Full Version: Engraving aluminum
From: Chewbarka [#6]
9 Mar 2007
To: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#1] 9 Mar 2007
Check the aluminum alloy, a 3005 alloy will cut differently from a 5052 alloy. I found the hardness is also a factor, H-14 hardness engraves easier than a softer grade.
I can send you samples of the different material to try. I would stick with a very sharp non-carbide cutter, a little soluble oil helps!
Frank
www.chewbarka.com
EDITED: 9 Mar 2007 by CHEWBARKA
From: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#7]
12 Mar 2007
To: ALL
Fortunately, this guy is smart.
He told me that we will start seeing a BUNCH of these parts, and that the next set will be anodized aluminum instead of raw aluminum!!
YIPPEEEEEEE!!!!
Once we get the layout set up in Corel (it's in XGW now), we can do runs of these parts in just a few minutes. It took about 30 minutes to do one from start to finish on the Xenetech (engraving, paint-filling, cleaning, clear-coating, etc.).
Because of the shape of these parts, we'll still have to spend some time on a setup....but they don't mind paying for that service (thankfully).
As an added bonus - I no longer have to clean up aluminum chips from all over the workroom!!! Yahhhhoooooooooooooooooo!!!
From: Tony (ANTE) [#8]
12 Mar 2007
To: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#7] 12 Mar 2007
Setting up this job in Corell leads me to belive that you will be Laser engraving these plates. If there was color filling requred, using Laser will not cut deep enough for this option.
As for aluminum chips all over the shop, what I do is lower cutter far enough and still use nose cone with vaccum on but nose cone is not riding on material (check "NO CUTTER SET AT START" on download).
This way nose cone is 10 to 15 th. above sheet and vac is sucking chips wich eliminates mess around the shop.
Tony @ MCE
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From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#9]
12 Mar 2007
To: Tony (ANTE) [#8] 12 Mar 2007
I've tried that method too, which works fine as long as you're not using a cutting oil or coolant, in which case the vacuum doesn't have much effect on picking up oily/wet chips.
From: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#10]
12 Mar 2007
To: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#7] 12 Mar 2007
Hopefully it will be a dark colored anodize (black?).
A clear anodize won't give much contrast, and neither will light colors. I assume he understands that the engraving will turn the color to a light gray, which will have a different look than color filled mechanical engraving.
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#11]
12 Mar 2007
To: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#10] 12 Mar 2007
From: Tony (ANTE) [#12]
12 Mar 2007
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#9] 12 Mar 2007
Yes David, fogot to add no cutting oil/coolant.
Tony @ MCE
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From: James (TILER02) [#13]
12 Mar 2007
To: ALL
Message 6278.14 was deleted
From: James (TILER02) [#15]
12 Mar 2007
To: Andrew [#14] 12 Mar 2007
I read the post, I know what it said. The end of the post was talking about laser engraving anodized aluminum.
I do not reply to many posts here for that very reason. I do not like to be told I do not know what I am talking about. I am sorry my post offended you. I will offer no more replys or try to help.
EDITED: 12 Mar 2007 by TILER02
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#16]
12 Mar 2007
To: James (TILER02) [#15] 12 Mar 2007
James,
Please do not take that track. Someone missed what you replied to, and made a mistake. You did not. Forgive him his mistake and stick around with posting. Our community would be lessened without even one of its members.
Harvey
From: Andrew [#17]
12 Mar 2007
To: James (TILER02) [#15] 12 Mar 2007
No offence meant James, and you certainly didn't offend me - I have a slightly thicker skin than that! I checked your profile before replying and this gave me no clues as to your background.
I never questioned that you do not know what you are talking about. I am relatively new to this industry and when posts come up on mechanical engraving they are of high interest to me. They are few and far between with the majority of post being on laser engraving.
I do not reperesent this board - it would be a shame for one person to upset you to the point of you no longer contributing.
From: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#18]
12 Mar 2007
To: Tony (ANTE) [#8] 13 Mar 2007
Tony,
I'm ashamed that I didn't think to do that!! In my feeble little mind, I thought that the nose cone and manual cutter depth were mutually exclusive!! DOH!!
That's sad....I was trained better than that!!
To answer a question from another post - the "new" items will be black anodized aluminum. I simply forgot to mention the fact that they will be black. Laser engraving these things will make life soooo much better!
Thanks to all for your input!
Cody
From: James (TILER02) [#19]
12 Mar 2007
To: Andrew [#17] 24 Mar 2007
EDITED: 12 Mar 2007 by TILER02
From: logojohn [#20]
12 Mar 2007
To: James (TILER02) [#19] Unread
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#21]
12 Mar 2007
To: James (TILER02) [#19] Unread
I wasn't around for the supposed fireworks.
What is it you seem to get every time you post?
From: Peter [#22]
13 Mar 2007
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#21] 13 Mar 2007
I wasn't around for the supposed fireworks.
What is it you seem to get every time you post?
David "The Stunt Engraver" Lavaneri
DGL Engraving
Port Hueneme, CA
It would appear ..a Smack in the back of the head with a piece of 4x2 >.<
Hey James...take it from me..Im in the same boat as you :> So I act like a duck...and let the water roll off my back.. :O)
Dont take it to heart, most of these chums are a good lot.. :B
regards
Peter
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