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Brandon Whitton
10-31-2019, 1:19 AM
Hiw do you mark co toured gun slides? Or even flat slides that have serrations (which creates some change in focus).

I'm interested in an all-encompassing answer but for the current specific firearm I'm working with, it is a CZ P09.

As an aside, can we stipple polymer frames with our fiber lasers by hitting many times?

Thanks for your help guys.

30w fiber (chinese)

Chris DeGerolamo
10-31-2019, 10:59 AM
If/once you have a good understanding of how the fiber operates, especially with respect to hatch type and density, power WRT to substrate etc. youtube videos can be a great teacher. Beware changing focal plane while running a deep engraving.

Your short answer is yes, if you have it setup correctly.

Brandon Whitton
10-31-2019, 12:02 PM
If/once you have a good understanding of how the fiber operates, especially with respect to hatch type and density, power WRT to substrate etc. youtube videos can be a great teacher. Beware changing focal plane while running a deep engraving.

Your short answer is yes, if you have it setup correctly.

Thanks, appreciate it. I already knew for sure I could mark on it but I'd like to head toward stippling. There are many youtube vids showing the process but literally no one is willing to give away their "trade secrets" in the form of power settings, hatch type, and how many passes. I have not experimented with the drill settings or deep engravings yet because gun frames are expensive and hard to come by without paying full price (for testing)

What I'm curious about with a contoured slide is, for example, the P09 I'm working with has 4 distinct flat sections so I'm assuming if I can line it up correctly I could break the image into 4 sections and realign the slide for each one.

Issue is, if I'm even 1mm off I could end up with overlapping on the edges. Really don't want to put out subpar work.

Chris DeGerolamo
10-31-2019, 1:24 PM
Yeah, if it aligns. My guess is the eye would detect 0.25mm and maybe even less. Fixturing would be key and critical for success....and, you can assume the red dot and laser are in 100% alignment.

No surprise no one want to share their efforts...I cannot recall if anyone ever posted their settings for Glocks on here, seems like I saw something once.

Trey Tull
10-31-2019, 2:48 PM
I have not seen one person, anywhere, post their settings for stippling. I would imagine b/c the time and effort that was put into the design and settings.

John Lifer
10-31-2019, 3:14 PM
Glock? To stipple with a 20 Watt fiber Start with 150mm/s Speed, 75% power, 300 frequency, 90 and 270 degree .02 mm line spacing.
Single pass and if deeper needed go over again. I have my hatching auto rotating 10 degrees. Last one I did I think I ran it twice.

It ain't magic on a Glock, but I'm failing miserably on other nylons.

Trey Tull
10-31-2019, 3:43 PM
Well....there you go. I have noticed that as well. I haven't found any settings that will work on Ruger frames.....it just wants to burn. I have also noticed the same thing with PMAGS vs other brands.

Chris DeGerolamo
10-31-2019, 4:44 PM
PMAGs are high speed low power...like 10 or 12% depending on what we mark. Crosshatch for additional brightness. Varying hatch densities can affect color.

Brandon Whitton
10-31-2019, 6:18 PM
You guys are greatly appreciated. All of you. I have been wanting to spend more time on this forum contributing and have been assaulted by constant time constraints and setbacks but I am in a better place to further my testing and my work and am excited to share stuff on here with you guys.

Thanks again for the glock settings. That's a great starting point. I've got Pmags down. Except for the shading. I saw a youtube vid run over a pmag 4 times and it created a true shading effect. Was super sexy. It's a statue of liberty if any of you have seen it


I'm gonna work toward finding an artist (usually the only thing that holds me back because I suck at graphic design) to get some slide artwork done up for me and I'll report back with how it works out.

Brandon Whitton
10-31-2019, 6:19 PM
PMAGs are high speed low power...like 10 or 12% depending on what we mark. Crosshatch for additional brightness. Varying hatch densities can affect color.

When you say cross hatch just run 2 hatch routines and make the angles perpendicular?

Kev Williams
11-01-2019, 12:56 AM
Brandon, yes-- but note that older versions of EzCad require 2 routines to cross hatch, example, hatch 1 @ 45°, hatch 2 @ 135° -- but newer versions allow for a cross hatch in a single routine, whatever angle entered, an automatic right-angle cross hatch is generated.

As to engraving partially out of focus, it can be done- I did this grip in a single 'focus pass' (many CUT passes, but I never changed the focus) and was surprised at how well it turned out. The engraving got a bit 'vague' at the lower extremes, but there was almost 1/4" difference between the high and low points...
418679

Do some focus experimenting, I've found that the focal range is more forgiving when too close rather than too far from the work-- meaning, if you split the distance between the high and low points, 60% too close may give better results than 50% too close...

