# Engraving Rhino Blanks with NEJE engraver. It works! Here's how.



## Beautys_Beast

I don't know if anyone else has ever tried this, if it is old news, Moderators, please delete this post. If it isn't, someone let me know, and I will write up a post for the Library. 

Long story short, I wanted to be able to reliably engrave acrylic. In particular, Rhino blanks, as they are the one's I typically use. I tried a bunch of different methods to get my laser to engrave rhino plastic blanks, to no reliable result. But finally, I figured out a way to do it. Low fire ceramic glaze. 

I might also add that I update my software to the Neje laser Printer extended software. I can dig up the link if anyone is interested. It gives a longer burn time.

So I turned the blank, sanded, micro mesh to 12,000 but didn't buff it with wax as usual. I brought it in the house, and brushed on one thin coat of low fire ceramic glaze. (I tried two coats last night, and it didn't work) I ran the laser 4 times at max burn. One right after the other. Then I just washed off the remainder of the ceramic glaze.  The engraving was deep enough for me to use rub and buff on it, and it turned out really, really well. ( I have enclosed a picture)  I will take it out and resand it with 5k, 7k, and 12k. just to clean it all up. 

Let me know if you all want a more detailed write up, and I will put it together. With links, etc.

If not, enjoy.

As ever,
M.


----------



## TattooedTurner

Very nice work, using gold Rub n Buff nicely matches the engraving to the hardware. Is that an Atrax? I was thinking of making one for my daughter's bf.


----------



## Dale Allen

Mark.  I'm not at all familiar with this glaze product.
Am I correct in understanding that the heat from the laser is reacting to the glaze the way firing in a kiln would?


----------



## Beautys_Beast

Correct. It doesn't fire hot enough to actually make the glaze harden, but I believe what is happening is the glaze adds and retains heat. Therefore melting what the laser isn't strong enough to melt on it's own.


----------



## magpens

Very nice .... lots of potential here, IMHO.


----------



## OZturner

Hi Mark, I would appreciate receiving the Details and links if it isn't too much trouble?
I am shortly about to start wrestling with my Neje.
Regards,
Brian.


----------



## Beautys_Beast

OZturner said:


> Hi Mark, I would appreciate receiving the Details and links if it isn't too much trouble?
> I am shortly about to start wrestling with my Neje.
> Regards,
> Brian.



I will write it up this week Brian, and get it sent out.


----------



## chartle

Beautys_Beast said:


> OZturner said:
> 
> 
> 
> Hi Mark, I would appreciate receiving the Details and links if it isn't too much trouble?
> I am shortly about to start wrestling with my Neje.
> Regards,
> Brian.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I will write it up this week Brian, and get it sent out.
Click to expand...


Please also include what didn't work so we all don't reinvent the wheel.


----------



## duncsuss

Please post a photo of the label on the container of glaze -- Amazon has a brazillion different colors and textures to choose from 

Thanks!

ps: a lot of them are made by a company called Duncan ... I should ask for family discount :biggrin:


----------



## Beautys_Beast

I will write up everything that worked, and didn't work. Will include pictures, ETC.


----------



## Makereality

Another low tech solution I am trying to perfect for the NEJE which shouldn’t work (but it does)on regular acrylics is to paint a light coat of acrylic craft paint and wait about 1 or more hours to dry then burn on the paint 2-4 Times. Then rub in gold or silver into the recess, and wiping off the excess in similar manner. 

My latest attempts are to burn fillagree or repeating patterns on the metal tubes themselves , coating the brass with different colored acrylic fingernail polish as this is in ample supply at our house.  White paint can burn a black color, a good hard burn can show the brass through.  The extended software has an “inverse” function to leave the design untouched and burn the rest of the tube but I have not figured out how to make that look good yet.  I do love the thrill of the chase.

In full disclosure I have overclocked my laser by replacing the standard 1000mw with a 1500 mw diode, I have not tried this on the stock 1000mw laser.  As I have used 40 watt fiber/CO2 to burn names directly on agate crystal calligraphy pens and crystal pen displays, I am fairly sure those more powerful ones could burn directly on the metal tubes as well.  


Sent from my iPad using Penturners.org mobile app


----------



## woodworker44

Beautys_Beast said:


> I will write up everything that worked, and didn't work. Will include pictures, ETC.


Was this ever written up? If so where can I find it?


----------



## Rick_G

I've also found yellow highlighter works for some of the acrylics and truestone that the 1000mw unit wouldn't touch otherwise.  For some reason yellow worked where other colors didn't.


----------



## hcpens

Would also like the information, please.


----------



## Makereality

Update: place 1 layer of white out correction tape and laser over this at 200 setting.  Rub off the unburnt white out tape and The impression can be filled with gold leafing or gold paint mixed with CA glue.


Sent from my iPad using Penturners.org mobile app


----------



## campzeke

I think the glaze is working only as a masking between the blank and the laser to prevent the laser from being reflected away from the material being engraved. I have engraved several different types of acrylic blanks as well as clear plexiglass. I use a liquid chalk pen available on Amazon to mask the material before engraving. The color of the pen doesn't seem to matter. When finished, the liquid chalk washes off with water or a damp rag. I use a NEJE Master 3500 laser.


----------



## Larryreitz

Thanks, looking  forward to your write up.


----------

