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Thread: Polar Camel cups

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Tennessee
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    262

    Polar Camel cups

    Hello Everyone
    I am getting ready to engrave some Polar Camel cups from JDS ind. They are pretty much the same as any other brand of stainless-steel cup. I'm using an Omtech type CO2 80-watt laser (the big red one) with a chuck rotary to turn the cup. I haven't done any of these so I was wondering if anyone had any experience with these and could share some of their insights with me. I would especially like information on power and speed settings.

    Thanks to all
    Randy Walker
    Grandpa
    Well equiped wood shop

    Universal VLS230
    Sand Carving toys

    Corel X8
    Randy Walker aka woodchuck
    Duck River Woodturners VP
    TAW member, Symposium comity member
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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Helena, MT
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    189
    Quote Originally Posted by Randy Walker View Post
    Hello Everyone
    I am getting ready to engrave some Polar Camel cups from JDS ind. They are pretty much the same as any other brand of stainless-steel cup. I'm using an Omtech type CO2 80-watt laser (the big red one) with a chuck rotary to turn the cup. I haven't done any of these so I was wondering if anyone had any experience with these and could share some of their insights with me. I would especially like information on power and speed settings.

    Thanks to all
    Randy Walker
    I've done a lot of Polar Camel mugs, as well as many other brands. Over time, I've come to run pretty much every brand of powder coated mugs with the same settings. Can't offer any settings as I'm running an Epilog machine though. But, if you've ever run Yeti or anything else, use the same settings. I will clean them up a little with either some LA's Awesome spray from the Dollar Store, or some Enduramark Blu cleaner and a microfiber towel. Shines them up nicely.
    Epilog Fusion Pro 48 - 120 Watt
    OMG Laser 60W JPT MOPA Fiber
    Mimaki UJF-6042MkII e UV Printer

  3. #3
    I've done a ton of P-coated cups too, never a Polar Camel however, but like Steve says, most coated cups are pretty much the same as others. Powdercoating doesn't seem to be an exact science because regardless of the brand, you run into some that are pretty skimpy on the coating, and some coats are as thick as your toenails. That said, myself, I've long since given up any hope of lasering P-coated cups just once. I don't even try any more, I ALWAYS run at least 2 passes. What I do is find the fastest setting that gets to the metal in ONE pass, then go from there. Thick coatings sometimes need 3 passes. The reason IMO one pass doesn't work is because powder coating melts rather than vaporizes udner the laser, and in one pass there's ALWAYS a gooey residue left behind. Trying to clean it all after one pass with DNA or acetone or Xylene or whatever just doesn't work, and the 'hard' chemicals like xylene and acetone can quickly start melting the coating around the engraving if you're not careful. For that reason I always just use DNA, which works well for cleanup after 2 passes. Time is money to be sure, and one pass would be great, but I've found I waste more time trying to clean up after one pass than just letting the machine do it

    As to getting each pass to go faster, lasering powdercoat doesn't require tight Y axis spacing, such as 500dpi (western machine) or a .05mm scan-gap (Chinese machine), moving to 300dpi / .085mm scan-gap will save quite a bit of time and, myself, I've found the extra gap spacing actually creates less residue...
    ========================================
    ELEVEN - rotary cutter tool machines
    FOUR - CO2 lasers
    THREE- make that FOUR now - fiber lasers
    ONE - vinyl cutter
    CASmate, Corel, Gravostyle


  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2020
    Location
    Canby Oregon
    Posts
    9
    Ive been lasering Powder Coated tumblers/bottles for about 7 years. I have all Universal Lasers. VLS460 & 660
    I use 100% power and 60% speed and only 1 pass. 1 out of 500 will require a 2nd pass. I use Jacks Graffiti wipes and Jacks industrial wipes to clean them up. Watch out for the paint wipes. They will leave a bit of a stain. We also use Magic erasers with a spray bottle that has water in it. Hope this helps.
    Last edited by Paula Curtis; 08-08-2022 at 4:42 PM.
    9 - ULS 460 Lasers
    2 - ULS 360 Laser
    1 - ULS 600 laser

