Plastic engraved signs

[Phil]

I've been asked to make some small plastic engraved signs. Like these https://www.amazon.com/Custom-Engraved- ... stic+signs
If anyone is making signs like this I'd like to get some basic info.
- what is the name of the material
- where do you get it
- what type of bit do you use to engrave
- other than engraving how do you cut it/

Thanks in advance

Phil

[garylmast]

Although I purchased supplies for my laser, you can get supplies at Johnson Plastics, who also owns Laserbits( www.johnsonplastics.com ). I remember somewhere on their site was instructions for their products. You might look there. Gary

[hardidon]

I have made name plates for our Vet’s office, and for some volunteers with Great Dane Rescue on North Texas, and have gotten the plates from NameTagCountry.com

I tried using different bits but always ended up melting the plastic into a glob on the bit which ruined any lettering, etc. On a whim thought i would try using the laser that i got with my HD4 Shark, and excellent results.

[martin54]

Phil, what you are looking for is an engraving laminate, probably the 2 best known trade names are Rowmark & Traffolyte , saerching any of those should throw up some suppliers, sorry my suppliers would probably be to expensive with shipping across the pond

Comes in rotary & laser engraving varieties, for the sort of work you are looking at then either a 1.5mm or 3mm thickness would be appropriate ( or the imperial equivalent )

If rotary machining then hold down can be a problem without a vac bed, I use engraving bits to machine, flat size varies a lot depending on text size

That should get you started, no doubt others will add to the thread

[Xxray]

You can easily go into sticker shock pricing this color core material.

I use a poor mans solution all the time, simply paint over white plexiglas [acrylic] with color of your choice and engrave your design [drag bit or rotary], produces much the same effect.
Example below was backlit but no reason why you have to, nice option to have though.
Probably not recommended for outdoors.

[Xxray]

Another example of the same effect, this one in clear plexi with multi color - Blue background could have been any color, white objects and font could have been any color ,, Could use 5 different colors if you wanted, something not possible with core material.

Not ragging on core material, I like it and have used it myself [though, as mentioned, some of it is often better suited to lasers than routers].
I find it uneconomical for my purposes, and limited on color options.