# Engraving preparation help



## khobson (Sep 19, 2013)

Looking to have a logo engraved on the end of a cap for a baseball pen. After a couple of misfortunes...I have been asked if I can leave the wood a little thicker. While that is easily done....not sure how to then finish it up as I have been sending blanks that were turned all the way down and finished with CA. Have any of you encountered this or a similar issue and found a workable solution? I am open to any and all suggestions. The pen in question is one discussed here


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## Dane Fuller (Sep 19, 2013)

khobson said:


> Looking to have a logo engraved on the end of a cap for a baseball pen. After a couple of misfortunes...I have been asked if I can leave the wood a little thicker. While that is easily done....not sure how to then finish it up as I have been sending blanks that were turned all the way down and finished with CA. Have any of you encountered this or a similar issue and found a workable solution? I am open to any and all suggestions. The pen in question is one discussed here



Kris,
What I was asking is if the finished wood with the tube installed has to be that thin. If the pen can be fatter, then we'll run it again and should be okay. If it can't, that's no problem either. I'll make it work, somehow. I just want to make sure you're happy with the finished product.


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## khobson (Sep 19, 2013)

Dane Fuller said:


> khobson said:
> 
> 
> > Looking to have a logo engraved on the end of a cap for a baseball pen. After a couple of misfortunes...I have been asked if I can leave the wood a little thicker. While that is easily done....not sure how to then finish it up as I have been sending blanks that were turned all the way down and finished with CA. Have any of you encountered this or a similar issue and found a workable solution? I am open to any and all suggestions. The pen in question is one discussed here
> ...



I have been turning down to the bushings then applying the finish. I could not turn all the way down to the bushings, thereby leaving a thicker piece of wood, but then would have to sand it down and apply the finish after getting it back. My concern here would be distorting the engraved image and/or have a distorted image in the relief area after applying the CA finish. This is my first go at doing an engraved pen so not sure how that would work out. I was hoping somebody here had more experience and would be able to offer some guidance/suggestions.


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## Dane Fuller (Sep 19, 2013)

khobson said:


> Dane Fuller said:
> 
> 
> > khobson said:
> ...



Oh, okay. See here's another instance where I am ignorant to the pen making process. I didn't realize you had to turn down to a certain diameter. If that's the case, don't worry about it at all. By the time you get the next batch in here, I'll have it sorted out.


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## khobson (Sep 19, 2013)

I will just taper the ends like the pic below and hopefully that leaves enough wood in the middle to help get the job done!

[attachment=31391]


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## Schroedc (Sep 21, 2013)

I'm doing a bunch of pens for a local company and I have a laser myself, What I'm finding as an option is to apply a coat of thin CA, sand back, a 2nd coat of thin CA, sand to 400. I then engrave them on the laser, put them back on the lathe and apply the final finish. that seems to be working well and then the final finish seals the engraved area as well.....


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## Wildthings (Sep 21, 2013)

I never have any problems with the pens I have engraved. I finished per normal procedures with a CA finish. She engraves them and then I color fill them.


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## Dane Fuller (Sep 21, 2013)

It's not the finish on these, guys. It's the wood is so thin I blew through it to the tube. My laser runs hot so I've already adjusted the settings, I just need to tone it down more to keep from doing it. I've engraved on hundreds of pens and this is a first for me. They are made of ash so that might have something to do with it.


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## NCWoodArt (Sep 23, 2013)

Sounds like someone is getting their Ash burned.

Sorry as soon as I read this post that was first thought that came into my shallow mind.

Bill


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## khobson (Sep 23, 2013)

Dane Fuller said:


> It's not the finish on these, guys. It's the wood is so thin I blew through it to the tube. My laser runs hot so I've already adjusted the settings, I just need to tone it down more to keep from doing it. I've engraved on hundreds of pens and this is a first for me. They are made of ash so that might have something to do with it.



Put the new ones in the mail today. I turned down the ends so that they matched up with the bushings, but left a little extra towards the middle. Hopefully between the extra meat and your adjustments with the settings we will be good!


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## marc82much (Sep 23, 2013)

khobson said:


> I will just taper the ends like the pic below and hopefully that leaves enough wood in the middle to help get the job done!



I think that looks real nice.


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## Schroedc (Sep 28, 2013)

Dane Fuller said:


> It's not the finish on these, guys. It's the wood is so thin I blew through it to the tube. My laser runs hot so I've already adjusted the settings, I just need to tone it down more to keep from doing it. I've engraved on hundreds of pens and this is a first for me. They are made of ash so that might have something to do with it.



Sorry, my bad, I didn't realize the problem, Can I ask how big a machine you have? Mine is only 450 watt and occasionally I'd like to have some heavier work done, Might need to send it to you


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