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Laser Engraving pvc?

Started by Erik A, February 27, 2021, 04:21:58 PM

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Erik A

I want to engrave on pvc pipe. I do not have an engraver yet so I am asking the group.

1 I want to engrave on 2 or 3 in diam. gray electric conduit. How well will  the lasers work on pvc? It doesn't have to be the grey pipe but the size is correct for my project.

2 I want to engrave completely around the circumference, so anybody have good luck with a cylinder attachment for the lasers?

3 I am attempting to engrave a "ruler" on it, only about 3/8 inch wide, I printed a rule on the inkjet and taped it on the pipe, it works but I am looking for better quality. Any other thoughts on marking a pipe with a scale?


Crusarius

If you do that I would suggest painting the pipe black first and then laser engrave it. I think then it will expose the lighter color underneath.

I may be wrong though. So hopefully someone who has tried this will chime in.

21incher

I would not laser engrave PVC. It produces very toxic fumes and just sort of burns. The fumes can also damage the laser. I have used my Cameo3 with printable vinyl to print and cut items like that or even a cnc router would  work  good with a rotary to engrave it.
Hudson HFE-21 on a custom trailer, Deere 4100, Kubota BX 2360, Echo CS590 & CS310, home built wood splitter, home built log arch, a logrite cant hook and a bread machine. And a Kubota Sidekick with a Defective Subaru motor.

doc henderson

It is not recommended due to the fumes, but if you have a good exhaust fan, I would not worry too much.  I like the paint and engrave through the coating.  I have tried some softer plastic, and it melts and smudges a bit.  so you have to take several light passes.  I have engraves lots of cups such as yeti, and even the Walmart ones.  you can go through the powder coat or paint to a lighter color or to the stainless steel.  I have a rotary attachment and it works well.  what is the purpose of the circumferential scale on the pipe?
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

doc henderson

 

 

glass



 

 


 

 

acrylic, with black rub-n-buff from hobby lobby.


 

Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

Erik A

It's a wheel that sets an angle (like on a table saw) with the pvc and scale attached I find I have increased repeatability on going back to the same angle that I previously set!

I could make a metal ring but that does complicate the manufacturing process.

Zapping a painted surface might work well!

As stated above, making one out of a vinyl sticker and applying would work well also!

21incher

I have used peel and stick rules from Amazon for things like that. You can get them right and left reading. Only  thing most are 1/2 wide so they would need trimming. They come in both metal and vinyl. 
Hudson HFE-21 on a custom trailer, Deere 4100, Kubota BX 2360, Echo CS590 & CS310, home built wood splitter, home built log arch, a logrite cant hook and a bread machine. And a Kubota Sidekick with a Defective Subaru motor.

Crusarius

I was just going to ask if you could just roll a metal scale around it. 21 has a better idea.

Joe Hillmann

When PVC is engraved it creates chlorine gas.  That gas is bad for you, and worse for any metal or plastics in your machine.

If you plan to engrave pvc one time it probably isn't that bad(I wouldn't do it on my machine though)  But if you plan to do lots of it then it is a very bad idea.  Somewhere online there is a photo of a totally rotted out 6 month old laser that was used to cut vinyl music records.  Keep in mind it was doing the same thing to the lungs of the operators and people down wind of that laser as well.

doc henderson

would this then be in length units or degrees?  to fit it on the machine, does it need to be split or slip over a tube (thinking radial arm saw.?  do you have a mock up or prototype?  neat idea.  would be a one off, or a production type item?  @firefighter ontheside reported his wife making a vinyl decal with a printer.  just thinking... typing out loud.   ;)   :)
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

firefighter ontheside

Yes, my wife makes a lot of cool stuff with her Cricut machine.  She puts decals on everything.
Woodmizer LT15
Kubota Grand L4200
Stihl 025, MS261 and MS362
2017 F350 Diesel 4WD
Kawasaki Mule 4010
1998 Dodge 3500 Flatbed

21incher

That's what I posted  on the second  reply. I make thousands of labels using waterproof printable vinyl from Amazon printing on a Epsom ink tank printer and using my Cameo 3 to cut them out perfectly and any shape. I can only find sheets of that material  that are 8 1/2 x 11 inches so that would work for a 3 inch wrap. Long skinny labels have to be carefully applied to avoid stretching or kinking. Most are full color.  
Hudson HFE-21 on a custom trailer, Deere 4100, Kubota BX 2360, Echo CS590 & CS310, home built wood splitter, home built log arch, a logrite cant hook and a bread machine. And a Kubota Sidekick with a Defective Subaru motor.

doc henderson

sorry I forgot that 21.  here is vinyl laminate flooring I engraved, and I also do the plastic cookie containers from Walmart when i make a fire starter set for folks at Christmas time.


 

Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

Erik A

The piece Im designing will slip on over the wheel so the scale could be one piece!

one revolution of the wheel is 5 deg.

working to .01 = 500 lines on the circumference

depending on the diameter of the wheel I will have to scale up or down the "scale" - It needs to be 500 lines per one revolution.

I used a drawing program and painted every other pixel line then when I printed it I think I scaled it up 1.7. I might have made a larger one and scaled it down? I do have this written down, just not in front of me now. The trick is scaling the printout can make some lines fuzzy and some drop out, so its not a perfect setup, although my last attempt came out decent.

At the moment this is a one off for me, If I went into production, I might be able sell 1 to 2,000. Probably not worth it! I may just release it to the public domain.

I think it would be cool to be "published" in a trade magazine .8) I still need to look up info on how to do public licenses.

Thank you all, for your thoughts on this. Putting my ideas online is new to me (feels weird) but fun. Thanks again!

Also, my prototype is the picture I posted above, I am actually using it now.

21incher

Learning  to use a cad program  like  Autocad Fusion 360 which is free for home use for projects like this is a good way to start. You create  a very accurate  3d model that can be used for manufacturing weather  it be engraving,  routing or even 3d printing. 3d printing may also be an option for a part like this. With a model it's  usually cheap  to have prototypes made. I use thingiverse to share models  like this and they offer several license agreements but people will still steal your model to sell parts on sites like Amazon anyway so never post anything  online you don't  want mass produces by someone  1/2 way around the world. Slipping  plastic over steel will need a provision to keep it from slipping during  temperature changes because  of totally different expansion rates 
Hudson HFE-21 on a custom trailer, Deere 4100, Kubota BX 2360, Echo CS590 & CS310, home built wood splitter, home built log arch, a logrite cant hook and a bread machine. And a Kubota Sidekick with a Defective Subaru motor.

Erik A

Thank you for the ideas! I have been wanting a 3d printer, and now have one more reason to get one (do you even need one reason to get a tool..... I think not!).

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