Marking a Fantasy Football Belt Plate

[John Kleiber]

I have a customer bringing over a metal plate he would like to have marked with winners/losers. The plate is supposed to mount on a belt players trade back and forth.

I do not have the plate in hand yet, but from what I can see in google images, there is a slight curve.

If he brings me the bright gold plate, I'm thinking Cermark. However the curve is concerning. I have lased leather which is somewhat uneven, but not Cermark on a slightly curved piece of metal.

If the metal is coated like the following I was also thinking of ablation. However if gold, then Cermark.

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The last time I got a call about doing something like this, I told the customer 15.00. I thought that was pretty cheap considering the other shop he called wanted a 35.00 setup fee just to start. Never heard back from him.

[Mike Null]

If the plate is like the photo then laser engraving is probably the best option. It's possible that the plate willl be bent to the curve after engraving.

[John Kleiber]

Customer just dropped the plates by. See below plate image with ruler for scale.

Looks like the bend is exactly 3/16" as measured from counter surface.

Will a curve like this be an issue for Cermark?

They are also very brightly polished so I'm thinking LMM-6038.

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Material is lite and plated gold. Seems like its cast aluminum or pot metal of some sort.

I do not have anything around the shop like this to test on. I could however slightly bend a piece of stainless scrap to try on.

[Mike Null]

It is probably pot metal in which case I'd be reluctant to use Cermark. (might melt it) I'd be looking at Diamond drag if your have that option open.

On the other hand, you might just direct engrave it with co2 laser being careful of your settings.

If you know somebody with a UV printer that would also be an option.

[Tony Lenkic]

This type of engraving is best suited with diamond drag. Laser may be wrong tool. See the plate with "CHAMPION" engraved.

[Scott Marquez]

Can you run a test on the back side of the product?
Scott

[John Kleiber]

Its plated on the back, but pretty rough looking.
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I will see what i can do. I have a contact at Cermark that may be able to shed some light on this.

-John

[Kev Williams]

If some brought me these and expected me to engrave the metal proper, I'd run away screaming...

That said-- in the first pic the belt has what appears to be basic black/gold plates INSET into the recessed area of the gold plates--
IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, DO THIS WITH THESE-- make a black plate to fit the pocket and engrave IT. Curve the plate afterwards around a coffee can or whatever and tape it in.

Try to talk them into it. Nice thing is, you can make one plate to show them- and YOU- exactly what you'll get.
... if something goes amiss with engraving the metal itself, that will be your only viable remedy anyway.
Might as well do that first. Another nice thing about an engraved insert, it makes the medallion re-useable! Just don't tape it to death, and the nameplate can be changed later...

I just went thru this headache twice last week, once with clearcoated brass, which the 80w Triumph could not remove enough for Cermark to work. All it would do was 'etch' the clearcoat. Not sure if it was lacquer or enamel. And then I had a bunch of award medallions, similar to these in that they were cast alum/pot metal with an antique brass plating or coating. I fiber lasered these, and fibered pot metal looks like crap. AND, there were two medallions with some clearcoat that the fiber wouldn't penetrate whatsoever.

I wouldn't even be comfortable diamond etching these- can't count the times the clearcoat and/or the plating itself flaked and peeled during diamond etching. Chrome is the worst, but anything plated with any copper is suspect for the plating coming off...

[John Kleiber]

I have not received an email back from Cermark so nothing on that.

Kev, I'd say you are definitely right regarding the laser option and high probability for poor results.

By some of the google images, that insert idea seems to be the only way to go.

Looks like JDS has some interesting Duets laserable gold/black and black/gold sheet stock.

That probably what this is...
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