Project--Is Laser Engraving Applicable Here?

[Darrick Robbins]

Hey everyone. I am totally ignorant about laser work and have a question regarding some work I need done at a golf course nearby. They have decided to have natural wood tee markers. They are approximately 8" in diameter, and they have a logo routed on the surface about 1/4" deep. My question is this, is this something that could be egraved using a laser? How deep is the resulting impression? Is there a cavity? What is the rough cost of doing that? Does it leave a burnt surface, i.e. black? They are charging $30 each to use a router on them. Any information would be appreciated. Thanks ALot!!
Darrick

[Lee DeRaud]

Hey everyone. I am totally ignorant about laser work and have a question regarding some work I need done at a golf course nearby. They have decided to have natural wood tee markers. They are approximately 8" in diameter, and they have a logo routed on the surface about 1/4" deep. My question is this, is this something that could be egraved using a laser? How deep is the resulting impression? Is there a cavity? What is the rough cost of doing that? Does it leave a burnt surface, i.e. black? They are charging $30 each to use a router on them. Any information would be appreciated. Thanks ALot!!
Darrick

Taking your questions in order:
1. Yes, a laser can do that, but it will take a big laser to (1) hold an 8" diameter object and (2) engrave 1/4" deep. Spherical is a problem regardless...the lasers work best on flat or cylindrical objects because of the mechanisms involved. (So do routers, for that matter.)
2. As deep as you want to pay for, but most lasers won't go much deeper than 1/8"-3/16" before the router starts sounding like a better idea.
3. I have no idea what you mean by "cavity".
4. Lasering is priced by setup time (converting your artwork to the proper format) and machine time (how long it takes to cut/engrave the image). See #2.
5. Yes. The laser does its work by burning the wood.

Upon further review, $30 each sounds pretty cheap for what you're describing, regardless of how you're doing it.

[Darrick Robbins]

Thanks Lee.

[Lee DeRaud]

Thanks Lee.

Happy to help, although I suspect I didn't much.

When you said "tee markers", I first thought "Ok, $30 each, he needs 18 of them, big whoop"...then I realized "Oh, tee markers...he needs six per hole: two each, blue/white/red tees...crikey, that's gonna put a dent in the ol' budget." Good luck with whatever you decide.

Where are they getting the basic markers? Eight-inch wood balls aren't exactly stock items down at Home Depot.

[Darrick Robbins]

Believe it or not there are golf supply houses that stock most of the run of the mill stuff. This is a country club, a very high end one that spends alot of $$. They are going to get 250 tee markers. There are four or five sets per hole, plus the driving range and practice areas. Ya, its alot of money but a drop in the bucket compared to annual expenditures. Thanks again.

[Lee DeRaud]

Heh, way too classy for me. Growing up I played on a lot of courses on Air Force bases...

The tee markers tended to be de-mil'ed mortar shells that looked like football-sized bombs, with a railroad spike welded to the side to stick into the ground. They would paint the whole thing with spray-can enamel, usually after it was installed...you could always tell where the tees were last time they painted because of the "dead bomb" outline painted on the grass.

It's the kind of thing that gives "low-tech" a bad name.