Full Version: First mechanical engraving job
From: basehorawards [#16]
18 Apr 2007
To: logojohn [#14] 18 Apr 2007
Now I have learned something else. I did know that the Xenetech put a suggested cutter size down there but I did not know that I could change it. I suppose I should have known that but I never actually thought it through.
Most of what I have done on my rotary has been stainless with 1/4" and larger letters with a .030 bit and diamond drag. As the number of years in business grow larger I am beginning to get more interesting jobs and as such am having the need and opportunity to learn more.
Boy I sure have taken this thread off topic.
From: geebeau [#17]
18 Apr 2007
To: Mike (SPACE_ENGRAVERS) [#1] 19 Apr 2007
Good show!!
Everyone has to start at the beginning.
Best of luck!
Steve
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#18]
19 Apr 2007
To: basehorawards [#15] 19 Apr 2007
The 45% rule is that to look right, the engraving should be 45% of the height of the piece.
If you want three lines with the top one 1.5 X the height of the others you can use a formula. Difficult to explain so I will try to give an example.
The piece will be 2.5" tall in the example.
2.5" X .45 = 1.125" total engraving height
First line 1.5 X the next two. 1.5 + 1 + 1 =3.5
1.125 / 3.5 = .321
The bottom two lines (1 X) should be .321" tall
The top line at 1.5 X the others should be .321 X 1.5 = .482
As far as the left and right margins .08 X Width usually works, especially on smaller pieces. On larger pieces .06 works well. New Hermes Gravograph 98 defaults to .10, way too large except for tiny pieces. Dahlgren used .08.