I am looking for suggestions about engraving Stainless steel tags with our new Roland EGX-350 Desktop Engraver.
It'll accept 11/64" and 1/8" top load bits.
Tried making some tags with a 120* Diamond (Motors Off) and the results are not deep enough for our enviroment.
Any suggestion would be appreciated.
Thank you
Tooling suggestion for Stainless Steel
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knighttoolworks
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Re: Tooling suggestion for Stainless Steel
a steeper angle will cut deeper.Perry wrote:I am looking for suggestions about engraving Stainless steel tags with our new Roland EGX-350 Desktop Engraver.
It'll accept 11/64" and 1/8" top load bits.
Tried making some tags with a 120* Diamond (Motors Off) and the results are not deep enough for our enviroment.
Any suggestion would be appreciated.
Thank you
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metalworkz
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Re: Tooling suggestion for Stainless Steel
Hello,
Have you considered trying a solid carbide bit with minimal depths, slow RPM, and several passes to achieve a deeper tool path. Stainless is a very tenacious material and perhaps light passes(.002" - .005") with a final pass at half the pass depth to clean any burrs and lay the final pass. I imagine if the finish will not be grained or polished you will want to minimize or avoid any burring but it you use minimal depths I think it can be done. Perhaps try a small test on a scrap piece to give it a try and see?
Also do you think the drag engraving could be done in several passes at increasing depths? This may get you 3 times as deep with the same depth of cut, but I am not sure how the final engraving will look. I have done a lot of drag engraving but none on stainless steel. The other thing to realize is that as tuff as stainless is the engraving even on a more shallow level should be very permanent and a lot more wear resistant than in some other metals.
How small are the tags? It not too small a double line font may be more visible while still being at minimal depths. I hope something I offered may help you.
Good luck!
Have you considered trying a solid carbide bit with minimal depths, slow RPM, and several passes to achieve a deeper tool path. Stainless is a very tenacious material and perhaps light passes(.002" - .005") with a final pass at half the pass depth to clean any burrs and lay the final pass. I imagine if the finish will not be grained or polished you will want to minimize or avoid any burring but it you use minimal depths I think it can be done. Perhaps try a small test on a scrap piece to give it a try and see?
Also do you think the drag engraving could be done in several passes at increasing depths? This may get you 3 times as deep with the same depth of cut, but I am not sure how the final engraving will look. I have done a lot of drag engraving but none on stainless steel. The other thing to realize is that as tuff as stainless is the engraving even on a more shallow level should be very permanent and a lot more wear resistant than in some other metals.
How small are the tags? It not too small a double line font may be more visible while still being at minimal depths. I hope something I offered may help you.
Good luck!
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metalworkz
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Re: Tooling suggestion for Stainless Steel
Hello,
I meant to confer with knighttooworks in that the 120º bit is very flat for machining.
Just doing countersinking in steel is very difficult with a 120º countersink tool, and perhaps the steeper angled tool as he suggested will do the trick. My carbide 2 flute tool that I use for cutting engraving is a 90º tool and if you decide to try cutting the toolpaths you should use a tool 90º or less.
I meant to confer with knighttooworks in that the 120º bit is very flat for machining.
Just doing countersinking in steel is very difficult with a 120º countersink tool, and perhaps the steeper angled tool as he suggested will do the trick. My carbide 2 flute tool that I use for cutting engraving is a 90º tool and if you decide to try cutting the toolpaths you should use a tool 90º or less.
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Perry
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Re: Tooling suggestion for Stainless Steel
Thanks for the suggestions guys. I will pass this information on to my Team Leader at work about the 90* diamond.
The tags are of (2) sizes: 1 5/8" round and 3/4" x 3.0" rectangle. The enviroment is very harsh here so that is why the stainless. I am using a multiple lined single line font, so that does help.
I am only attempling a single pass, will attempt a couple done with a multiple pass.
Thanks again for the input.
Perry
The tags are of (2) sizes: 1 5/8" round and 3/4" x 3.0" rectangle. The enviroment is very harsh here so that is why the stainless. I am using a multiple lined single line font, so that does help.
I am only attempling a single pass, will attempt a couple done with a multiple pass.
Thanks again for the input.
Perry