Sand blasting a logo

[Fergus]

Ok, here's the plan.. I occasionally restore or customise rifles. What I would like to do is blast a logo onto a small area of polished steel prior to the bluing process so that my work is identifiable.

Ideally I'd like a laser cut (or similar) metal stencil that can be reused, does anyone have any ideas or recommendations for companies that could do this?

 

[chunkolini]

Try Premier Laser.
I have used them quite a few times, very fast and quality work.
Also made the Olympic torches.

 

[scott0031]

I would search locally for laser cutters. Not meaning to undermine chunko here but I find premier laser to be exceptionally expensive, every time they have quoted me i can get it done for half of their quote locally. Yell.com is your friend.


Kind regards,


Scott

 

[Fergus]

Thanks gents, do these places work from drawings or do they generally need something electronic?

 

[astro_al]

They will generally do both. Obviously if you give them a dxf file or similar, there is no design fee. Give them a scribbled on napkin and pay the consequences. But for a small nick-nack like that, forget about it. Get a few done, the cost to do several isn't the same as the cost to do one x that number, and you'll wear them out.

I once had a job blasting prosthetic limb joints to a required degree of roughness for attaching another part with adhesive. This was done through a template/mask in a blasting cabinet. It worked well and was quick to do. No great trick to it.

I would second what Scott has said though, you'll always get a better price from a local firm in my experience.

Make sure the template fits nicely on the surface you are blasting so grit can't bleed or leak under the sealed edge and blur the outline. Flat is best.

Good luck, Al

 

[astro_al]

P.S. even if you give them a dxf or suitable CAD file, they may charge you a clean-up fee to get it all ready to single-path CNC cutting - sloppy joints at corners / intersections etc are prime candidates.

Al.

 

[Shox Dr]

Try Premier Laser.
I have used them quite a few times, very fast and quality work.
Also made the Olympic torches.

And at 485quid a shot for 8,000 torches I wouldn't of minded that contract