speed' back/forth spin to remove some of the excess..
Now, from the top of the cup brush down an inch or two...
--If it runs madly down the sides of the cup like milk, and runs almost all the way around to the bottom of the cup, too thin...
--If it doesn't run, or just barely runs, too thick...
--If it runs down the side in a few places, but takes its time and only makes it halfway down the cup-- you're there!
(note that for flat stuff you can get even thinner, but it's hard to brush jars if it's much thinner...)

It takes a little practice to load the brush right- basically I just try to get it as full as possible without it dripping from the jar to the part.

You'll love it :)

Tim Bateson
09-16-2017, 10:58 AM
I just quoted a customer $20/ea for dual sided Yeti engraving/marking - logos are rather large. He tried to tell me the industry standard cost was only $6/ea. After I finished laughing, I told him good luck.

John Lifer
09-16-2017, 12:47 PM
Im hungry, but not two sided for $6 hungry. I dont do a lot, but I do a repetitive logo with names and try to keep my price to $10 and $5 for second side. About as low as worth doing.

Mike Null
09-16-2017, 3:24 PM
My rate is usually around $10 and I base my pricing on a 2.5" logo width and not more than that in height. My best customer is at $6.00 for that size logo but he's given me almost 2,000 pieces this year.

I have a couple of orders on hand that are for 36 pieces and I quoted them at $8.

We bid a 20,000 piece job a couple of weeks ago at $4.50--they went to Yeti who quoted free.

Bill Stearns
09-16-2017, 4:58 PM
MIKE
Egad! - 20,000 tumblers! Just workin’ on my order of 400, I’m already dreaming of tumblers in my sleep!


That sure ticks-me-off hearing how Yeti cut you out of a potential sale; obviously, nobody can compete with “FREE”! Mike - I’d like to see you start a new “thread” ‘bout this! - imagine plenty of others would like to know. And, I’d sure like to hear how others feel ‘bout Yeti cuttin’ into our livelihoods in this way. Guess I was vaguely ‘ware that Yeti offers graphics engraving. Would be helpful to know their actual pricing for engraving lower quantities, and at what quantity the “Free” kicks in? (anybody know for sure?) Wonder if Yeti would think twice ‘bout this “free business”, if they thought ‘bunch of us, nation wide, were gonna start suggesting alternative brands to our customers? Not ‘big problem for me; sizable orders, like this 400, are a rarity. Guess I’m thankful this order came ‘long when it did but, frankly, nothin’ I’d want’ a do steady. - 'cause, at this stage of my life, well ... you know. BILL

Mike Null
09-16-2017, 5:25 PM
It was my largest customer who asked for the quote. I talked to a competitor about joining in the bid and he agreed; otherwise, there is no way I could handle that volume with a basement operation. Had I got the bid I would have bought another machine but all of us pretty much anticipated the results. Yeti, either by themselves, or with a local partner has offered engraving for quite some time. I have no hard feelings about it--with that volume the customer could have and, probably did, become a distributor.

In all reality Yeti has been a boon to my business for 2 years now. Either their product or clones have given me income I didn't have before.

I am working on an order for 1000 for another customer (they are currently using Walmart and they removed the labels) but if I get the order they will buy JDS cups from me and I'll save them a few dollars.

I happen to be running their order today and it's red powder coated. Be advised that for this color and brand (Ozark Trail) I have not found the ideal solvent to clean the residue. Orange cleaner won't do the job; Simple green is like water, DNA attacks the paint and acetone, which I am using with a soft cloth works, but I have to be careful not to rub too hard or it will also attack the finish. I have done many black Yetis and use orange cleaner with no problem.

Bill Stearns
09-16-2017, 7:15 PM
Mike -
It's been ‘long, full day of engraving; I’ve got tumblers on the brain!
‘Suppose, not knowing all the facts, I came off sounding ‘bit too harsh, uh? (‘bout Yeti’s “free” engraving competing with your bid and, for that matter, all of our businesses.) Sounds like you took it in stride. And, that you’ve still got plenty else to keep you busy!


Love this business 'cause there's always something new to learn! I haven’t yet tried engraving the colored tumblers of any brand. Didn’t think I could. Haven’t had ‘chance to test one out. Does the laser cut thru the color resulting in bare steel showing? or, do you still use Cermark? Is the residue you’re talking ‘bout stem from removing the label, or from the engraving process on the finish? When I asked earlier ‘bout ways to clean the (sticky label) residue off of Ozarks, I got just ‘bout every suggestion under the sun! (WD-40, turpentine, orange cleaner, acetone, Goo-Gone, baby oil, DNA ... even peanut butter!) One Youtube I found showed ‘guy holding the cup over a flame! Didn’t look smart, nor practical.


At any rate you, and others, have kinda persuaded me not to forgo tumbler business. After that incident I had with "my large customer” - ruining 120+ cups - I was thinking ‘bout giving it up. Risk v.s. reward kinda thing. But, like you, I’m realizing, now, it’s business I didn’t much have ‘fore, business I can use! Oh, and BTW, my 400+ order is coming ‘long with no errors; so far, so good! (knock-on-wood). - BILL

Tim Bateson
09-16-2017, 9:27 PM
... Be advised that for this color and brand (Ozark Trail) I have not found the ideal solvent to clean the residue. Orange cleaner won't do the job; Simple green is like water, DNA attacks the paint and acetone, which I am using with a soft cloth works, but I have to be careful not to rub too hard or it will also attack the finish. I have done many black Yetis and use orange cleaner with no problem.

This is what I love about my Chuck Rotary. If needed, a 2nd pass is no problem. The old gravity rollers was hit or miss, mostly miss on a 2nd, or 3rd pass.

Kev Williams
09-16-2017, 11:10 PM
I do powdercoated mugs twice by default. I've found two 380 line passes at 40 speed takes only about 30% longer than one 500 line pass at 30 speed, and usually the 30 speed pass needs a second run anyway.

Doug Fisher
09-16-2017, 11:20 PM
Mike -

>>Be advised that for this color and brand (Ozark Trail) I have not found the ideal solvent to clean the residue.<<

Kev's recommendation of "nourishing" nail polish remover scrubbed with cut sections (not too small though) of generic magic eraser pad worked great on my red Ozark Trail tumblers. It has to be the "nourishing" type (fairly common in drug stores - I found mine at Wal-Mart). Red takes some extra work compared to other colors though. I use a "first pass" piece of magic eraser which will get a lot of gunk on it and then I finish with a second pad that is not gunked up. One thing I have learned is that the nourishing nail polish has a limited working time in regard to cleaning power (probably related to why it doesn't attack powder coating). At about 30 seconds you can tell it is starting to weaken a bit.

If I really have to scrub the powder coat for quite a while to clean a tumbler, sometimes there can be a very slight bit of gloss differential on the powder coating when inspected under bright light. Just wait until all parts of the tumbler are completely dry (and thus the powder coating is completely hard again) and just do a bit of buffing on the powder coating with a dry, clean magic eraser. It brings back an even gloss level.

Again, thanks to Kev for sharing this.

Mike Null
09-17-2017, 9:31 AM
I have run my powder coated pieces twice in the past but was determined to do a one-time run then clean them. This works quite well with black but this was my first time engraving red. There is definitely a difference between the Walmart paint and the Yeti paint.

If I get the 1000 piece order they will also be red. I'll pick up a sample pack from JDS next week to do some testing.

I can run a precision second pass with my Trotec cones but it takes 2 to 5 minutes depending on the image size. If I can find a good solvent, such as I have for black, I can clean the residue in a matter of seconds. That's a lot of time saved when you're running large orders.