Laser etching ooportunity

gwrober

Limp Gawd
Joined
Sep 16, 2002
Messages
336
Everyone - I may be purchasing a laser engraver/cutter in the near future...I wanted to see what the response was on the [H] before I made my final purchase!

So, would anyone be interested in laser etched/engraved/cut parts? (I know, dumb question...but I need to see the response...) The machines I looked at aren't able to cut metal, but can mark some metals (painted, or some with special coatings). Acrylic shouldn't be a problem.

I know there are existing vendors that do an incredible job with their etches - I don't plan on being that expensive, but I won't be able to offer their level of skill or detail (yet!).

So, let me know what kind of parts/services you guys would like to see, and help me decide if I should go this route....


EDIT - this isn't limited to computers! I've already been asked to cut some custom guitar picks and strum guards, and a few other items...
 
If you've read the Doom3 Mars City case mod thread, there is definately a market for it.I would also think that cutting case panels would be popular.
 
Yeah, I wish I would be able to cut panels. Etching a painted panel or obviously an acrylic window should be ok. If I had the cash I'd suck it up and get one of the stronger machines that can cut too.... :(
 
I'd probably be interested, I have a few things I'm thinking about getting laser etched soon.
 
gwrober said:
Everyone - I may be purchasing a laser engraver/cutter in the near future...I wanted to see what the response was on the [H] before I made my final purchase!

So, would anyone be interested in laser etched/engraved/cut parts? (I know, dumb question...but I need to see the response...) The machines I looked at aren't able to cut metal, but can mark some metals (painted, or some with special coatings). Acrylic shouldn't be a problem.

I know there are existing vendors that do an incredible job with their etches - I don't plan on being that expensive, but I won't be able to offer their level of skill or detail (yet!).

So, let me know what kind of parts/services you guys would like to see, and help me decide if I should go this route....


EDIT - this isn't limited to computers! I've already been asked to cut some custom guitar picks and strum guards, and a few other items...


You could also do knives, and gun slides...Just a thought

MD
 
or you could make your own laser engraver... remember the article on the front page a few days back of the guy that made his own CNC milling machine? replace the dremel with a high power laser... you can get a laser capable of cutting plastic for ~$100ish on ebay... you need to add a heatsink and fan to those lasers if you want to run them for more than ~30 seconds tho

also i sent you a pm
 
if you cant find a laser etcher or an engraver that works good enough, you may want to try to get your hands on a sand blaster. just use painter's tape over what you dont want sand blasted and with a low psi blast away your new cool etched image, it looks spiffy on glass and on clear plastic, so theres no reason why it wouldnt work on plexi, just make sure you have your psi set lower then you would have it set to sandblast metal or a harder surface.
 
XeRo_Dark said:
if you cant find a laser etcher or an engraver that works good enough, you may want to try to get your hands on a sand blaster. just use painter's tape over what you dont want sand blasted and with a low psi blast away your new cool etched image, it looks spiffy on glass and on clear plastic, so theres no reason why it wouldnt work on plexi, just make sure you have your psi set lower then you would have it set to sandblast metal or a harder surface.


I've looked into those too - I like the speed of the laser systems, and the detail - one sample I received had examples of text marked onto metal, down to 2pt.! Another sample was an Inca 'clock' 3D engraved onto wood- very neat. I think the laser system would be my best bet for now - I'll prob go with a smaller Epilog or Pinnacle system, maybe even ULS' Versalaser.

I had seen guys etch sunglasses (frame and lens), guns, knives, mice, jeans (WTF?), etc...pretty much if it will fit into a machine and is made of the right materials, it's been done. I was hoping to get the larger M series Pinnacle because it has the pass-through doors. I might have to wait for that tho... :(
 
We have the ULS X-660 and love it. I've been burning everything under the sun. Some plexi/acrylic smokes like a bitch. So you have to get a good ventilation system. The X-660 with the 50w laser cost $30K+. It don't cut metals period. But it will do most anything else.

One thing you need to get a lot of memory installed in it. Cause burning high detail pics can take forever to get loaded if it will load into the laser.
 
nexus_7 said:
my buddies at www.xport1.com have alot of experience in that stuff also. always neet to see the new things they get and do.

