Full Version: Impact Printer
From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#1]
3 Jan 2005
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) 3 Jan 2005
Harvey,
I had quite a few calls for imaged jewelry this past holiday season. From one of your other posts I sense that you have one of the Roland units for impact printing? There is no one in my town of 80,000 that offers this process in-house. Most of those I spoke with ended up going to Walmart to order them. I didn't have a source set up at the time.
I have noticed these Roland units for sale on Ebay with regularity. What has your experience been with the unit? Do you feel that market has been strong enough to justify the modest investment?
I have engraved on the back of a few of the pendants and noticed that companies are beginning to epoxy dome over the top of the image. Is this to prodect the image from wearing off? I noticed that there is not much depth to the impacted image.
EDITED: 3 Jan 2005 by DATAKES
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#2]
3 Jan 2005
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#1] 3 Jan 2005
It takes quite a while to pay off the unit if you include the image prep time to get somewhat of a good result. That being said, mine paid off in about 1.5 years and this Christmas paid off my notebook computer which I used to have it on site during Christmas. Normally I quote a two to three day turnaround time. That is to get the order 75 miles to my home shop, do the image, then get it 75 miles back. Surprisingly there is very little static with this turnaround time because my images are so much better than you see on the carts doing it.
Proper image preparation, proper settings, and a few tricks can lead to a fairly bright image that does not need to be held just so to look good.
I may look on Ebay for a backup unit.
From a really good source that has access to the MPX-50 and the MPX-60, they really like the results of the 50 better. The big advantage of the 60 is the USB port. I purchased a USP to parallel cable to use on my notebook. Not sure if it is the notebook, the cable, WinXP. or the driver, but I *must* unplug the USB end after each engraving for it to accept the next one. Also the settings of the image correction disappear if you just try to send it out. [In the normal setup they are even saved with the job.] You must jot down the settings and go to print, select 'properties' and manually input them, for it to work correctly. [I am using the latest driver for WinXP.]
I also need to check out on my desktop a strange phenomena. The notebook drivers are only for the port that the peripheral was plugged into during installation. I am not sure that this is true on the desktop, never had the reason to check it out. I always assumed that 'Universal Serial Port meant universal.
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#3]
3 Jan 2005
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#2] 3 Jan 2005
Harvey,
Why do you think people would epoxy dome the imaged jewelry? As far as I know, the Metaxa image is permanent, on its own.
I would suspect the epoxy doming is to establish more perceived value or possibly to magnify the image.
David "The Stunt Engraver" Lavaneri
DGL Engraving
Port Hueneme, CA
From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#4]
3 Jan 2005
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#3] 3 Jan 2005
David,
Another reason for doming may be to protect the image from the elements (tarnish).
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#5]
3 Jan 2005
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#3] 3 Jan 2005
The image can be far deeper than drag engraving. Even if done poorly it is probably a bit deeper. Mostly it is done on nickle plate, brass, or silver.
All will not wear with any significance. The silver will wear a little faster, but no worries about problems.
Nickle plate will not tarnish. The brass impact area will darken, as will the brass when the lacquer coat wears off. The silver the same problem. A dip works best on the silver, the polishes leave black inside the impact pits. I have had one return that looked like it was soaked in a strong alkali, it was a nickle plated piece. Two years and only one comment is a good track record. Business increasing in imaging tremendously by word of mouth says much for the contentment of the purchaser.
I think that the doming may help the sterling silver not to tarnish, but it might under the dome anyway. Sulfur is the enemy of silver, not oxygen. (It is also the enemy of copper and brass.)
In my unthoughtout(?) opinion, I think that doming is an increased perceived value. A very interesting idea if you have doming equipment.
Edit: Darned spiel chicken.
EDITED: 3 Jan 2005 by HARVEY-ONLY
From: Rich (TSHIRTPRINTER) [#6]
28 Sep 2005
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#5] 28 Sep 2005
Harvey,
I have been doming silver hearts for sometime with no ill effects yet.
Rich
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#7]
28 Sep 2005
To: Rich (TSHIRTPRINTER) [#6] 29 Sep 2005
From: Rich (TSHIRTPRINTER) [#8]
29 Sep 2005
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#7] 29 Sep 2005
Harvey,
I want to inscribe the back of dog tags and sublimated silver hearts.
Would the Metaza do it good enough or would a diamond drag be better?
Rich
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#9]
29 Sep 2005
To: Rich (TSHIRTPRINTER) [#8] 29 Sep 2005