Full Version: "Erasing" an engraving
From: basehorawards [#1]
16 Apr 2007
To: ALL
I have a customer with a brass tankard that wants met to "erase" the engraving on it and engrave something new. He has not brought it in but says it is not too deep.
Any ideas?
If it is lacquered brass how would you re lacquer it?
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#2]
16 Apr 2007
To: basehorawards [#1] 16 Apr 2007
If it's lacquered, unless you have a dustless spray paint environment, you may want to get a metal refinishing house to do the lacquer job.
Depending on cost, you may want them to remove the engraving and re-lacquer.
From: Bill (ALBILLBERT2000) [#3]
18 Apr 2007
To: basehorawards [#1] 18 Apr 2007
I had a pain in the ass.. type of customer come in with simple brass plates to engrave .. I finish engraving the plates to the customers list and bingo.. she calls and tells me one is incorrect.. can I remove the name..
Told her .. I would try.. never tried before.. started with a scotch bright pad.. went to emery paper and back to scotch bright pad... and after 20 min of fiddling.. I went to flex brass and engraved a new plate and stuck it over the same size plate..
Will never do that again.. as to trying to remove simple scratch engraving.. it is deeper than you think..
the customer will never pay the time to sand down and finish a simple plate.. good learning curve for me.. your time is money
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#4]
18 Apr 2007
To: Bill (ALBILLBERT2000) [#3] 18 Apr 2007
A couple of years ago, I engraved a large "Excalibur" sword.
Well, actually, I mis-engraved a large Excalibur sword. :-$
Fortunately, the steel blade was symetrical, making the opposite side suitable for re-engraving. That's what I did.
All that was left to do was remove the mis-engraved side and I was home free.
A friend of mine (and our newest Special Deal supplier) has a shop with every buffing compound and attachment a person could want.
To make a long story endless, I probably spent two hours removing the mis-engraving, to the point where the finish wasn't perfect, but very acceptable.
It passed muster with the customer.
Not bad for a $20 engraving job.
This thread made that memory come rushing back. Make it stop! :'-(
EDITED: 18 Apr 2007 by DGL
From: logojohn [#5]
18 Apr 2007
To: Bill (ALBILLBERT2000) [#3] 18 Apr 2007
We tried to fix a problem for a customer. It was the small thick plate I was looking for a couple weeks ago. They were already attached to boxes with a wine opening set in them. They looked like rosewood high quality boxes but was actually a thin foil on them.
The plates were solid brass. I protected the exposed area of the box and used a power sander to sand them down. It went pretty fast but then the heat from sanding heated the tape enough so they let loose and started moving, scratching the top. I didn't really like that idea as with all the laquer sanded off they would likely oxidize black quickly when exposed to the air. I was looking for a quick solution since there were 300 of them so hand sanding or removing the plates would be a lot of time.
Plan B was a brass overlay plate which they didn't like.
Plan C was regular thickness brass plate with backplate which they didn't like.
Plan D was a larger ornament plate we found which they didn't like.
Finally we talked somebody that makes similar things out of selling us just the plates in the same size.
Normally on single things we just say it can't be done and they settle for a different plan. But this was for a good customer so tried to make it work.
From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#6]
21 Apr 2007
To: basehorawards [#1] 22 Apr 2007
James,
Contact Hiles Silversmiths in downtown Kansas City, MO for a quote, then ship them the tankard. You'll get it back looking like new. This has always been my solution for situations like this. They have a much better eraser than I do. :D
David Takes
Expressions Engraved
http://www.expressionsengraved.com
EDITED: 4 Jul 2010 by DATAKES
From: basehorawards [#7]
22 Apr 2007
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#6] 22 Apr 2007
Talk about perfect timing. I just sat down to start looking for someone local who could do it.
Thanks,
From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#8]
22 Apr 2007
To: ALL
From: UncleSteve [#9]
22 Apr 2007
To: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#8] 22 Apr 2007
From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#10]
22 Apr 2007
To: UncleSteve [#9] 22 Apr 2007
Steve,
They'll probably reel him in, then throw him back. :P
David Takes
Expressions Engraved
http://www.expressionsengraved.com
EDITED: 4 Jul 2010 by DATAKES
From: UncleSteve [#11]
22 Apr 2007
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#10] 22 Apr 2007
The sharks will just let him pass. Professional courtesy! (devil)