Results 1 to 11 of 11

Thread: Dirty Engraving

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    207

    Dirty Engraving

    Any tricks to eliminate or minimize the colored engraved dust that settles in the white engraved areas? Right now I just take the finished piece out, put it under some water and use a toothbrush to clean it as good as I can. Any suggestions?
    IMG_4443.jpg

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    1,038
    What type of laser do you have? Please add to your signature helps with issues like this. Depending on your laser you might be able to tell it to engrave from the bottom up instead of top down which may help depending on the laser and where the exhaust vents are located. You can also try turning off air assist while engraving
    Trotec Speedy 400 120w, Trotec Speedy 300 80w
    Thunderlaser Mars-130 with EFR 130w tube
    Signature Rotary Engravers (2)
    Epson F6070 Large Format Printer, Geo Knight Air Heat Presses (2)

  3. #3
    Only way I've found that works with RED/WHITE (sucks, but it works)

    First, make sure you have stops in place so you can put the material back in it's original position, or tape it down real good--

    Engrave once, just deep enough that it's fully thru the red.

    If you can remove the plate and put it back, then wash off with soap and water.

    NEXT, take turpentine, wet a paper towel, and wipe all the engraving, this will get MOST of the red out, and WILL get any soot off the surface.

    Then, simply engrave it again. The second pass will remove any remaining soot in the white, and there won't be any red soot to spoil the final cleanup, which should work with soap & water.

    As for turpentine- denatured alcohol or mineral spirits will also work- but I've found turpentine to be the best 'happy medium' for my needs.

    I just haven't found another way around this problem that works...
    ========================================
    ELEVEN - rotary cutter tool machines
    FOUR - CO2 lasers
    THREE- make that FOUR now - fiber lasers
    ONE - vinyl cutter
    CASmate, Corel, Gravostyle


  4. #4
    I have found medium hot water works better than chemicals.
    I have the same problem with Blue/White.
    TROTEC Laser, Roland SP300,SAWGRASS SG1000 Sublimation Printer, Q1 Mod New Hermes Vanguard 3400 Engraver, Daige Laminator, Next Wave Shark HD510 CNC

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Savusavu, Fiji
    Posts
    1,167
    This has come up many times before. Red/white is the most difficult. Having done a gazillion school tags (very popular here, for Head Boy/Girl, Prefect, etc.) the quickest and easiest way we found was engrave from bottom up, engrave a 2nd time at lower power and/or higher speed, then drop the tags into water with good dish detergent. Agitate them for a couple of minutes, then rinse in clean water, and lay them out on a towel to dry. Never had a complaint.
    Longtai 460 with 100 watt EFR, mostly for fun. More power is good!! And a shop with enough wood working tools to make a lot of sawdust. Ex-owner of Shenhui 460-80 and engraving business with 45 watt Epilog Mini18.

  6. #6
    Black can be bad too. And my LS900 won't engrave bottom-up, wish it would! My old ULS did, and with good draw from the blower I had very little trouble, even with red.

    As for water, maybe it's the minerals in ours, but it won't clean out the lettering at all. With dishsoap it'll clean most of the soot off the surface, but usually just smears what's in the engraving, making it worse.
    ========================================
    ELEVEN - rotary cutter tool machines
    FOUR - CO2 lasers
    THREE- make that FOUR now - fiber lasers
    ONE - vinyl cutter
    CASmate, Corel, Gravostyle


  7. #7
    You can run a low power "clean up" pass but I generally put mine in water and use a Magic Eraser to clean. Never try to dust out or wipe the piece with a dry rag. That just embeds the red powder.
    Mike Null

    St. Louis Laser, Inc.

    Trotec Speedy 300, 80 watt
    Gravograph IS400
    Woodworking shop CLTT and Laser Sublimation
    Dye Sublimation
    CorelDraw X5, X7

  8. #8
    I found that if you put masking over it after you engrave it, then squeegee it tightly. This will pick up much of the dust that settles in
    the engraved area before you clean it. Also engrave bottom up that way the engraving area is behind the air flow.
    Martin Boekers

    1 - Epilog Radius 25watt laser 1998
    1 - Epilog Legend EXT36 75watt laser 2005
    1 - Epilog Legend EXT36 75watt laser 2007
    1 - Epilog Fusion M2 32 120watt laser with camera 2015
    2 - Geo Knight K20S 16x20 Heat Press
    Geo Knight K Mug Press,
    Ricoh GX-7000 Dye Sub Printer
    Zerox Phaser 6360 Laser Printer
    numerous other tools and implements
    of distruction/distraction!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Gig Harbor, WA
    Posts
    1,157
    Better Life Through Chemisty............ Naphtha VM&P and Magic Eraser cleans all the sticky resin, dust and crude yet does not damage the plastic surface like many of the solvents.
    Mark
    In the Great Northwest!

    Trotec Speedy C25, Newing-Hall 350 (AMC I & HPGL), NH-CG-30 (Carbide Cutter Sharpener)
    Sawgrass 400 Gel Ink Printer, CS5, 5/9/x6 CorelDraw

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Los Angeles
    Posts
    178
    I do a lot of red/white 1/8" Rowmark Laser material.

    I clean everything with denatured alcohol and have good results for cleanup.

    Robert
    Robert Tepper
    Trotec Rayjet 300/80 Watt
    Dahlgren 500 Engraving Machine, CNC Engraving Machine
    Pad printer with 5 3/4 x 5 3/4" print area
    Jackson Vulcanizers, 15 x 24", three total
    Hegner Scroll Saws, 14", three total

  11. #11
    I stumbled onto a 'combo' concoction yesterday that worked well, at least with gooey edges and soot from cutting-

    My Turpentine wasn't within reach, but Mineral spirits was nearby, so I used that to rub the edges and clean the face (white/black Rowmark). Mineral spirits takes forever to evaporate so I followed up with a dose of DNA-- The pieces dried almost immediately, and no soot anywhere...

    Not sure about cleaning out red yet, but I like how it worked on the black edges and white top surface--
    ========================================
    ELEVEN - rotary cutter tool machines
    FOUR - CO2 lasers
    THREE- make that FOUR now - fiber lasers
    ONE - vinyl cutter
    CASmate, Corel, Gravostyle


Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •