recommend some cool etchings?

[a fearsome grue]

there's a laser engraver just a few doors down from me who I'm sure would be more than willing to cut some symbols or glyphs into an aluminum saber.

That having been said, anyone have any suggestions on what to put on a piece? I'm thinking something like the Jedi emblem on it someplace but that's too obvious or something profound written in Aurebesh like "light", "strength", "balance" or "wisdom"

[Nineteen]

Maybe you could name your lightsaber, and then engrave the name in Aurebesh. That'd be cool.

[DJMoonbass]

you dont have to use lazer you know. i will be doing all my engravings on a 4 axis lathe using a small ball endmill. it works i did one on my job shadow at Helzer Machine. came out great

[Lord Maul]

you dont have to use lazer you know. i will be doing all my engravings on a 4 axis lathe using a small ball endmill. it works i did one on my job shadow at Helzer Machine. came out great

Yes, we all have these tools available to do etching :rolleyes:

Fender did a saber recently that had some engraving on it. I like the effect. Putting a name or something representative of your character on there would seem fitting to me.

[DJMoonbass]

Yes, we all have these tools available to do etching :rolleyes:

yes, we all have lazer machines available to do etching:rolleyes:


i guess i forgot to add that actually makes a small indentation that you can feel. just an option thats all. lazer is cool to put you cant really feel it. with a mill you can feel it. mill/lazer etcher same thing: big espensive machine. one way or another you still have to pay to have it done.

[ARKM]

LASER etching does not etch the metal. The LASERs used for etching are not that powerful. What it does do is burn into paint, powdercoat and probably anodization (Is that a real word?), all the way down to the metal. Alternatively, a chemical can be applied to bare metal and the LASER can "etch" it which makes whatever it is etching appear white.

[erv]

Incorrect. Like so many things "it depends".
It depends on the machine, you have laser (with an S, unless you played in Austin Power, and it's an acronym) engraving machine that have cutting possibilities too. It depends on the type of laser and its power.
Entry range machine can engrave acrylics cut it over 1 or 2 mm. More powerful ones can engrave metal but most of the time, the technique used to engrave a metal is :
- to cover it with a material (anodizing, paint) and burn the material like it's been said
- cover the metal with a special coating that will react with the laser (postive etching).

a cheap chinese laser cutting machine ($500 to $100) won't engrave metal. Maybe just burn the surface to mark it.

Then when it comes to really cut metal, you need a huge laser, with added gaz to inert the location where it's cut (otherwise it catches fire and burns the metal instead of cutting). The laser must be powerful enough to not reflect on the shinny surface of steel and directly melt it so that cutting process can work.

Then not being a native speaker I'm not fully sure, but I thing engraving refers to a mechanical technique while etching uses chemicals. In french it's the same word.

[ARKM]

Well, I know that there are LASER devices that exist that can burn or etch metal, but none of the companies where I live that offer LASER etching have a LASER powerful enough to do that. In fact, I have a feeling (but don't know for sure) that the majority of LASER etching companies in the US do not have such a LASER.

LASER is an acronym. Always has been. However it is now widely accepted to refer to it as laser and has been for many years now. I'm just showing my age (and nerdiness) by referring to it as LASER or L.A.S.E.R.

[Crystal Chambers]

I having etching and engraving tips for my rotary tool (or dremel) that I'm gonna try out on some scraps, but not sure If I wanna do anything on my saber. Maybe lines that follow the contour of the shroud or overlays.

[cardcollector]

I just use a Dremel.

It works wonders if you have the right bits and patience.:cool:

[FenderBender]

Some lack that last important tool CC;) It takes the best kind that you can muster:D

[Rhyen Skytracker]

ARKM, you are not the only one showing your age by knowing that it is L.A.S.E.R. and I am really showing my nerdiness by still knowing what it stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Am I an Old Nerd or what?!?!? LOL

[cardcollector]

Some lack that last important tool CC;) It takes the best kind that you can muster:D

What?!?!? how can you build a lightsaber without a dremel?!?!?:shock::shock:

[Rhyen Skytracker]

I think he is referring to the BFH-9000. LOL

[FenderBender]

I have the BFH-9001 on order;)

[cardcollector]

I don't get it.... oh well...:rolleyes:

[FenderBender]

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q169/AJFenderBender/sigs%20and%20imgs/BFH9000.jpg

[Jedi-Loreen]

cc, the way I read it, is that the "tool" Fender was talking about is "patience". That's the last thing you mention in that one post.



Of course, I could be totally off base. :p

[cardcollector]

ooooooooohhh.... I get it now!:D:D:D

[Kant Lavar]

I'll blow your minds then: So far, I have not used a Dremel once in any of my saber builds. At all.

(I do have a Dremel, and I intend on using it for an overlay at some point - I just need to figure out how to do it so it won't, you know, suck.)


Well, I know that there are LASER devices that exist that can burn or etch metal, but none of the companies where I live that offer LASER etching have a LASER powerful enough to do that. In fact, I have a feeling (but don't know for sure) that the majority of LASER etching companies in the US do not have such a LASER.

