Laser Engraver Drink Glass Recomendations

[Gary and Jessica Houghton]

I see a need in my area for selling engraved glasses to restaurants and bars but need some help getting started.

Most Bars and restaurants will not want to spend the money on any engraving, whether it is blasted or lasered. They get most of their glasses from the alcohol suppliers or from the food suppliers. Why pay for something when you can get it free. Also, bars are go through too many glasses with drops and fights and what nots. Replacements will get too expensive.

Just my two cents...

[Dan Hintz]

I estimate that 5dzn bottles takes me around 5hrs to expose, washout, align to bottle and burnish (now I just need the laser time to compute).

That works out to 5 minutes/bottle... guess what? You're not going to really speed that time up any when you add in taking the bottle in/out of the rotary, opening/closing the door, locking things down, etc. You may see an extra bottle or two per hour, but is that worth the price of the laser? Unless it's an ultra-simple design you can vector, your processing time per bottle is going to easily be 3-6 minutes/bottle.

[Mike Null]

Somebody mentioned Glass America earlier. I use them often and find that I can sell their glass, printed or engraved, for less than I can engrave the customer's glasses. I can also make a decent margin and do no work other than ordering. Think marked beer glasses in the area of $3.00 and you still make your mark up.

Obviously, higher quantites are required but not so high as to be unreasonable.

[Martin Boekers]

I have lasered quite a few glasses in the last couple years, the biggest problem is
getting the price in an area people will pay.

If it's a special glass or bottle I recommend a local blaster as it does produce a nicer
etch, but the cost comes with it typically $25-$30 per item.

The ones I've done, 10-300 at a time ($2.50- $8.00) depending upon laser time
(usually 2-5min I have the cases set on a table next to the laser, with a brush to
clean the glasses so it's pretty much non stop) I have the client provide glasses with
extras just in case;-). I recommend Dollar stores, Old Tyme Pottery, Garden Ridge
etc. They usually are cheaper than a hotel supplier. I recommend style of glasses that
are easier to work with on the rotary.

The larger quantities are for events, weddings, conferences etc. I can usually get the
engraving down to about 2 min a glasses (all time included) so that brings laser
billing time to $75per hour+

I can't buy them out and mark them up enough to justify it. (shipping is a killer!)I do
them on a weekend so I don't have the normal interuptions. Boring, yes, but it does
bring in work that I wouldn't have. In a run of 300 glasses it takes about 10-12hrs
work, billing about $800.


The key is finding a way to make it work, by the time the customer buys the glasses
themselves (less than a dollar each) total cost is under $4.00 a glass. If I can fit their
budget I Make money and they are happy.

Then..... when I get them interested, I end up selling them a handful of candles (water-slide decals) customized poker chips as give-aways, an engraved copy of their
invitation, gifts for the bridal party and awards for the event etc.

As for bars and restraunts, unless they are selling the glasses, it's tough to get them
to buy enough to make it worth while. Each broken glass means the have to sell
a couple extra beers to pay for it. I have seen some that have personalized mugs
on a rack that are reserved for regulars though.

It can work, but takes planning and creativity.

[Mike Null]

A few months back I did 120 glasses for the local establishment of a national bar chain. I engraved name date and event on their logo beer glasses for a bar mitzvah they hosted in one of their party rooms. I charged $4.25 each including pick up and delivery.