Engraving Tools: Speeds, Feeds, and Tips! | WW237

[@mryoutuser]

Nice Video, I like your magnified photos, the comparison of the results and mentioning the pros and cons of each tool.

[@purplehaggis6335]

We use 2L INC spring loaded engraving tools where I work for engraving round surfaces. They work beautifully with the right feed (slightly above manufacturer spec for 17-4 stainless) and provide a very consistent depth/width of lettering on uneven surfaces. Set z-.100 and let the spring do its work.

[@michaelalcocer6778]

Why didn't you try any of the Harvey line of engravers? I have not had much luck with any of theirs except for the 60 degree .01 flat tip for hardened steel. Everything else breaks the tip off as soon as the cutter hits the metal.

[@andresengineering2169]

I'm showing my students this idea with a centering tool right now! Thanks for the bell opener!!!

[@brukernavnfettsjit]

The hss spot drill tip is great, thanks! Gave a perfect result and they are floating around in every shop already. If you have a bench top hobby cnc router like me it helps a lot to use an auto level /auto z probe before engraving. I cant get things flat enough for a consistent engraving at those shallow passes, and ofc if I go deeper it gets fatter. So a simple alligator clip from the controller to the end mill and one to the work piece and use a g-code sender with auto z leveling is important! I can even make nice enough traces for PCB work that way.

[@nyccnc]

thanks! Yea, those auto z probes are awesome!

[@beegreengrowersunionwv.7523]

Thank you for posting tools, speeds, sfm etc. You are the only video's that do this. Question, what tool would you recommend for finish planar on a simple wood part that I don't want to sand? Any general recommendation would point me in the right path.

[@GTEskee]

Ive been using Nine9 60DEG insert engraver . . . Expensive but absolutely brilliant!! Various inserts for different materials from plastics and non ferrous right up to 50hrc steel

[@GTEskee]

I should add that I probably never would have even considered it as an option had I not found a couple strips of various grade inserts in the mystery £2 a pop insert drawer and my local used machinery dealers warehouse !!

[@Hirudin]

Perfect timing, I'm doing some engraving in my current project.

[@Hirudin]

I'm using a Precise Bits 2-flute 1/16" ZrN coated 90° ~chamfer bit with a 0.005" tip diameter. The results are good, IMO, but I'm currently running it at 16k RPM at ~400 mm/min (16 IPM). This video makes me think I should try doubling my chip load (well, I was already planning to bump it up, but the video makes me think it'll work). A couple nice things about this bit is it lets me chamfer some tiny stuff and will also work with Fusion 360's engrave milling strategy (I'm doing some of my engraving with the _engrave_ strategy and some with _trace_ ).

[@nirajsuraj7149]

@@Hirudin What kind of stone engraving works? can you share

[@Hirudin]

@@nirajsuraj7149 Amazing, KZbin actually notified me of your message! I didn't actually engrave any stone, just aluminum.

[@briandodds]

I'm new to all this so please be kind, but I'm confused as to why when I setup the 20º engraver the same as you show I get a surface speed of 36.6628 ft/min but in your video at 1:27 is shows 654.498 ft/min ???? I'm also getting all kinds of burs using this tool???

[@milesinfront]

Engraving pro's use tapered d-bits! Ask me how I know.... ;) Being easily re-ground in-house is a HUGE advantage. Diamond drag tools are/were very commonly used in the trophy industry for decades, but the industry has shifted towards laser-marked/cut plastic name plates. You are 100% correct about their longevity. They easily last 5-10 years with daily use. Love your channel!

[@TheSnivilous]

Awesome timing for this video! I've been trying to figure out how to engrave and what tool to use, saw this and had some center drills and went to town! Turned out awesome!

[@codykyler5558]

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[@lukasmarlon5846]

@Cody Kyler Instablaster ;)

[@codykyler5558]

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[@codykyler5558]

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[@lukasmarlon5846]

@Cody Kyler No problem :)

[@rqbass7670]

Watched the vid, bought the Lakeshore ball mills, project looks amazing! Thanks for the tips.

