Fiber laser engraving RUSTY STEEL

[bill collier]

OK all you fiber laser owners ...

A customer sent us a giant (4 foot diameter) saw blade, probably from a lumber mill. It's been outside rusting for decades, and he wants us to engrave a photo onto it. When done, they'll display it indoors.

Do any of you have experience fiber lasering onto rusted metal? They do not want it cleaned - the rustier, the better as far as they're concerned.

We called Epilog but their suggestion was "try steel settings." We can do that and also will likely find some old rusty stuff to experiment on, but help from anyone experience with this is appreciated.

If your name happens to be Rusty, I'll give special consideration to your advice! :D

[Kev Williams]

If it's flaking 'cancer' rust you may want to gently remove as much flake as you can- if it's just surface rust, fire away, the laser will just blow right thru it and engrave the bare metal beneath. Getting the right contrast may be a trick, but I don't think you'll have any problem.

[Doug Fisher]

I am curious whether you think you will need to protect the bare/newly engraved areas to keep them shiny and prevent these areas from rusting in the future.

[Bert Kemp]

Would love to see a picture when finished:)

[bill collier]

We haven't discussed that yet, but it's something to consider. At the very least, we'll tell our customer that future rusting is likely.

The old, original rust is really well established and has that solid brown color you only see on stuff that's been outdoors a long time.
So I wonder if the new rust in the engraved area will look different enough to just let it go. As long as the photo is still legible, they won't need it to be shiny.

What do you think about that? Bad idea?

[bill collier]

Thanks, Kev.

[Kev Williams]

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This is a back n' front shot of a piece of 22ga (or so) thin steel that's been kicking around this basement for at LEAST 25 years, probably closer to 40 years- and the rust showing is because of 'outside forces', water or whatnot being spilled on it, etc... I also have four 2'x2' pieces of 16ga steel on the floor under my BIL's chair to keep the concrete from breaking, it's been there about 4 years and the only rust is from water overspray from working with vinyl, the occasional spilled beverage, etc-- This is all to say that, as long as the thing is going to be hanging on an inside wall and not hanging outdoors, new rust shouldn't be much of a problem.

IF a little protection is wanted, get a can of Rustoleum 2x MATTE (not gloss) clear spray enamel, and just MIST the sawblade with it from 3 or 4 feet away. You'll never see it on the blade, and it will be at least some protection from new flash rust...

[bill collier]

Well, we got the job done. As it turned out, we didn't do anything special other than use steel settings and proceeded with caution. Most of the hard work was getting the photo ready prior to putting the blade under the laser. We used our 28x40 Epilog Fusion Fiber with the front open.
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The engraved photo looks better in person than it does here. It's a photo of a family from decades ago.

I believe the fellow on the left went on to be portrayed as Leatherface in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie. :^)

Thanks to all for your advice.