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Thread: Cermark on Brass shell casing

  1. #1

    Cermark on Brass shell casing

    I have a customer that wants me to engrave some memorials on 105 mm shell casings from a gun ship (super cool!!) but cermark just seems to rub off. Does cermark not work on brass? I thought it did and im running 100 power/1 speed and still nothing. any suggestions? I had also thought about using a ferric chloride etch method on it, but i'm a little rust. Does anyone have some instructions on how to do that?
    Last edited by Dan Ashlin; 11-22-2010 at 12:59 PM.

  2. #2
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    Brass isn't a problem, but you need to make sure it's bare brass and not coated to keep it shiny. If you have any cutting oil or grease on it, that will prevent a good bond, too.

    How much power do you have to work with (put it in your sig for later reference by the rest of us)? 1 is pretty slow, even for low-power machines, and you can end up overpowering it.

    How thick is your coating, and how is it applied?
    Last edited by Dan Hintz; 11-22-2010 at 1:10 PM.
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  3. #3
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    I've lasered rifle brass for a while so I can keep track of what I shoot. This brass you have could have a coating on it to keep it shiny as it seems to be a piece to look at in a case or something. Get it down to bare metal, engrave, then recoat with clear varnish.

  4. #4
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    brass engrave

    I just did a 50 cal casing for a pen
    with cermark with no problems
    engraved perfect and didn't rub off
    so it must be coated with something
    ken
    Epilog Laser, CNC equipment, Corel X3 & 4, Aspire

  5. #5
    I doubt its coated with anything special, they were live fired rounds from Iraq. Im using a 25 watt trotec, but its 10+ years old and im guessing its not producing that much wattage anymore. Im coating with a foam brush, three thin coats to where the cermark just becomes barely translucent.

  6. #6
    Dan, to keep Cermark working well you need AT LEAST 17-18 Wt. As your laser is not young, I think power is problem.
    GCC Dealer in Baltic countries

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Viktor Voroncov View Post
    Dan, to keep Cermark working well you need AT LEAST 17-18 Wt. As your laser is not young, I think power is problem.
    Thats my guess too. It works great on stainless steel though, just did a whole batch of knives that came out great. Im guessing etching will be the way to go. If my thinking is correct, i would just spray it with some acrylic paint, laser away the design, etch with ferric chloride and then somehow remove the remaining paint, correct?

  8. #8
    May be here you will find proper info
    etch-o-matic.com
    But be honestly - I have sent them three e-mails and never have answers
    GCC Dealer in Baltic countries

  9. #9
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    I talked to them about the etch-0-matic on brass and they said it would only leave a light mark.

    I do have a etch-0-matic on my used shopping list.... Wonder if you could laser engrave the laser mask and use it for detail work...? The film they sell has a screen printing type of internal mesh so the center of the e's don't wash out.

    AL
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    Hi Dan
    I’ve been engraving 308 shells to make pens for several months. I don’t use fancy engraving products. I use plane old cold galvanizing spray. Just sprits it on evenly and laser (on my 30w I use 6s 100p 1000ppi). I do have to use acetone to clean them with though, and the mark is slightly grey but a little black rub-n-buff makes the mark a perfect black that doesn’t seem to come off even with heavy use. That’s my brass process for you.

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  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Randy Walker View Post
    Hi Dan
    I’ve been engraving 308 shells to make pens for several months. I don’t use fancy engraving products. I use plane old cold galvanizing spray. Just sprits it on evenly and laser (on my 30w I use 6s 100p 1000ppi). I do have to use acetone to clean them with though, and the mark is slightly grey but a little black rub-n-buff makes the mark a perfect black that doesn’t seem to come off even with heavy use. That’s my brass process for you.

    Randy Walker
    Huh, so you just spray it on and laser? That seems like a pretty cheap and innovative solution. I see a trip to lowes in my future.
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  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Randy Walker View Post
    Hi Dan
    I’ve been engraving 308 shells to make pens for several months. I don’t use fancy engraving products. I use plane old cold galvanizing spray. Just sprits it on evenly and laser (on my 30w I use 6s 100p 1000ppi). I do have to use acetone to clean them with though, and the mark is slightly grey but a little black rub-n-buff makes the mark a perfect black that doesn’t seem to come off even with heavy use. That’s my brass process for you.

    Randy Walker
    You have any pictures of this?

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    I've played played with small casings with cermark and got varied results. I'm guessing too little power too. But even with my fiber, some cases engraved well, some didn't. There are different grades of brass for sure even in gun cases.
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    These are Cermarked. They could have used a bit of polishing.
    IMG_8246ww.jpg
    Tim
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    Quote Originally Posted by John Lifer View Post
    I've played played with small casings with cermark and got varied results. I'm guessing too little power too. But even with my fiber, some cases engraved well, some didn't. There are different grades of brass for sure even in gun cases.
    I did some 223 (live) rounds with my fiber and they came out perfect. I would post a picture but they are not PC so I don't want to cause problems.
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