    2 Sandblasters
    UV Rotary Printer

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    NW Arkansas
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    1,951
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    1
    My Rayfine 80 watt laser runs at 225mm/s and 65% power. I don't go over that on the power as it can streak the base metal. Be aware, some colors/lots of the JDS cups can have heavy PC and you might have to slow down a bit. I NEVER run two passes. JDS has warranted heavy coating so if you have some variable, reach out to them (its been a year or more since I've heard this, may not be issue)
    With RDwork, I use .08 width also. Get some good simple green or other cleaner and some white magic erasers. That will remove 99% of the residue quite easily.
    Woodworking, Old Tools and Shooting
    Ray Fine RF-1390 Laser Ray Fine 20watt Fiber Laser
    SFX 50 Watt Fiber Laser
    PM2000, Delta BS, Delta sander, Powermatic 50 jointer,
    Powermatic 100-12 planer, Rockwell 15-126 radial drill press
    Rockwell 46-450 lathe, and 2 Walker Turner RA1100 radial saws
    Jet JWS18, bandsaw Carbide Create CNC, RIA 22TCM 1911s and others

  6. #6
    Just an observation: Many of my flask customers bring me one they've had done somewhere else. Their samples are why I run 2 passes. Just sayin'
    ========================================
    ELEVEN - rotary cutter tool machines
    FOUR - CO2 lasers
    THREE- make that FOUR now - fiber lasers
    ONE - vinyl cutter
    CASmate, Corel, Gravostyle


  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Tennessee
    Posts
    262

    Here's the outcome

    Thanks to all that helped out here. You were all very helpful and insightful, and it made the task much easier than the guessing game I was facing at first. I wound up running at 1 pass at 400mms and 80% pwr. I Think that may have been to hot. I like a bit more detail and this has rolled the edges of the paint. Next time I think I'll run 2 passes. The first one at 550mms and 80%pwr to blast off the outer portion. then come back with300mms and 60%pwr to clean up the residue.
    I was going to post a picture, but I don't have an attachment button.

    Many Thanks
    Randy Walker
    Grandpa
    Well equiped wood shop

    Universal VLS230
    Sand Carving toys

    Corel X8
    Randy Walker aka woodchuck
    Duck River Woodturners VP
    TAW member, Symposium comity member
    Volunteer Woodturners member
    Dickson Woodturners member

  8. #8
    TO POST A PIC: above this text while typing, on my screen right HERE^^^ -- is the "insert photo" button- press it,
    follow the instructions to upload a photo from your computer, and you'll get a condensed version,
    like I just did screenshooting this page

    pichow.jpg
    ========================================
    ELEVEN - rotary cutter tool machines
    FOUR - CO2 lasers
    THREE- make that FOUR now - fiber lasers
    ONE - vinyl cutter
    CASmate, Corel, Gravostyle


  9. #9
    I have ran many polar camels, I might advise to look at RTIC's as JDS keeps increasing the prices of PC cups and we have had many customer complaints on their lids and are migrating to RTIC as their case pricing is similar within $3/unit of PC and its semi-name brand with a nice lid. I have also ran into issues with damaged polar camels from the factory and inconsistent powercoats, whereas there maybe overspray that creates a double layer; doesn't seem like a big deal until you have a run of 4 cases of a color you dont usually stock/sell and think you have your settings right, but then notice a production issue in a couple and have to order more because you didn't have extras. So always double check before you remove the mug from the laser, we all get confident/cocky at times and dont check before removal and get burnt but usually if you dont remove the mug and notice a problem before removal/movement you can run the program again and problem solved. We usually run a single pass but are using a metal or ceramic laser tube vs glass; depending on the design if its simple 300 DPI, semi-complicated 500 DPI, and very complicated 600 DPI. We go up to 1000 DPI but its very rare for us to need this and its painfully slow when you are used to 300-500 and you would be amazed at what you get even with 500. That being said when a logo has to be small, thats where high dpi shines. The settings beyond dpi are just going to depend on your machine wattage and tube type. We use the LA totally awesome, just as cleanup. While you are learning, keep your mistake mugs if they have any space left on them and run them as testers until you have the handle on it, you will find that different colors require different settings, our Trotec makes us turn down the speed for red. If you really want to get some experience, do a full design wrap with lines that need to match up. You will quickly learn lots of math about a circle and if you dont have them already get a nice set of calipers.
    Last edited by Chase Williams; 08-13-2022 at 7:43 AM.

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