[@MOREENGINEERING]

Hi John, nice video, thank you. Another engraving tool o I like is the nine9 engraving tool out of china. You seen them at Hanover. I had the 1/4" 15d and also a 45d Chamfer tool. Both the engrave and Chamfer we double ended inserts and for me seemed reasonable priced(in Australia all tool are expensive). With regards to the engrave tool most of my engraving were all done by "chasing the surface". I was looking for 0.003-0.007mm finished depth. They required no finishing operation to deburr etc. And looked fantastic and you could barely feel the engrave. For the type of component i was making that engrave suited the parts perfectly. Again great video. Thanks Peter

[@thomashenderson3901]

Independently of this my biggest discovery recently was using a 90° carbide spot drill, which John didn't recommend. Used at up to 0.25mm depths it gives mark free bottom faces, the chisel point flattening them out, and doesn't leave a burr on Aluminium (not tried other materials). Really really pleased with the results.

[@AgentWest]

Somewhat similar to this, i am now using those HF glass/tile drill bits. They are 90* carbide as well, two flute. They work well for chamfering, too. A pack has several sizes, so if you need to get into a tight spot, you can. The main downside so far is that shanks are kinda weird size (presumably metric) so it's a pain to clamp them in SAE collets.

[@HoY_82]

Feeds and speeds the same for steel for these? I grabbed a few of the 0.020 lakeshore engravers for steel but haven't ran them yet. some starting numbers would definitely be appreciated!

[@nyccnc]

On the Lakeshore and steel - you can still generally max out RPM (e.g. 10k or 15k) and then use 0.001" IPT (it's 2 flute)

[@danl.4743]

Great photography and multiple screens. Super informative to see the PathPilot screen as well. It "makes it real". What is the speed and feed you have for the SuperFly? Your surface is super nice! I am using 225mm/m (about 10 in/m) and 1000 RPM on mild steel and the surface is not very nice.

[@nyccnc]

thanks! Steel on the superfly is definitely trickier - don't have a "great" recipe offhand...

[@RJMachine62]

Interesting video. I came out with the same results myself. I need to buy or make some tool tacks like you have mounted to your VMC at 8:18. Did you buy those or bend some up?

[@RJMachine62]

Ah, I see them better now, simple TTS racks. I need to make some like that for some CAT40 holders.

[@JohnFuller804]

Since it is spring loaded, what depth does the diamond engraver cut at? You set the axial offset at 0.01, but what depth would you estimate it is actually cutting at? actually cut at that depth?

[@brainkod]

It would be awesome to have this kind of insight applied to electronics PCB "engraving" (tracing?). Copper+FR4: which would be the best tool, feeds and speeds, etc?

[@chadkrause6574]

We use carbide center drills. They work excellently and they have a dual purpose (although we really never predrill/center drill unless it’s becoming a problem)

[@SipuliSopuli]

That's funny! Just yesterday started a job that has engraving.. I use 3mm milldrill with 10000rpm and 500mm/min feedrate with 0.15mm depth of cut and it works perfectly. 😁

[@sonuverma2796]

Sir how to define cheapload when we make tool himself by angel grinder tool, for example my tool. Tip 0.1 mm and 15 degree redius, so how to calculate rpm and feed rate and step over for iron carving, portrait designing Engraving

[@OakwoodMachineWorks]

Just in time for me to put my lakeshore engraver to use!

[@Batti2323]

Very helpful, John! Thank you for this!

[@MentallFloss]

what tool did you use to face off the aluminium piece at 4:14 ?

[@RoboDriller]

Superfly cutter by tormach?

[@Nacionarg]

Begginer question here: I'm thinking of getting a mini mill like Harbor Freight's or Grizzli's (the ones that look like a drill press) as my only machine, as I live in an apartment, high rpm routers are noisy and use more space, and also some projects I have in mind involve steel, which I read small routers don't handle well. The thing is that al the engravings I've seen are made with much higher speeds than those attainable on a minimill. Is it possible though to have a good engraving finish with low speeds or will I need a second machine eventually?

[@PeterBelfanti]

Thank you!! My engraving game was not good at all until this video..!!!!!!

[@robc2536]

What text style are you using for the engraving with the trace program in Fusion?

[@gman561]

Great video can u tell me why When I upload my dxf work from Inkscape To fusion 360 it saves with all the nodes showing how do I get out of nodes to get ready for Gcode

[@davidrinker6603]

Ive tried repeatedly to get Fusion360 to accept 0 speed for diamond engraver with no luck when post processing the file. Am I missing something. any advice would be great. Im using the free version of fusion,

[@nottelling6598]

A lot of those diamond-tip engravers have sharper tips and stiffer springs you can swap out for to get deeper cuts, but the burrs look pretty nasty.