Greg


xport1 has some of the sickest etches I've ever seen. Some day I'll grow up and be like them!

I like the ULS systems - I've never seen one in action (other than the VersaLaser)....I'm waiting on literature from them now. There's a distributor here in TX called Brewer Sales that sells Epilog stuff - maybe I can get a used system off of them for cheap....
 
buying one just to cut parts for people isn't exactly a great idea............then again I'm sure many of us have thought about it once or twice. I just don't think it'd pay off any time soon. Especially when you have to maintain it.
 
Qtip42 said:
buying one just to cut parts for people isn't exactly a great idea............then again I'm sure many of us have thought about it once or twice. I just don't think it'd pay off any time soon. Especially when you have to maintain it.


I wasn't going to use it just for cutting parts, I was just seeing what the waters were like on the [H] for etched parts. I have a signs/award biz lined up also, and of course customization, serializing, etc.

I've already had one guy approach me about cutting/etching plexi for him, for a custom sub box! (I might have to do that for myself too...first, you know, for 'practice'... ;) )
 
If you're seriously thinking of getting into the laser etching business & light material cutting just buy the programs that you plan to use. I use Corel 12 and Adobe CS. Others use various CAD programs. You have to be very good at creating vector graphics.

Research the local area and see what competition you'd have. Any established competition is going to be hard to compete against if you don't have good skills in the design programs. Laser etching takes alot of time not only to work on the design but to also burn into the material. People will also bring you stuff you've never etched before and there are risk you can damage the material or worse your laser. Straight metals are the biggest headache and often impossible to etch. Anodized aluminum does great though. Various plexiglass can all cut different. I've cleanly cut 1/4" plexi of one brand and got terrible results out of another 1/4" brand.

Expect to spend alot of money aside from the laser purchase. You'll have to get a comfortable stock of materials for training, displaying, and selling. Setting up a business license, tax information and advertising. If your in a EPA run state like CA you may have to setup a special filter system. Too many headaches for me.
 
Impact9 said:
If you're seriously thinking of getting into the laser etching business & light material cutting just buy the programs that you plan to use. I use Corel 12 and Adobe CS. Others use various CAD programs. You have to be very good at creating vector graphics.

Research the local area and see what competition you'd have. Any established competition is going to be hard to compete against if you don't have good skills in the design programs. Laser etching takes alot of time not only to work on the design but to also burn into the material. People will also bring you stuff you've never etched before and there are risk you can damage the material or worse your laser. Straight metals are the biggest headache and often impossible to etch. Anodized aluminum does great though. Various plexiglass can all cut different. I've cleanly cut 1/4" plexi of one brand and got terrible results out of another 1/4" brand.

Expect to spend alot of money aside from the laser purchase. You'll have to get a comfortable stock of materials for training, displaying, and selling. Setting up a business license, tax information and advertising. If your in a EPA run state like CA you may have to setup a special filter system. Too many headaches for me.

Impact9, that's the best info I've received so far! Lots to think about....thanks...
 
Ok, this is an old thread!!

We decided to go another route - which means I didn't get my engraver (YET!) but started another business altogether doing promotional product advertising and screen printing. It's a blast!

We just got back from an expo in Vegas - so many ideas! I'll get with the mods to see if I can post more info here.....



Geo
 
I would be EXTREAMLY interested in having you cut out a custome designed case for me.. and that is no joke!!!!

I have always wanted to make my own computer case but have not been able to due to the fact that it takes a long long long time to cut by hand.
 
Well, the laser I was looking at purchasing was a CO2 laser - they can't cut metal. The YAG lasers can, but I can't afford one of those!

I purchased a sandblasting setup - it should be here by next weekend (please o please mr. fed ex show up with my stuff early!!!)

I'm going to have to wait on my laser :( :mad:

The sandblaster will allow me to etch/mark etc on a variety of materials. I already have a few orders waiting on it to show up!

I can't take 'orders' per se yet on the forums - I haven't cleared anything through the mods yet. If they give me the green light, I'll post my website and business info...
 
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