Laser Engraving

BigDon

BigDon

DESi Customs
Silver Member
Hey guys, I am looking to maybe get into the laser engraving/cutting business. I am trying to see where the market is for this type of service. I know a few builders engrave pins and so on. These being done in house or farmed out? Would more people have things done if there was a service offered? Thanks for any help
 
Will you be able to use the laser on a round surface? Just curious about the focal length and all.

Thanks,

Jason.
 
Yes it can be a small world ;) Yes you can use it it on round parts. They make a rotary device for the lasers now. Cuts and engraves derlin, wood and wood inlays, acrylics and could also cut and engrave leather. Be cool to have a logo or name and so on on a leather wrap. Also etch onto metal pins, so you could serial number or whatever on them. Lot of uses, just trying to see if there would be a market or not in this area.
 
BigDon said:
Yes it can be a small world ;) Yes you can use it it on round parts. They make a rotary device for the lasers now. Cuts and engraves derlin, wood and wood inlays, acrylics and could also cut and engrave leather. Be cool to have a logo or name and so on on a leather wrap. Also etch onto metal pins, so you could serial number or whatever on them. Lot of uses, just trying to see if there would be a market or not in this area.
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I have my rubber bumpers engraved.
You can have the buttcap engraved for logos too but I wouldn't ship my cues to get that done when you can have it done locally.
I don't know if metal pins can be laser engraved. I know it'll do it on anodized aluminums.
 
I'm sure you can find the engravers online. Many trophy shops laser engrave now so I would think they are pretty common.
I've seen it done locally on a cue so they do have the ability to engrave round stock.
 
BigDon said:
Yes it can be a small world ;) Yes you can use it it on round parts. They make a rotary device for the lasers now. Cuts and engraves derlin, wood and wood inlays, acrylics and could also cut and engrave leather. Be cool to have a logo or name and so on on a leather wrap. Also etch onto metal pins, so you could serial number or whatever on them. Lot of uses, just trying to see if there would be a market or not in this area.
Click to expand...

Then yeah, I'd be really interested. But since I'm just beginning my "river of wood", it may be awhile before I can help you pay back that $20K :smile-square: I'm not sure if you know J. Tyson from Browns & Brass Tap, but he had a laser and ended up selling it. If you know him, he'd be a great person to ask.
 
Thanks for the heads up, may know him by face but not sure about the name. I will ask around when I am up that way.
 
I know that back in the early years of the last decade, some folks over at Joss was doing laser engraving of the SS joints. Very elaborate designs too, as I recall. I think prices at that time were running like $75 for a very basic design upwards of $200-250 for the elaborate designs.

I do not think they are doing it anymore...which may well be the answer to your question...I do not think that the demand for the service was high enough and/or folks just couldn't justify that money for a simple beautifying of their cue.

Lisa ======> thinks they were called LaserArt Techniques, or something like that.
 
when etching an uncoated metal, a compound is brushed on or otherwise applied to the metal. The laser engraver burns or causes the compound to darken and adhere to the metal, but it's not very durable in my experience. This is with a pretty fancy / expensive Epilog Laser engraver. The buttcaps, or really any part of the cue that wasn't metal, would be engravable. You could also charge $5 or so a pop to do easy stuff like put people's names on the Q-claw cue holders... works like a champ. If you set the speed low and the power high, it will burn cleanly down 1/16" easily. If you were ambitious, you could do cases with fancy designs or custom artwork- most programs can use images directly from the internet. Make cheap, decent looking trophies for your local league by etching the glass in a cheap picture frame ($1 for a 5x7 at Walmart)... if you solicit the bars you might be able to sell them mugs and glasses with their bar name engraved in the side. You might not immediately make your money back, but long-term you could do quite a few side jobs beyond the cue engraving you had in mind. Good luck!
 
Thanks for the pm's and replies. Yes there are a lot of uses and cue building was just a small part of the market I was looking at. I hope to have one set up in the near future and will let everyone know.
 
You could earn a small fortune to pay back your laser by etching paintball markers. Sounds silly for someone who doesn't know much about paintball but check this out. This company does enough business from just paintball markers to stay afloat.

http://lasermygun.com/
 
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