custom engraving

[Mr.Thomas Aaron Hero]

Has anyone here had any custom engraving done?I am looking for a shop that can engrave aluminum plate with custom graphics,I have tried trophie shops,name plate shops,plaque shops,none of them can do it or even recomend where to have it done,I just want some words engraved in 1/8" thick aluminum but not in a standard font and some simple graphics,I am going insane trying to find a company to do this! Does anyone have any suggestions?? Thanks for any help! Aaron H.

[chevyman440]

> Has anyone here had any custom engraving
> done?I am looking for a shop that can
> engrave aluminum plate with custom
> graphics,I have tried trophie shops,name
> plate shops,plaque shops,none of them can do
> it or even recomend where to have it done,I
> just want some words engraved in 1/8"
> thick aluminum but not in a standard font
> and some simple graphics,I am going insane
> trying to find a company to do this! Does
> anyone have any suggestions?? Thanks for any
> help! Aaron H.

Perhaps a sign shop? My cousin used to work for an engraver (out of business unfortunately!) and they had a laser engraving machine. You could clean up the graphics with photoshop, then load it right into the cnc controlled machine. It was pretty slick.

I'm guessing everyone you are looking at has old school machines. Maybe these guys? Never used them, but they do signage.

<A HREF="http://www.lazerdesigns.com/custom.html">http://www.lazerdesigns.com/custom.html</A>

[shawn_a]

One thing, there's no way in hell I would use Photoshop for something I has having cut on a computerized machine. Do the work in Illustrator where you have vectored paths and things will be perfect. Plus out of Illustrator you can export the artwork to the engravers needs. We have a local vinyl decal cutter that does super slick work with a plotter equipped with a cutting head and all they need is an Illustrator .eps file. I would imagine the engravers have much the same capabilities. If they can use Illustrator .eps files and anyone needs their artwork saved as such, just drop me a line.

shawn

[Mr.Thomas Aaron Hero]

Thanks! I emailed them and they say they can do it for $5 each,I will be sending them my parts in the morning to make sure their laser works with my aluminum, I cant believe how hard it was for me to find a company to do this!It seems anyone with a CNC would have the software to do such a simple design! anyway,thanks for leading me in the right direction! Aaron Hero

[layertone]

Hi Aaron,

I can help! Let me know what graphics you would like / send me an e-mail for v-bit carving in aluminum.

Thanks

[mrm]

> Thanks! I emailed them and they say they can
> do it for $5 each,I will be sending them my
> parts in the morning to make sure their
> laser works with my aluminum, I cant believe
> how hard it was for me to find a company to
> do this!It seems anyone with a CNC would
> have the software to do such a simple
> design! anyway,thanks for leading me in the
> right direction! Aaron Hero

Which ones they? Lazer designs?

[Mr.Thomas Aaron Hero]

> Hi Aaron,

> I can help! Let me know what graphics you
> would like / send me an e-mail for v-bit
> carving in aluminum.

> Thanks
I might just do that,the laser company just emailed me telling me they can only etch the surface and I wanted it engraved,I will send you the info. Thanks! Aaron

[Mr.Thomas Aaron Hero]

> Which ones they? Lazer design? Sorry! yes laser design,But I just found out they can only do surface etching so thats not going to work for me as I wanted engraving. A.H.

[Mr.Thomas Aaron Hero]

[neildavis]

http://home.comcast.net/~neilrdavis/Plate_amps/BCPA70-1.JPG

Provided Link: Front Panel Express (http://www.frontpanelexpress.com)


Front Panel Express is pricey, but you can have them make exactly what you want. In order to add a graphic you will need to import an HPGL file. It looks like you can install an HP printer driver, print the graphic to a file and then import the HPGL...but I haven't tried it.