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David James
11-25-2008, 11:50 AM
Hi all, thank you all for your help over the past year. My first year in the industry has unfortunately not turned the profits I was expecting, however I have learned allot from the forum and you have saved me allot of time and money. Thank you!

My ?'s about the Rowmark Products. Epilog 35watt , what is the dpi setting you recommend when engraving? Do you recommend masking the top of the sheet? Is the vector table necessary? Are their alternatives to using a vector table?

My main problem is with cutting. I am getting residue from cutting up on the surface, even with a mask? I am using the recommended setting for the 35 watt. I also tried using half power and running the vector cut twice, not looking to good. I am not getting to much flame, some light sticky edges.

Any tricks or tips for best results with vector cutting? Thank you?

I was also wondering if anybody would talk about how they are making the product profitable for them? Marketing, target markets, sales avenues.

Lisa Walter
11-25-2008, 12:03 PM
Hi all, thank you all for your help over the past year. My first year in the industry has unfortunately not turned the profits I was expecting, however I have learned allot from the forum and you have saved me allot of time and money. Thank you!

My ?'s about the Rowmark Products. Epilog 35watt , what is the dpi setting you recommend when engraving? Do you recommend masking the top of the sheet? Is the vector table necessary? Are their alternatives to using a vector table?

My main problem is with cutting. I am getting residue from cutting up on the surface, even with a mask? I am using the recommended setting for the 35 watt. I also tried using half power and running the vector cut twice, not looking to good. I am not getting to much flame, some light sticky edges.

Any tricks or tips for best results with vector cutting? Thank you?

I was also wondering if anybody would talk about how they are making the product profitable for them? Marketing, target markets, sales avenues.


I have an epilog 30 watt that they told me burns more like a 35 watt. I use a vector table and sometimes have the same trouble you are having. Do you use an air assist? Sometimes that helps. I have never used a mask. Over time, I slowly backed off the settings to get a nice rastoring without "over rastoring" (where you get that yellowish color when burning into white, etc) so maybe these settings will give you a starting point and then you can do the same.......until you find your sweet spot.

I am in the house but when I go down to the shop I will send you my settings I use for rastoring and vectoring. I use different settings depending on which Romark material I am using. I'd go get them now for you but we had snow/sleet overnight and I keep looking out the window talking myself out of going outside :) It's amazing how many little chores you get done in the house when you don't want to venture out!

Lisa

Joe Pelonio
11-25-2008, 12:31 PM
I used to engrave, then apply transfer tape before cutting, especially on certain colors like red/white where residue can discolor the edges and be hard to get off (I used denatured alcohol).

Since then I discovered that if I spray and wipe down with glass cleaner (Sprayway from Costco) after engraving I can cut without the transfer tape and no residue. You can also help this problem by keeping parts at least 1/8" away from each other. With the first cut so close, the second can allow air under the material and cause flaming that discolors the edge.

You can also minimize the reflection off the vector grid if you place on it a
sacrificial piece of 1/4" acrylic on it first, don't forget to refocus. I use a 12"x24" hunk that has had a bunch of parts removed from it, so it's like a skeleton. Enough left to hold the material flat, but keeps it an extra 1/4" above the honeycomb.Some small pieces may get slightly "welded" to the acrylic where there's no hole but they pop right off, and if the original paper is still on the acrylic that won't happen.

With your 30 watts you have to go slower to cut so may have more problem than with my 45 watts. I agree with Lisa, always use air assist at at least 25 psi for cutting.

Angus Hines
11-25-2008, 12:40 PM
Its the nature of Romark to to have sticky edges and residue. I use DNA to clean them up, or if its a small items, a pencil eraser from a basic cheap-o pencil works well too.

Scott Shepherd
11-25-2008, 7:05 PM
IPI and Rowmark both tell me that time will take the sticky away, so I assume it's something to do with the edges oxidizing. I've had DNA craze my rowmark and ipi edges. I make 100's and 100's of little parts out of it, and I'm finding now that if I can get them cut out and let them sit, they do much better.

Also, dropping the PPI's down as low as you can on vector cutting helps too.

Lisa Walter
11-25-2008, 7:42 PM
ok here is what I use.........keep in mind I am a 30 watt that they claim burns more like a 35 watt........so use this as a starting point and adjust from there.

Rowmark Lasermax
(this happens to be European Gold with black underneath)

and
Rowmark lasermark
(this happens to be walnut with white underneath)

They use the same settings

rastor
600 dpi
69 speed
100 power

Vector
25 speed
80 power
500 freq.

Bill Cunningham
11-25-2008, 8:05 PM
I do most rowmark at 400 dpi 80 power 100% speed..
I never cut all the way through and usually apply mask for cutting but not engraving.. I find if I vector the badge outline at 50% speed, 100% power through a mask, then snap them out of the sheet after I clean and wax them..

Mike Null
11-25-2008, 10:14 PM
Engraving and cutting this stuff is 50% or more of my business. I never mask, I use a cutting grid which gives me cleaner cuts, I use DNA for clean up. If you don't clean the edges on name tags the residue may get on a customers clothes.

Justin Harrington
11-26-2008, 5:53 AM
I can't help much with the settings as I'm using a 75watt but I also do a huge amount of work on both IPI and Rowmark. When it comes to cutting I always use a masking material and cut on the vector grid. The best product I have found for removing the stickiness is regular lighter fluid, the type you would use in a Zippo lighter. I stack my pieces together and then just wipe the edge with the fuild on some folded kitchen roll paper. It removes the stickiness instantaneously. I also always supply the completed item with the masking paper still on to avoid any scratches etc. that may happen during transport or storage.

Hope this helps.