[@alinigarage5384]

What material are you engraving ???

[@wayneshephard]

Brilliant video, very instructional, thanks for sharing this information

[@bcbloc02]

Little changes can net big gains.

[@dota2signature]

Can i use air cooling only?

[@JayDee28]

2LInc engravers work well. They do have a little runout as well. Unfortunately the holders insanely expensive.

[@martindekker8203]

The Lakeshore bit looks the best to me

[@majeedpang]

Very helpful explanation Thank you very much

[@toms4123]

great one, very informative

[@nyccnc]

thanks!

[@koreyshaffer]

Thanks for the insight! It helped a ton. Subscribed.

[@CharlesGallo]

Having failed once seriously, and shutting down a second attempt, I understand this, but don't know my way around it (finding a product and marketing it). Oh well. I barely have more space than you had starting out (yes, the apartment). I have more space, but down a flight of stairs. When I retire, I'll setup a "Hobby business"

[@eutimputnoki6912]

Where can i get this so called 'superfly'? Is it avaliable in Europe? And what's the tools generic name?

[@tomrevere9091]

flycutter is the generic name. id recommend you just get an indexable facemill though

[@eutimputnoki6912]

@@tomrevere9091 This is the answer i was looking for, thank you! ^^

[@jjlowhz4152]

Fusion doesn't allow to input 0 rpm on the diamond drag, tried it and the "ok" doesn't highlight, anybody knows what i need to do?? I had to input 100rpm but engraving lines come out jagered

[@mikewelch4453]

take the spindle start out the G code.. will be something like S100 M03. also take the spindle stop M05 out the end of the program as this can cause an error on some controls if the spindle is not running.

[@tsw199756]

I never get simple .002 depth engraving projects. Always a minimum depth of .015 specified with a 30° to 60° included angle side walls. It is a major project sizing text to be legible at those depths and angles. Engineers seem to think that it's a simple thing to engrave the Lords Prayer on the head of a pin. 🤨

[@tomrevere9091]

I can read it in solid works, Whats the problem?

[@tsw199756]

@@tomrevere9091 Solidworks is primitive when it comes to engraving text.

[@riversvic]

I learned a center drill makes a good engraver by accident.

[@nyccnc]

LOL

[@pco1984]

I really does. I made a wedding gift for good friends of mine, used a simple (new) HSS center drill, diameter 10mm iirc. In fusion typed the letters in a nice font and had it engrave, so that it goes up at the edges (basically you can't make the widest part of any letter of what you want to do wider than your tool, so for instance on the "T" it'll give you 1 vertical line..if that makes sense). I'll ask if they're okay if I show a picture of it, as their names are on it, otherwise I'll make a render of something similar. That was aluminium though, I think for harder stuff a better tool can be found, but in a hurry it'll do.

[@leontalijan5514]

Last week had to engrave something on some parts, didnt have an engraving tool, no bull mill smaller then what i needed. So i tried it whit a simple 1.5 mm hss drill and it worked like a charm, slower yes, but it worked lika a charm. Just needs a good depth and its smooth on the edges.

[@multiHappyHacker]

Good stuff.

[@Hirudin]

Nice super-macro shots. Did someone get a new microscope? :D

[@jasonchurch8571]

cool

[@billmielke7395]

I prefer a #2 center drill for engraving

[@TheYTCable]

17000rpm@433m/min on 30~40RC and up steel doc 0.15mm - tool 3 face Ø6mm carbide

[@staccio80]

Thanks for share it!nice info!!!

[@Fishkingg]

helpful thanks !

[@creativityofeverythingchan1864]

just creative

[@marvinpitts8799]

Your SFM calculations appear to be based on a 1/4" endmill .25@10K is 554.5 SFM and .02@ 10K is 52.35 SFM. I would also recommend that you reduce the chip load to .0006 plunge at 3IPM and feed at 14IPM and max out the spindle

[@VolkCNC]

Don't waste money on the 2L spring loaded engraver. It has way too much slop in it and made for wonky engraving. When I worked in industry, we also couldn't get it to work. This was with a few journeyman machinists and the salesman right there with the demo tool. Needless to say, we gave it back.

[@MrDrThickoch]

I don't like the one at my shop either. I prefer the onsrud 37-00/37-20 series.

[@Centar1964]

Please do not say "RPM's" it's RPM as listed on the tool....NOT RPM's Seriously (revolutions per minutes?)...