Engraving on metal compound $20 for one year

[Sergio Arze]

Hmmm I wonder if pre-mix Drywall compound as a thin paste or spray would work?
I'd love to play with this, but I never have enough time during business hours.. Non business hours are too absorbed by non business stuff

I'm sure some people will try it now that you mentioned it

[Dan Hintz]

I'm sure some people will try it now that you mentioned it

Probably not, actually. I think you'll find the SMC fora to be of a different caliber than the typical online forum. We tend to police ourselves, mostly, with the administrators to do the actual dirty work. The admins also do not take a hands-off approach as you'll find in many online forums, where action happens weeks or months after a transgression occurs, as the owner of the board is a very active member. You'll get a fair warning once, maybe twice, but continue to break the rules and you'll find yourself banned in very short order. On other forums there are usually plenty of members who back up posting shenanigans... you won't find such people here. We love the community created here, and none of us will stand idly by while someone, new or old, trashes it.

[Scott Shepherd]

Dan, I think he meant someone will try the dry wall mix now

[Sergio Arze]

Probably not, actually. I think you'll find the SMC fora to be of a different caliber than the typical online forum. We tend to police ourselves, mostly, with the administrators to do the actual dirty work. The admins also do not take a hands-off approach as you'll find in many online forums, where action happens weeks or months after a transgression occurs, as the owner of the board is a very active member. You'll get a fair warning once, maybe twice, but continue to break the rules and you'll find yourself banned in very short order. On other forums there are usually plenty of members who back up posting shenanigans... you won't find such people here. We love the community created here, and none of us will stand idly by while someone, new or old, trashes it.

We are talking about premix drywall compound, what are you talking about?? please note that I had quoted a question someone had asked.

[Lee DeRaud]

Hmmm I wonder if pre-mix Drywall compound as a thin paste or spray would work?

What do you thin it with? Most of the stuff I've seen is more like peanut butter...and that's even before it sits in my garage for a year or two.

[Dan Hintz]

Sorry, I still had the quote from the last post (Lee's) from the prior page. Ignore my comment...

[Eric Allen]

Sergio, are you actually getting colors by changing power? I haven't seen that change, but it could have to do with application. Bonding seems better than cermark on the aluminum pieces I've tested so far, inferior on nickel plating. Really an interesting experiment Is the color chart raster or vector engraving? The power is substantially greater in vector at the same speeds, I'm trying to get a handle on that color thing.

[Sergio Arze]

Sergio, are you actually getting colors by changing power? I haven't seen that change, but it could have to do with application. Bonding seems better than cermark on the aluminum pieces I've tested so far, inferior on nickel plating. Really an interesting experiment Is the color chart raster or vector engraving? The power is substantially greater in vector at the same speeds, I'm trying to get a handle on that color thing.

Eric

with this compound you will only be able to make a white engraving on aluminum, on steel it's a different story, the lower the speed you use the darker the engraving will get. I'm currently working on something new that you may like....colors*hint*hint*

[Sergio Arze]

Before I forget!!, you can also use the mix to cut on aluminum foil, if you are reducing with alcohol make sure to let your formula dry completely before vector cutting. I recommend 100%power and for speed use something equivalent to you laser power in mm/s
for example a 35watt machine 35mm/s.

[Eric Allen]

I tried that using cermark once, no luck. This stuff seems to have a real affinity for aluminum, thanks for the latest hot tip

[Bill Cunningham]

I'm sure some people will try it now that you mentioned it

Ahh See!! There's method in my madness.. Drywall compound and plaster are almost the same (maybe they are the same ?) Just figured it would give someone something to do.. All mine, like Lee's, is in the shed (mine would be frozen about now)..

[Sergio Arze]

Sergio,

I imagine you have experimented a bit with this, so to save us a bit more time have you tried mixing pigments to get a color such as these;

http://www.directcolors.com/concrete...FRPxDAoddTCrog

It appears in your photo that the engraving shows up as "frosted", does this change in density and color with the increase in power or speed of the laser, or does it reach a "maximum" effect?

Have you tried a photo yet?

Thanks for your willingness to share your discovery!
If you search through past posts you'll discover this
is a process many have tried to find that can provide the quality and consistantcy that we want.


Marty

You may be on the right track with this if you want to use it on ceramic, I don't think that you would be able to use the same application of the formula, you should look into making a paste. I'll do a little more research and let you know my findings.

[Mark Ross]

If anyone does try the drywall compound thing, there is a finer mix or premix that is used for the finishing coat. This finer grained compound might produce better results.

[Mike Milli]

I have been following this thread with great interest. I am a custom gun builder, and have been looking, for YEARS for a good way to mark on stainless barrels. I have purchased special stamp-sets, and many other methods, but have yet to come up with a method that was good enough to show.

I just picked up my laser engraver. It's a 100 Watt ULS. I have very little time with it, but this morning I decided to get the recommended materials from Sergio's shopping-list.

I mixed the Mothers chrome polish 1:1 by weight with the plaster of Paris. At that ratio, it made a "catsup" like consistency. I took a cut-off chunk of barrel material (416 ss) and rubbed the paste on with my finger. I smoothed it out as best I could, and let it dry.

I Started at 70% power and 6% speed, and worked up and down with power and speed, documenting the settings. The result, regardless of the settings, were quite similar. I tried steel-wool on the printing, then sand-paper, and it held up well. It looks to be VERY durable.

After several different tries, the paste started to dry. I added a little rubbing alcohol, stirred it up, and it worked great!

Here are a couple of photos of the results.

[Sergio Arze]

I have been following this thread with great interest. I am a custom gun builder, and have been looking, for YEARS for a good way to mark on stainless barrels. I have purchased special stamp-sets, and many other methods, but have yet to come up with a method that was good enough to show.

I just picked up my laser engraver. It's a 100 Watt ULS. I have very little time with it, but this morning I decided to get the recommended materials from Sergio's shopping-list.

I mixed the Mothers chrome polish 1:1 by weight with the plaster of Paris. At that ratio, it made a "catsup" like consistency. I took a cut-off chunk of barrel material (416 ss) and rubbed the paste on with my finger. I smoothed it out as best I could, and let it dry.

I Started at 70% power and 6% speed, and worked up and down with power and speed, documenting the settings. The result, regardless of the settings, were quite similar. I tried steel-wool on the printing, then sand-paper, and it held up well. It looks to be VERY durable.

After several different tries, the paste started to dry. I added a little rubbing alcohol, stirred it up, and it worked great!

Here are a couple of photos of the results.

what I really like about the formula is not that it just marks the steel but it actually engraves into it. I'm glad that this works for you

I'm currently working on a formula that will allow people to do the same dark engraving on aluminum, but it may take a few extra ingredients.