8 minute read
EXPANSION OF THE BUSINESS
from TEN November 2022
Top 10 Frequently Asked Laser Questions from Epilog Fans
Epilog Laser Fans - ELFs for short - are some of the most creative engravers around. The ELF group on Facebook has so many engraving projects and examples of the versatility of Epilog machines. In addition, most ELFs are happy to offer expertise and advice to newcomers.
Here’s a look at 10 of the most frequently asked questions our fans ask, along with answers from our experts!
Mask the wood. Masking helps reduce residue from seeping into engraved areas and makes for easy clean up.
Use “bottom up” engraving. This is a feature in Epilog’s print driver that allows users to engrave from the bottom of the design up, instead of engraving from the top down. It also helps reduce smoke and debris being pulled into the engraving area as the laser head moves.
Clean with Pledge, Simple Green or any citrus-cleaner.
2. I’m a little nervous about etching glass! Any suggestions?
First, remember that not all glass is created equal. While you may think you need more expensive glass to get a great engraving, that’s not always the case. Many of our customers use glassware from restaurant suppliers or dollar-discount stores, both of which engrave beautifully. We’ve also developed the following tips that help ensure a nice, frosty engraved finish:
Using a lower resolution, around 300 DPI, produces a better result on glass as you separate the dots you are engraving.
Change the black in your graphic to 80% black to improve the engraving quality.
Running with a Jarvis dithering pattern in the driver (you’ll find this under the raster speed and power settings) will also help provide a smoother finish.
Some people find that applying a thin, wet sheet of newspaper or paper towel a little larger than the engraving area also helps with heat dissipation and improves the engraving. Just be sure that there are no wrinkles in the paper after it is applied.
Using your finger or a paper towel, apply a thin coat of liquid dish soap—any kind will do—over the area to be engraved. That will dissipate the heat when engraving.
Polish the area with a ScotchBrite pad or something similar to eliminate shards of glass.
3. What are some tips for engraving on plywood or balsa?
Generally speaking, this material is cut with a laser more than it’s engraved. For engraving, we’d suggest starting with the recommended wood engraving settings in our manual. Plywood can be tricky and inconsistent in terms of cutting, due to the various layers of glue found within it. Balsa seems to cut very nicely and many of our customers use this medium to build various types of models.
4. I’m thinking of expanding my business to engrave leather. Will that be difficult?
Not at all—leather engraves and cuts beautifully with a laser! Some of our users custom etch leather journals, coasters and much more.
5. What are the best settings for engraving on leatherette?
This is going to depend on your machine and wattage, but we’d start with the recommended settings for “leather” in Epilog’s user manual. When in doubt, start with a relatively high speed and low power. If you don’t move the item being engraved, it is easy to add a little more power or reduce the speed and run the job again until you get the look you want.
6. I hate to waste materials. What cool projects can you create with scrap pieces from other projects?
Scrap materials are great not only for creating new projects, but also for use as practice pieces for more challenging engravings, such as photographs. We’ve seen customers make all kinds of things from scrap, such as small acrylic edge-lit signage, ornaments, name tags, and lots more!
7. I have a Mac. Can I use it with my Epilog Laser?
Epilog systems run off any Windows-based graphic design software, so most of our customers elect for a PC and CorelDRAW. Die-hard MAC users typically use Parallels or Bootcamp to power the lasers from their systems, or simply purchase an adequate PC and dedicate that machine only to the laser.
8. Any tips for proper maintenance? How and when should I clean my machine?
The biggest piece of maintenance advice is to keep your system clean, especially the optics. Clean optics help ensure that your laser produces the most precise engraving and cutting results. Other maintenance activities will depend on the model of your machine and are included in your owner’s manual. You can also find maintenance videos in our online training site and knowledge base.
9. Can I maximize my laser investment with apparel applications?
Absolutely. Epilog systems can both cut and directly etch all kinds of fabrics. We’ve seen users engraving fleece pullovers, leather jackets, aprons, napkins, and more.
10. Can you recommend inexpensive substrates I can play around with?
This is where scrap materials come in very handy for testing speed and power settings, experimenting with different resolutions, etc. Many of our users go to the big home improvement stores for inexpensive wood and tile (ceramic, marble, etc.) to test and play around with. Thrift stores are also great places to find lots of different low-cost substrates to experiment with. Additionally, “dollar store” retailers often have glassware (pint glasses, wine glasses, beer mugs, etc.) that engrave beautifully. For more information and advice please contact us on 0117 911 4367 or visit www.epiloglaser.co.uk
eljte celebrate 35 years of trading with expansion of the business eljte celebrate 35 years of trading with expansion of the business. eljte celebrate 35 years of trading with expansion of the business.
eljte confirm their recent acquisition of additional 4.000 square meter warehouse and offi ces. The company this year are celebrating 35 years of trading and continue to develop and market with their two unique brands “mjto” and “Capjtal”. eljte boasts a wide constantly updated range of original design key chains, sport trophies, home and offi ce items, pens, photo frames, accessories for men and women, pet tags, and more.
Founded in 1987, the eljte company eljte confi rm their recent currently is one of the leading distributors of silver-plated and metal promoti onal gift items for the B2B wholesale market acquisiti on of additi onal 4.000 square meter warehouse and offi ces. The and retail shops in Europe. company this year are celebrati ng Carlo Morsia, owner, commented: 35 years of trading and conti nue to “The additi onal building and space will develop and market with their two allow us to further expand our stock unique brands “mjto” and “Capjtal”. capacity which continues to be appreciated by both existing and eljte boasts a wide constantly potential customers with a view to European expansion.”
confi rm their recent
Founded in 1987, the eljte
acquisiti on of additi onal 4.000 square
company currently is one of the meter warehouse and offi ces. The leading distributors of silver-plated company this year are celebrati ng and metal promoti onal gift items for 35 years of trading and conti nue to the B2B wholesale market and retail develop and market with their two shops in Europe.
unique brands “mjto” and “Capjtal”.
boasts a wide constantly
will allow us to further expand our updated range of original design stock capacity which conti nues to key chains, sport trophies, home and be appreciated by both existi ng and offi ce items, pens, photo frames, potenti al customers with a view to accessories for men and women, pet European expansion.”
tags, and more.
Founded in 1987, the eljte company currently is one of the leading distributors of silver-plated and metal promoti onal gift items for the B2B wholesale market and retail shops in Europe. Carlo Morsia, owner, commented: “The additi onal building and space will allow us to further expand our stock capacity which conti nues to be appreciated by both existi ng and potenti al customers with a view to European expansion.”
For further details or support contact info@eljte.it For further details or support or call 0039 0523 593636. contact info@eljte.it www.eljte.com or call 0039 0523 593636. www.eljte.com
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The Rugged Company specialises in custom making new Trophy Bases, refurbishing existing bases that have been damaged or are old and tired, we also create extensions to existing bases when you run out of room for new engraving plaques
Get in touch for a chat to see how we can help +44 (0) 7958 698582 | sales@theruggedcompany.co.uk | www.theruggedcompany.co.uk