Chris DeGerolamo
11-01-2019, 8:09 AM
When you say cross hatch just run 2 hatch routines and make the angles perpendicular?

Yep. I grabbed one of my pmags and tested with (something like) a 5mm circle and moved the mag around trying different settings til they passed the scratch test - scratch the mark once you think it looks good, if it comes off increase the power a tick or two til you get what you want.

Brandon Whitton
11-01-2019, 3:50 PM
Brandon, yes-- but note that older versions of EzCad require 2 routines to cross hatch, example, hatch 1 @ 45°, hatch 2 @ 135° -- but newer versions allow for a cross hatch in a single routine, whatever angle entered, an automatic right-angle cross hatch is generated.

As to engraving partially out of focus, it can be done- I did this grip in a single 'focus pass' (many CUT passes, but I never changed the focus) and was surprised at how well it turned out. The engraving got a bit 'vague' at the lower extremes, but there was almost 1/4" difference between the high and low points...
418679

Do some focus experimenting, I've found that the focal range is more forgiving when too close rather than too far from the work-- meaning, if you split the distance between the high and low points, 60% too close may give better results than 50% too close...

I'm going to become a contributor so I can view that photo.

Thanks again for the tips, as for different version of EZCAD, if I can get a hold of a newer version can I use the settings provided by the company that sold me my laser to set it up or are the different versions different enough that it may not work with my laser?

Kev Williams
11-02-2019, 3:00 PM
What version EzCad you have? Getting a newer version from anywhere but who sold you the laser will likely require a new controller card too...

And please do become a contributor :) in the meantime:

http://www.engraver1.com/grip.jpg

John Lifer
11-02-2019, 4:26 PM
Is that your 30 watt Kev? I've a little Kimber that has great stippling on the back, but nothing on the front. I've resorted to using some stair tape on it (which works well, but not real pretty) I've been wanting to hatch it, but I just don't think my 20watt will cut deep enough on the outsides

Kev Williams
11-03-2019, 5:34 PM
All my machines are 30w, this was done on the Triumph. Your 20 will do it, just takes a bit longer.

IIRC I did some test lines at 0 power and about 60 freq to test, I just did one or two centerlines, hoping to engrave a mark from the highest to lowest points. Once I lowered the focus to where it DID fully mark, I ran with it. If it wouldn't have worked, the idea was the marks that did show up could be sanded and polished out easily. Fortunately it worked okay!

418901 418903

John Lifer
11-03-2019, 7:42 PM
Thought one was a 20.... Yeah, I engraved on an old Smith & Wesson revolver cylinder Saturday. I set focus about a mm or so below the surface and It worked well.

Brandon Whitton
11-07-2019, 8:35 PM
Beautiful job. So you didn't do any rotation or anything, just lined that front strap facing upward and went for it?

Once you went for it were you using any of the "drill mode" stuff or deep engrave options? I would like to test these options but I don't know what the results will be.

Brandon Whitton
11-07-2019, 8:41 PM
Thought one was a 20.... Yeah, I engraved on an old Smith & Wesson revolver cylinder Saturday. I set focus about a mm or so below the surface and It worked well.


I notice that I accomplish a lot by going out of focus by being further away and opposed to being closer to it. I was doing my business cards and chose to engrave a wolf face to show the photo engraving capabilities and I am able to dial in how much "shading" I want by pulling the head a little away from it. When I went in closer the focus change didn't seem to accomplish as much as pulling away.


Do you find any rhyme or reason to where to place the head focus-wise to accomplish certain tasks or is it really just test test test based on the current project at hand?

Kev Williams
11-09-2019, 3:31 AM
Just lined it up and ran it. Took quite awhile :) I've never even tried drill mode-- I HAVE used wobble a bit, but I haven't had time to learn the 'tuning' do's and dont's. One time I accidentally got a jet black roasted finish on an actual ammo can with wobble, looked really cool but I didn't save the settings so I wouldn't know to do it again...

and no focus rhyme or reason, when doing that grip I found the focus spot where the whole grip engraved and went with it. But when engraving a dark mark on anodized aluminum, if the focus runs out only 1/16" the mark lightens up big time, and trying to refocus lower and make up the difference just screws up the first engraving...

These machines are amazing-- and amazingly frustrating! http://www.engraver1.com/gifs/pullinghair.gif