Cermark - it sticks around

[Brian Robison]

Yeah, mix it up, turn on compressor, find air bush, pour mixture in air brush, adjust air brush, spray 2 parts, wait for parts to dry or use hair dryer, place in laser and lase. While the lasers running, dump material back in container, clean out air brush, lasers done, clean parts, dry parts....20 minutes later I've made about $3.00. (I'm really not in a bad mood, I promise)
It works if you have hundreds of parts to do, I rarely get that many, maybe in the future I will. I've tried metal marking materials every which way and you have to look close at your time. I still use Cermark in the little sample bottle I got 6 years ago for one of my items. I've filled the bottle up about 10 times now. The Cermark drys a lot faster than Thermark.

[Thad Nickoley]

I am not sure what you are marking but I use a cheap throw away foam brush. I would only use a spray gun if i were to do a very large piece.

[Richard Rumancik]

Brian, you are right; you can't get ahead doing a couple of items with Cermark. For one-offs I suppose the spray can may be acceptable but the cost of the Cermark goes up, so it is material cost or labor cost tradeoffs. When I do one or two it is basically as a favor.

I found that the best market is the promotional products people. Sometimes they get customers who want a multi-tool, bar tool, knife, etc. marked with a customer logo. I have marked Henckels knives and they have stood up in daily use in the knife drawer for over 5 years (I marked a few for myself.) The Cermark is much darker and denser than the Henckels logo - I assume the Henckels logo was done by a YAG at the factory.

I just got a job for 300 knives - if you get larger jobs it can make it worthwhile. Yes, it is a high end product and you have to have a customer who is willing to spend a buck or two for a mark. It is quite labor intensive. Like Belinda, I tell them the price. If it's too high, I can't worry about it.

[Anthony Scira]

I bought a 250gram container when I bought my laser almost two years ago. I still have over 1/2 the container left. I am in the range of a 6/1 dilution of DNA to Cermark.

I mix it up in a 2 oz jar and use a fine tipped foam brush to apply. Goes on nice, marks nice and comes off easy.

So it prolly comes down to pennies per mark as far as the cermark is concerned. That is not too bad.

[Rob Bosworth]

A number of years ago, we bought a set of Henckel steak knives at one of the outlet centers in the Twin Cities. Of course, I knew how they applied the famous mark. It wasn't three weeks later, and the black mark was coming off. We now have a wonderful set of steak knives, made by En el with 1.5 joined hands people on each one.

[Brian Robison]

Now that's strange, we have a set too (I think.)
Very expensive, very nice knives. If you looked at them wrong they would cut you.
Are they now owned by Victorinox?

[Steve Rozwood]

Thanks for the support Belinda! As for the sample sizes, I think the smallest size we sell is a 50 gram container. I don’t really have a say in the marketing approach with our products, all I can do is put in a suggestion.

Steve

[Mike Null]

I recently had a Thermark job refused by my customer. I could say i shouldn't have sent it out but the fact is that on these aluminum tags I got a fairly decent mark. The problem was it didn't hold up. I spent literally hours on this job. Spoke to the Thermark people first and followed their recommendations.

I was able to save the deal by switching my customer to anodized aluminum.

On the other hand, Cermark, which I use for steel, has performed admirably and costs a fraction of Thermark due to ability to thin it so much.

But I'm not giving my work away. Yesterday I quoted $35 for two engravings on a hunting knife blade. If I get it fine. If not I won't shed any tears as even at that price it's not a big money maker.

BTW, when I started Cermark did have a sample kit for a very low price and it also contained three glass colors.

[John W. Love]

BTW, when I started Cermark did have a sample kit for a very low price and it also contained three glass colors.

Yeah, but Mike didn't you start engraving as soon as the Ark hit solid ground?

[Mike Null]

Actually Noah is a couple of years older than me but not all that much.

[Brian Robison]

I'm running a bunch of parts as we post.
I'm using a Q tip with Cermark thinned about 3 to 1 with DNA. Stupid air brush and touch up paint gun never seem to work right. The Q tip is working very well btw.
I'm also using Thermark from a can. It hasn't been mentioned yet but the Cermark stays on the part better and drys quicker. Thermark turns powdery to the touch.
I like them both, I had better luck with Thermark on aluminum. I run 100% power/ 400 dpi for text / 5% speed. The Epilog suggestion is 35 % speed. I've never come close to that speed.

[Dean Fowell]

I am on my 3rd can in 3 Months love it PC230014.jpg

[greg lindsey]

Well I can tell you that one can of Cermark goes along ways, if you use it properly. I can make about 6k in profit off one can of spray. I do a tremoundous amout of steel tags daily. However, when I have large pcs to do, mostly schematics for one company, I screen print the liquid on, now the profit margin goes through the roof. But getting back to Belinda's original thread which we have all hijacked Cermark will work indoors and under water on many materials, maybe forever, I have some parts that are 4 years and counting underwater and in outerspace and so far no complaints, BUT, cermark that is not clear coated will most definately fade when exposed to sunlight (UV) I have seen it fade severly or even disappear within days and sometimes months. I have been usung just plain old clear enamel rustolium for a long time, recently the tech staff at Ferro suggested I use a clear product from Shieldproducts.com called voc clear in spray cans, costs around $17 a can, but piece of mind knowing my outdoor tags wont fade...well..priceles.

[Dean Fowell]

Thanks for the info I make alot of shipping tags for nuclear power plant but they throw away once shipped,

[AL Ursich]

I am anxious to get a eBay Etch o Matic I bought, it is in the mail to mark metal. I will try laser mask and laser the stencil and try the Etch o Matic.... Can't Wait..... Looked like a cheaper way to make the stencils. With only 20 watts I needed a alternative to Cermark. More to come.

AL