Laser engraving.

[thePiRaTE!!]

Howdy folks. I'm going to need some laser engraving done on a metal body and was wondering if anyone would recommend a particular business they've had success with. Its not something I can afford to have messed up and most local businesses tend to cater to promotional items and trophies - I'm not comfortable to make my project their first experience.

While you're at it, any pics of the work done would be fun to see as well.


Thanks.

[submarineman]

I just had my PTW Lower done last week at a local engraver here in Halifax.
They did a fantastic job, cheap and they worked with me. awesome, I will post some pics when I get home.

[burningashes]

At the UofC i think they do custom engravings. Might have to do a bit of explaining to the engravers though

http://www.ucalgary.ca/engraving/node/46

This business does deep metal engravings: http://www.lasercraftcalgary.com/

Also try the following:

http://www.lasersource.ca/

http://www.picengravers.com/

Let me know which one you selected cuz i have to get some engraving done too.

[submarineman]

I forgot, these guys have done a bunch of airsoft stuff as well

http://www.hitechtattoos.com/

[safx]

Imperial Engravers here in Toronto
are quite good. They have a variety
of services from laser to deep cnc.

They did my custom wood grips. I
also saw samples of their metal work,
nice stuff

Contact djbordie aka Dave

http://www.imperialengravers.com/main.htm

[m102404]

DJbordie (Dave) is correct. Don't know if he airsoft's anymore, but he still runs the lasers there.

His dad has owned that shop longer than I've been alive.

Somewhere in Dave's thread he lists his e-mail account I think...or just call the shop.

[burningashes]

Guys i think hes probably looking for some shop in Calgary

[safx]

Originally Posted by burningashes

Guys i think hes probably looking for some shop in Calgary

Yah think?

But just in case there's nothing
worth using in his area, it's
always nice to have options.

We buy our parts and toys from
all over the world, what's the big
deal about shipping a piece across
country for excellent work and a
fair price?

[burningashes]

Originally Posted by safx

what's the big
deal about shipping a piece across
country for excellent work and a
fair price?

The probability of shipping something, waiting, Recieving it (Paying for the entire shipping), and then still ending up with a major fuckup. I believe something similar happened to a fellow airsofter here, except he wanted to anodize his metal body. Result: Total Carnage

[safx]

Originally Posted by burningashes

The probability of shipping something, waiting, Recieving it (Paying for the entire shipping), and then still ending up with a major fuckup. I believe something similar happened to a fellow airsofter here, except he wanted to anodize his metal body. Result: Total Carnage

This is a simple engraving, and coming
from someone who's already had nice
work done by the guy. I also spoke with
Dave at TAC this year when they had a
booth showcasing their work, quite good.

You make no sense. What does it matter
if you ship something and it gets messed
up, over something messed up closer to
home? Shipping doesn't increase your
risk of a bad job, only the overall cost
a little bit.

Communication is the key, I believe
Dave is on the ball, he completed jobs
for me that would have been impossible.
Judge for yourself—

http://www.airsoftcanada.com/showthread.php?t=71026

[burningashes]

Originally Posted by safx

This is a simple engraving, and coming
from someone who's already had nice
work done by the guy. I also spoke with
Dave at TAC this year when they had a
booth showcasing their work, quite good.

You make no sense. What does it matter
if you ship something and it gets messed
up, over something messed up closer to
home? Shipping doesn't increase your
risk of a bad job, only the overall cost
a little bit.

Communication is the key, I believe
Dave is on the ball, he completed jobs
for me that would have been impossible.
Judge for yourself—

http://www.airsoftcanada.com/showthread.php?t=71026

Forget the cost, just the inconvenience and the extra waiting with a fuckup is not worth it. On the other hand, the grips look nice. Do have contact info on the guy?

[Shooting Chef]

I would highly recommend Dave, you won't regret it. His attention to detail makes your engraving job well worth the wait.

Here's his contact info:

Imperial engravers
80 Power Street
Toronto, Ontario
M5A 3A7
TEL.: 416/368-7694

If you want some pics of his job on my M4, I can take some for you tonight when I get in.

[safx]

Originally Posted by burningashes

Forget the cost, just the inconvenience and the extra waiting with a fuckup is not worth it. On the other hand, the grips look nice. Do have contact info on the guy?

Dude are your eyes deaf?

There's no inconvenience in getting
a stellar job done, it's worth the
wait. And who cares if you don't
think it's worth waiting? Your not
looking and asking for advice here.
Post if you have something relevant
to add, or at least something funny,
be gone troll.

I've seen samples of engravings
on metal receivers done by Dave.
They were excellent, one was a
deep cnc of Vltor.

[Loathing]

Would the guy from Toronto (Dave) have the ability to strip/sand down a receiver before engraving it? I have one here that I'd like to get engraved at some point but it needs to be sanded down and re-painted due to my shitty painting skills.

And ballparking it, what would he usually charge?

[m102404]

Not to blow too much sunshine up Dave's ass...but if you send him the vector drawing of what you want, he can laser/cut/engrave some samples and send them back to you. So far as I know...he always runs a sample cut/test before he does the real thing to adjust the laser for the height/depth/orientation/sizing/etc....

Ideally, you'd want to send him sample material that is similar (i.e. base metal type and coating/paint/whatever).

If you don't have the drawing in vector (or line?) format...he can convert a hi-res picture/image for you...but there may be an extra charge for that. I think one of the ladies in the front office does the graphics stuff.

I would note though...that Dave isn't a gun nut...so if you want a particular logo on a part...it's best if you specify stuff like:
- parrallel to this edge
- perpendicular to that reference line
- x.xx mm space around it
- etc....
Pics of an example of what you want go a long, long way.

Opinionated as he is, SAFX is a stand up guy and a graphics wizard...he's helped me out before with some laser engraving graphics that I took to Dave. Didn't have to do much for him....but when he said, "You've got some might purdy lips there, boy...", I left running.

If I was doing this...the extra $40 of shipping stuff would be immaterial if I was putting a $300-1000 part under the knife for a jaw dropping pet project. Only results would matter then.

Note: You two could start your own thread and bitch at each other all you want....

***edit***
He can send stuff out to be sand-blasted stripped...and even powder coated (I had a receiver done as a test and that stuff is bulletproof...but gets into every nook and cranny). I'm sure he has anodizing contacts too. NOBODY wants to run a line of powder coating/anodizing for just one part...it's either expensive, or the guys that do it just aren't interested in tying up the production time (i.e. they have a real business to run and time is money).

His dad's shop (it's a med sized business) has been doing plaques, plates, trophies, etc...longer than I've been alive.

Ask him for his prices.