Stainless Steel & Ferro LMM-6000 Problem

[John Bion]

I have just engraved two stainless steel business card boxes using Ferro LM-6000.

A) the result is not good
B) the area coated in Cermark is stained by the Cermark

I have never had this second problem before, is it common, perhaps down to SS quality? Is there something that can be done about it?

Thanks for the help

fullsizeoutput_3ed6.jpgIMG_0553.jpg

[Mike Null]

John

The stain can usually be removed with a stainless steel or metal polish. Because of the very thin gauge of the item you'll have to bump up your power or slow the speed to allow the Cermark to bond. I have marked very thin gauge ss and warped every one in doing so. It is unavoidable.

[John Bion]

Thanks Mike. I generally only do heavier duty stainless and only the occasional hip flask or whatnot. I will give it a polish and hope for the best, I do not like to disappoint customers.
Kind Regards, John

[Keith Downing]

I have just engraved two stainless steel business card boxes using Ferro LM-6000.

A) the result is not good
B) the area coated in Cermark is stained by the Cermark

I have never had this second problem before, is it common, perhaps down to SS quality? Is there something that can be done about it?

Thanks for the help

fullsizeoutput_3ed6.jpgIMG_0553.jpg

Did you try cleaning the piece with denatured alcohol. Some stainless can have some strange films.

Also, did the cermark go on smooth? Or did it look like it was having trouble bonding when applied (streaks, bubbles, etc)?

[John Bion]

Hi Keith, thanks for replying,
The Cermark went on fine, I gave it a pre-clean with denatured alcy beforehand. Nice and even coating, dried for about 1.5 hours.

I have just given it a rub down with silver polish which did not help, then I tried some “T Cut” rubbing compound, that has helped but it is still stained.
I think this is going to have to go to the customer with apologies. But would love to know what causes it for the future.

Aha! I have just taken a magnet towards the “stainless steel” and the trinket just about leaped across the workshop onto the magnet! Could this be part of the problem?

Thanks and kind regards

[Kev Williams]

YES that could be part of the problem because, as I've found out the hard way, if you put Cermark on something that will rust or corrode, Cermark will speed up the process like 10x... If anyone gives you carbon steel chisels to engrave, DON'T CERMARK THEM! Trust me on this one....

And for what it's worth, the best thing I've found to remove Cermark residue (which didn't exist with the old formula) is a little dish-soapy water and a magic eraser. I do this with mirror polished stainless and as long as you don't RUB HARD it will not mark the stainless.

If this doesn't remove your stain, then it's stained. You either have some not-stainless-at-all, or some 400 series 'magnetic' stainless, which DOES RUST. (think cheap SS BBQ's)...

[Brian Lamb]

As a thought, would the Cermark tape work on the regular steel items? Or is it the washing in water after the marking that is causing the rust? I assumed it was the water in the Cermark when you sprayed it on and let it dry....

[Bruce Volden]

I've not yet had any problems with SS staining. I have used the magnet method and none (knock on wood) have stuck.
I did have MANY problems with knives staining-most were custom some manufactured which resulted in staining, sometimes severely!
I bought a Baldor Buffer and that eliminated all my troubles (except for the extra time to buff out stains).

Bruce

[John Bion]

Thanks to all of you for your replies, I did find that “T Cut” seemed to remove the most obvious staining although some remained, but I will do a magnet test on everything I am suspicious of in future.

[Bill George]

Frankly I would not take the blame for this, it looks like the customer told you it was stainless steel and it was not. Perhaps it came from China or India and passes for stainless over there. BTW there are grades of stainless that are attracted to a magnet .

[Greg Carmack]

Some stainless ans aluminum items will be anodized and or clear coated. You pics kind of look that way.