In general - How deep can one expect to engrave various metal parts with a fiber laser? Is a 20w good or 50w the way to go for detail and depth? 20w good and just engrave multiple runs on the same piece? Looking to engrave images into metal parts on guns and have detail and depth - I want "ridges" or a "tactile experience" when someone runs their fingers over my work.
Background: New here, but have been running a small business engraving with a sandblaster for 15 years now. Love the process, creative outlet doing one-of-a-kind stuff, still have my day job but have landed a few larger contracts the past few years that make this engraving stuff have potential to be the retirement/replacement gig. Decent customer base. Working out of my office and garage. I recently lost a contract to engrave some metal parts (for rifles). I get great detail and depth with my sandblaster setup - pride in detail AND depth that I can achieve in glass, rocks, and metals. But my costs were higher on this job as prep work and clean up to mass engrave these odd shaped parts are killers (1-man-shop). And keeping them clean and sand free requires meticulous prep and taping (Pain in the...) I lost this contract to a guy with a laser whose designs were rough etchings. He had to have a lower power CO2, just taking the top coating off the metal, poor quality (my opinion) but his price way lower than mine. SO... If I'm going to take the next step a laser may be the way to go, likely fiber. Doing my research, reading tons (great info here! Thank's y'all!), and trying to find a good company/laser setup. I think engraving metals is where i want to focus, so a fiber laser is what I'm looking at. 20W vs 50W, gantry-vs-galvo... Any answers to the first question would be appreciated, any input on expanding into lasers from sandblasting or other thoughts appreciated as well.
If I can't engrave deep with a laser I think I'll stick to my sandblasting, but I think there may be potential to expand?
Best wishes-
Matt