If you are responsible for engraving your team, club or school trophies every year then you might want to consider purchasing a laser engraver.
It is possible to get them for reasonable prices, though of course for quality you will always need to pay a little more but depending on the number of trophies you have to engrave and how often it may still work out the more economical choice, as opposed to sending them to a professional engraver.
To help you choose whether to buy a laser engraver or whether you continue to outsource your engraving trophy plaques we have created this how-to guide to engraving trophy plaques.
Upload Design to the Computer
Laser engraving machines come with software so you create your ‘design’ on a computer. Even if that is simply words, you will still need to plan and design how they will look such as choosing a font and alignment.
Top Tips
- Make sure when buying your engraving machine that the software is compatible with your computer.
- When creating your design double check all spellings before you begin engraving.
Place the Plaque on the Engraving Machine
It is vital that when you place the plaque or trophy onto the engraving machine that you line it up carefully. If it isn’t aligned then your engraving won’t be aligned either.
If you are engraving a trophy i.e something that is curved rather than flat like a plaque then you need to be aware that, as a rule, you have about ¼ of an inch before the laser will begin to lose focus due to the curve of the trophy. It is far easier when engraving yourself to stick with flat surfaces.
Start Engraving Process
Always double-check the guidance and instructions for your particular machine to ensure safe operation. Depending on the make and model of your engraving machine you may have to ensure that the ventilation fan system is on and working before you start the engraving process. This is essential to ensure that any potentially dangerous particles and gases are removed from your working space.
Also, ensure that you are wearing all recommended PPE (personal protective equipment).
A trial run, on a spare plaque or trophy, is a good idea if it is at all possible and please do triple-check all spellings before you push that button!
Polish
To remove any residue or debris left behind by the laser engraving process and to ensure your trophy is looking its best you should always finish by cleaning and polishing the trophy or plaque.
Our useful guide to cleaning engraved metal and plaques gives you all the tips and advice you need.
Did That Sound Like a Lot of Work to You?
If after reading this how-to guide you are thinking that the engraving experience might be too stressful, complicated or expensive to take onboard yourself then please get in touch with us at Furnells, and we can use our 40 years of experience to take care of all your trophy and trophy plaque engraving for you.