engraving brass plates

Stoner

I'd like to engrave some brass plates. I've used hand engravers in the past on steel and found it difficult to get the results to look well. I'd like 6mm or so lettering, I've had it done in the past and I was not happy with it. I have seen better jobs done, sometimes it looks like the engraved text has been blackened to highlight it.
You see in on plates on church seats sometimes.

But I dont need the plates that big, they are just brass tags.

So I think I need a steel stencil, a hand engraver and some sort of black paint or what ever the trick is.
Does anyone know about this process? there would be a few of these but it looks like the machines to do it are in the €1000 and that's a no no

So a supplier, or a link to an inexpensive machine, any help is appreciated.

I've linked to an example if a brass plate with the blacked text, just wondering how this is done

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pet-Id-Tags-Engraved-Dog-Collar-Name-Brass-Plate-/160995095800?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item257c0e34f8

hesker

Those are most likely laser etched.

You can try chemcial etching but doubt you'll ever get that kind of quality. I had a go at chemcial etching a while back. It's a bit of effort but if you've got hours to kill you could give it a go.

Best bet is to see if there is a business online that will do laser etching for you.

If you want to see what a really talented person can do with chemical etching see this

http://www.knifenetwork.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30504&pp=15&page=3

fergal.b

You might get away with a Dremel or one of the cheeper ones most of them come with engraving bits, as for colouring it in this should help http://www.engraverssolutions.com/PDFs/tips&tricks-color_filling.pdf





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whizbang

Those plates look nothing more than simple laser printed.

Can do it yourself easily enough. Type and then reverse the text using photoshop etc. LaserPrint onto some backing paper used for sticky labels. Iron onto the brass. Job done.

For Etching, negative the text, carry on as above, mask off the rest, drop it into Ferric Chloride.