Full Version: Lasering on brass

From: smitty [#1]
 29 Jan 2007
To: ALL

Just me again, was messing around with some brass tags and usually I use the Hermes to engrave them 9 times out of 10, but was messing around with the CO2 laser and some Cermark.
I think because the brass is so shiny it won't make the dark marks that I was hoping it would. I remember doing a brass name tag with a brushed dulled down finish with Cermark and it came out real nice. Is there a trick to lasering the shiny stuff to get a darker mark or am I wasting my time? Thanks alot.

EDITED: 29 Jan 2007 by SMITTY

From: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#2]
 29 Jan 2007
To: smitty [#1] 29 Jan 2007

Does the "shiny stuff" maybe have a laquer coating?

Or is it a different thickness?

The cermark has to touch bare metal, and thick brass can sink the heat, requiring more power. On the other hand too much power might be a problem too.

From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#3]
 29 Jan 2007
To: smitty [#1] 29 Jan 2007

Smitty,

If the material is shiny, it's because it has a lacquer coating, or it may be bare metal that has some degree of polishing compound remaining on the surface.

You could try to lase the surface, in a effort to remove the lacquer or polishing compound, before adding Cermark.

From: smitty [#4]
 29 Jan 2007
To: ALL

It sure doesn't look like it has any coating on it. How can you tell? I can flip the part over, Cermark and laser it,( it is less shinier) and it comes out great. I'll try lasering it first then Cermark it and hit it again. Thanks!

From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#5]
 29 Jan 2007
To: smitty [#4] 29 Jan 2007

Try putting some oxidizing fluid on the front. If it's lacquered, the fluid will bead up and have no affect.

If the brass begins to darken, you can wipe it off quickly, without wasting the piece.

Could be that it's lacquered on one side.

From: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#6]
 29 Jan 2007
To: smitty [#4] 29 Jan 2007

Do you have a volt meter?

If so, set it on OHMs and if it has ranges, set to the lowest (like 200 or 2K instead of 2M). Touch the probes together to see that the meter changes when the probes touch each other. Then gently touch the probes to parts of the surface a little bit apart. Touch gently, so you don't poke through any coating. If the meter doesn't change, then there is a coating. If the meter changes (like it did when touching the probes together) then there is no coating. If the probes have sharp points, touch them against the metal on an angle so the points don't pierce any coating.

From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#7]
 29 Jan 2007
To: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#6] 29 Jan 2007

Being an EE, (Electrical Engineer not EngravingEtc), I feel foolish not thinking of that simple solution in other threads. Thanks for bringing it up.

From: smitty [#8]
 29 Jan 2007
To: ALL

I will try the oxidizing thing and see what it does. The volt meter is one I never would of thought of, cool idea! So if it does have a coated surface then this will be almost impossible to get dark lettering to appear, correct? Again thank you all for the help.

From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#9]
 29 Jan 2007
To: smitty [#8] 29 Jan 2007

If the surface is lacquered, it will be impossible to darken the brass, unless the solution is particularly strong and the lacquer is thin enough to be eroded by the acid.

That would take prolonged exposure and the oxidizng solution would probably evaporate before it could do serious damage.

From: Becky (KIAIJANE) [#10]
 29 Jan 2007
To: smitty [#1] 29 Jan 2007

Without knowing what settings you are using, I would suggest a slow speed with a high power. Brass absorbs heat like a sponge so you have to make sure the power is high to make a mark. At least, that was the explanation I got when I tried brass. I'm certainly no scientist LOL.
Becky

From: smitty [#11]
 30 Jan 2007
To: ALL

Yep, it had a finish on it, but I got lucky and got the Cermark to lay on pretty good. I took Stunt Engravers suggestion and ran the laser across it first, then applied the Cermark and ran it again. They came out real nice. Thanks much!

From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#12]
 30 Jan 2007
To: smitty [#11] 30 Jan 2007

Always love to hear a success story Smitty. :-)

Congratulations!

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