Jump to content

Engraving tool


stainlessstroker95

Recommended Posts

If you use the right tips the Dremel will work perfectly. I use a Dremel with a flex shaft for engraving, and I've used it to engrave a lot of stuff. Bowling balls, Maglites, wallets, etc.. Using a flex shaft makes it a lot easier too because it's like holding a pencil. A vibrating, spinning really fast, cut you if your not careful, pencil, but still. Of course it helps to have a little artistic skill for what I do, I used to be a professional artist so this type of stuff comes natural to me. However, I'd always suggest a Dremel and flex shaft, mainly because it's easy to use and easy to hold. Some examples of what a Dremel can do (obviously you're not going to do this to your tools, and I might be showing off just a little bit, but...)...

 

7468144974_b4b0db2ee2_b.jpg

June 29 008 by Edward Durbin, on Flickr

 

7468145796_ebc77e4de2_b.jpg

June 29 005 by Edward Durbin, on Flickr

 

8207504864_a6eea1c6ba_b.jpg

Justice01 by Edward Durbin, on Flickr

 

12043350324_8e2a741e40_b.jpg

]Maglite  001 by Edward Durbin, on Flickr

 

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

nice stuff Kato, I do the same for many years with acrylic and wood some times your right it is easy with the right bits and learning the direction and pressures....

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sterco, is that a vibrating type engraver? That's the only type I've ever used, I am wondering because when I think Dremel, i think rotary tool

Yeah it's a vibrating type. I like it a lot better than the rotary tool and it's about a quarter the price. Easier for me to write neatly. Probably a matter of personal preference.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't mark my tools but I think if I did I'd go with stamps/punch just because you don't need to be able to draw or have good handwriting for it to look good. http://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-6611-16-Inch-Letter-36-Piece/dp/B0037USPUM

Could put initials, or simply just a single character(like an "@" or whatever). I cannot comment on the quality of the linked tool set. Here's the punctuation set: http://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-6607-32-Inch-Punctuation-9-Piece/dp/B00ARD3HXM

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

the Dremel is a good choice easy to find, $18 on amazon :)  ive used a rotary tool as well and I actually prefer that sometimes.

 

Making punches isnt difficult,most of them are just case hardened,and lettering on tools are usually done by stamps/dies from a manufacture

 

i have a pretty fair selection of punches ive made myself over my machining career,only do it when needed thou, good punches are fairly cheap to buy so not really worth the time it takes but sometimes you have no choice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

rotary tool of some kind is your best bet, even if you are not good at engraving the way you want you can mark your tools with any kind of mark to show they are yours. I tend to hide my markings on my tools when I did mark them so anyone couldn't remove them or change them. just an X will do it if it is hidden. take a picture of the marked tool with the exposed mark that way you can prove it was yours. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder if anyone has had good results with chemical etching tools, that might look pretty cool and probably able to be polished out if you want to resell(assuming that you don't have to worry about theft, and you're marking just to eliminate confusion). Probably could do the same thing with media blasting, both would need masking to work obviously.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ive used systems like that before, etching,laser,couple other ways. Alot of machine shops use these techniques to mark their smaller parts,on big stuff Steel stamp. I think ive etched some of my Starrett steel scales,ill have to post a pic of that later.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very good ideas for marking tools. And that just made me think of another. Guys at work paint their tools with different colors of florecent paint. The paint wears off after a while, so I wonder if you could anodize your tools? I have heard of guys anodizing gun parts at home. But I'm not sure how all that works. I won't be going this route but just throwing it out there. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anodizing is a coating process for Aluminum,magnesium,titanium and such. They apply an acid bath the parts sit in and that makes the parts absorb the dye pigment,thats the short version of it.

 

Most tools are tool steel alloys so thats why they are often plated with chrome,nickel,or tool black or whatever the OEM happens to use.

 

Ive messed around with some types of tools like punches and such,when they start looking ugly I toss em in the glass beader and then recoat them with gun bluing or tool black.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Member Statistics

    18,446
    Total Members
    6,555
    Most Online
    ChuckW
    Newest Member
    ChuckW
    Joined
×
×
  • Create New...