LASER is an acronym. Always has been. However it is now widely accepted to refer to it as laser and has been for many years now. I'm just showing my age (and nerdiness) by referring to it as LASER or L.A.S.E.R.

Now, see, I read that and I kept thinking of this:

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2007/06/dr.evil.laser2.jpg

[Obi-Dar Ke-Gnomie]

(I do have a Dremel, and I intend on using it for an overlay at some point - I just need to figure out how to do it so it won't, you know, suck.)


It just takes practice and patience. Get some scrap metal and go nuts. Remember to get good goggles, and at the very least, a high quality dust mask, if not a full respirator.

[Kant Lavar]

Maybe I should have tried to sneak out with my gas mask from the Army. When I was outprocessing, the supply sergeant never did ask for it back, but I had to be honest... :p

[DJMoonbass]

i tried my skillz with a dremel. im just to shaky to hold it steadilly. ill use a mill. dremel is OUT for me. lol

[Luke-SkyMarcher]

Come on DJ, it's not that hard. :) If you hold the sink tube in your left hand and the Dremmel in your right, while resting both forearms on your legs, so that your fists are next to your knees, you can keep your hands pretty steady. ;)

I'm not sure why, but doing all your sink tube work with a mill seems like "cheating" to me, lol. I've only done one sink tube decoration with a mill, and that was only because it couldn't be done properly with a dremmel. (find the thread on my "Ultimate Lightsaber" and you'll see what part I mean)

[ARKM]

Well, if you have a mill, you might as well use it. It's quicker, easier... more seductive. I have made a lot of sabers (not near as many as most sabersmiths but still, a lot) and have only used a rotary tool (like a Dremel for example) to cut off some sharp corners to make it easier to file them and to shorten screws. That's it. Mind you I don't do a lot of ornate shroud work using thin metal (like a sink tube). I could see a rotary tool helping with that. Plus I understand that those who don't have a mill or access to one can then use a rotary tool in it's place (where applicable).

Anywho, since I have a mill, I will use that.

[Luke-SkyMarcher]

I suppose that's true... although I had forgotten that DJ had joined the dark side...taking the quick and easy path... :p

Maybe my problem is that I don't have a satisfactory method of clamping the tube into the mill... and that my end mills broke from parts jumping out of the vise. There's precious little advice on these forums for beginning machinists, although I suppose I can see why :rolleyes:. Unfortunately, the machining portion of my Industrial and Manufacturing Processes Lab only used horizontal mills.

[ARKM]

Maybe my problem is that I don't have a satisfactory method of clamping the tube into the mill... and that my end mills broke from parts jumping out of the vise.

If you have access to a lathe (like myself) you can lathe down some aluminum to fit nicely into the sink tube. You don't need solid round bar for this as there are tube/pipe sizes that will still have a thick wall after lathing to the proper OD. I have used this method for milling sink tube and it works great However using this inside of a sink tube for support means that you will also be milling into the aluminum. As such, eventually the aluminum will need to be replaced.

[Sairon]

there's a laser engraver just a few doors down from me who I'm sure would be more than willing to cut some symbols or glyphs into an aluminum saber.

That having been said, anyone have any suggestions on what to put on a piece? I'm thinking something like the Jedi emblem on it someplace but that's too obvious or something profound written in Aurebesh like "light", "strength", "balance" or "wisdom"

I've taken the liberty to translate "light, strength, balance, and wisdom" Into various languages, so that it it sounds cooler when you tell your friends what the aurebesh says.
latin
light= luminarium
strength= vis vires
balance= pondera
wisdom= consilium

Japanese(my personal fav language, next to my own created language Sairitesh)
note there are different versions of these words, I just chose random because I was to lazy to get context.
light= tomoshibi
strength= seiryoku
balance= kinsei
wisdom= rihatsu

[a fearsome grue]

I've taken the liberty to translate "light, strength, balance, and wisdom" Into various languages, so that it it sounds cooler when you tell your friends what the aurebesh says.
latin
light= luminarium
strength= vis vires
balance= pondera
wisdom= consilium

Japanese(my personal fav language, next to my own created language Sairitesh)
note there are different versions of these words, I just chose random because I was to lazy to get context.
light= tomoshibi
strength= seiryoku
balance= kinsei
wisdom= rihatsu

that was uber cool of you! Thanks!

[Shadar Al'Niende]

...next to my own created language Sairitesh...

Is it bad that i'm intrigued? lol

[Rhyen Skytracker]

Yes, yes it is. LOL

[ARKM]

... next to my own created language Sairitesh

Nerd!

*ARKM looks around and realizes what forum he's on... that he willingly signed up for*

Cra*!

Sorry, no other word will bring the humor home better. I'd prefer not to even censor one letter but I thought I'd meet you half way.

[Rhyen Skytracker]

Lm*o. :)

[Sairon]

Lol, look what I've done. I decided to write a book awhile ago with a certain group of people. And I wanted them to have their own language so I created one. Although I'm not done the book maybe I'll post the symbols/language later.