Samples soon, thanks much for the advice, I'll stay the course! My brain is in overload with all the things I want to do, or think I can do.
I fired it up this weekend because I was having miserable results with some lacquered baseball bats. They are glossy black and need to be gold paint filled for awards. I have to deliver 12 on opening day 4/29 and my reputation, future, is at stake. I lasered and then used rubnbuff and it filled in the grain too. Thought that would ahppen. I then tried a mask material (green, fairly thick) that I got somewhere, and it seemed to put a film inside my laser so I suspect PVC and quit using it. Also was having trouble with the bat curvature. So, I went to the blastcabinet as all I needed to remove was the surface coat and then spray paint over the mask. It looked really good, unfortunately the paint did not dry on the RapidMask and when put under running water to remove the mask, paint got all over the bat. I let it "dry" longer but still no.
So I went back to the laser, decreased the size (height) of the graphic I was putting where logo goes (an oval with the year and league name), and used LaserTape which is thinner than the other mask. I have to level the bat for the center, focus 0.12" to 0.15" into the bat for the curvature, and do the logo in the middle, paint and set aside, do all 12, then reset the level for the end, focus, and do the names and wording on the end. The end has less curvature and is flatter along the length, and is words only so it works OK. I am getting the job done but much more time consuming than I imagined.
Another forum member, Graig, from MSBI Graphics, has suggested another method. Once I get my IS400 Volume set up I may try to rotary engrave and then paint-fill. I have an agreement with the local league to sell these bats through the league's website and the league gets $10 for each sold. These 12 were to be my drop-dead gorgious examples seen by 400 - 500 folks during the opening day as I present them to last year's state champion 9/10 all-star team. Also as past president, I am throwing out the opening pitch (two actually, one for each twin son), so I am getting excellent exposure as well as being a team sponsor. This whole thing was/is intended to kick off my new shop and expansion in the local area.
Due to the time involved I am rethinking this great idea. What if we sold 200bats? Man, I'd never get them done. Need something with less time per piece. Actually if I had a leveling jig I could cut time way down in the laser.
I'm still thinking, something will pop. An idea or my brain.......
Jim (new shop photo attached)
Jim Kenndy, Sr.
Just the 4 of Us Engraving
York, Maine |