How to Etch Dog Tags, Charms & other Odd Shapes Using the Silhouette Curio

[@EveyBreena]

This is brilliant! That template idea is amazing! 6 years later and you're still making a huge difference, thank you for sharing.

[@MissMaryEmbroidery]

Thank you for the kind words, they made my day!! So glad it helped you!

[@nrred]

I purchased a Curio to engrave metal for jewelry. It's been sitting here for about 4 months because I didn't even know where to begin! THANK YOU for this tutorial!! I am ready to go!

[@MissMaryEmbroidery]

nrred I’m so glad that it helped!!

[@sharonlange8461]

Love your video. Please tell me how you remove your chipboard template from your cutting mat to the embossing mat and place it in exactly the right place to have the image etched exactly where you want it. I am confused. I have tried multiple times and I am always off just enough to ruin a metal charm and poke holes in the embossing mat. Thanks so much for taking the time to put these instructional videos together.

[@MissMaryEmbroidery]

I don't remove it, that mat just becomes the mat that holds the stencil. Granted this video was made long before craft supplies were in short supply!! You can just keep the files in silhouette and cut a new stencil if you need the mat to be used more often, since cutting the stencil isn't that hard, getting the shape is the hard part. Hope that helps!!

[@angelaschmidt1175]

THank you thank you thank you! Between this and your other metal etching videos, I FINALLY broke down and etched a metal bracelet this morning. Turned out nice but trying to figure out how to make the etching stand out as well as when I metal stamp the bracelets. Spray painting them isn't really an option for me. I did want to mention that I used Dollar Tree see through cutting mats as my template.I use those mats for a lot of stuff. I just used one of the platforms and marked the cutting mat INCLUDING the holes. I just used scissors to cut and the correct size hole punch to punch out the holes. This way, the template should fit in the exact same spot each time. I did the three sizes of bracelet blanks I have on had and had one spot each on the template. I used washi tape to hold the cutout to cover the template hole not being used. . I actually used washi tape UNDER the bracelet to hold it in place. I hope that makes sense. It had more stick than the cutting mat. I'm not going to use a good mat when etching! :) By the way, I'm wearing a scatter HTV hummingbird shirt tomorrow for my birthday! After I got the bracelet etching FINALLY done, I cut two more scatter HTV holographic hummingbirds!

[@MissMaryEmbroidery]

I am so glad the videos were so helpful for you!! And that your hummingbird was such a success!

[@childofgod067]

Can you cut acryl with the curio?

[@MissMaryEmbroidery]

No, none of the silhouette or cricut machines can cut Acrylic.

[@janetcanter589]

Thank you for this tutorial. I purchased a Curio during a black Friday sale and have not had a chance to use it yet with the holidays and family in town. I have been using the Cameo for several years, so I'm excited to use the Curio on different types of media. I was wondering if I can use cereal boxes instead of the chipboard? Do you know what the difference is in thickness?

[@MissMaryEmbroidery]

Thank you! I would think cereal boxes would work well for a template! They would be similar in thickness, I would test cut to make sure.

[@geralynw4502]

Janet Canter if I may ask, what is the difference in cameo and curio as far as design performance? I have a curio (still haven’t used yet) but looking to do etching on wine glass, is this only possible with cameo? I can’t find any videos on it for curio.

[@se5442]

Thank you for your tutorial. I see it is from a couple years ago. I had good experience using Blank Slate brand earrings. The engraving depth was good until about the 9th pair. Then suddenly the results were more of a surface 'scratching' than the nice engraving. Now I have had that same effect using a thicker (1.5 mm) pendant piece - that piece being stainless steel. It is not engraved deeply enough to add color (and it be only on the engraving). I have used the Silhouette etching tool as well as the Chomas Precision tool. Wonder if you have an update on the subject of metal etching as I don't find much about it? Thx

[@MissMaryEmbroidery]

I am not sure why you would get a different result in etching, that hasn't happened to me. You can try going over it again, to see if that will get you a deeper etch for coloring or increasing your pressure. Or did it happen with different versions of the software? I know they had a weird version of 4.1 at one point. I am hoping to get some more curio tutorials up........just gotta find the time! They tend to be more work than a vinyl tutorial!

[@se5442]

@@MissMaryEmbroidery I still have some version of 4.1. How frustrating that the software can cause problems out of the blue! I don't know where one could even start troubleshooting that! I have a little stockpile of Blank Slate from various Hobby Lobby trips. But HL has discontinued much of it - especially the earrings I was using. So I think I'm kind of done since I just don't find much that will work for engraving; and apparently Silhouette just will not engrave stainless steel beyond a surface scratch. Thx for your response.

[@dotyterleski6445]

When you make the templates to hold you shapes that you are going to engrave, you put the cut outs back onto the mat. Now do you keep that template on that mat and store it? If not I'm not sure how you would get template back into exact placement. Thanks for sharing. I have had this machine for few months and have neglected getting started. I have been using the Cameo 3 and have spent time with that and new upgrades.

[@MissMaryEmbroidery]

Yes, I either just store the template on the mat, if I plan to use the template again. Or I will make another one if I am going to etch again. You won't get them lined up again if you take the template off!

[@NNCMMC]

Hello! Nice. What kind of plates?

[@MissMaryEmbroidery]

Hi! There should be a link in the description to the supplies used in the video. Thanks!

[@mjm920812]

I have a curio and the business edition where am I supposed to find the cut panel? I did an engraving on a bottle opener and it's just outlining it but I wanted to color it in

[@MissMaryEmbroidery]

The Cut settings have been move to the send panel now, that's an older video by now. To fill in the design you would need to use the Emboss Panel (or the fat star is what I call it). It still works the same as in this video. As of now, I don't know any way to permanently color in metal etching, people have used rub and buff, but I believe it comes out over time....But I have never used it.

[@apekepoo]

Hi.... Will this etching method work with a silhouette Cameo 3?

[@MissMaryEmbroidery]

No this method is specific to the Curio. You can etch really thin metal with the Cameos. I have videos on it--check it out here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aoG5p2Wsg7SAqtU

[@miket600]

Hi, thanks for the tutorial vid, i'm planning to buy the curio also but before I do, can you please let me know if I can use a bigger piece of aluminum sheet say 12" x 12" ( 1' x 1' )??? Thank you again.

[@MissMaryEmbroidery]

The curio has two bases the 8.5 x 6 and then the larger base (which you would have to purchase separately, only the small one comes with the machine). The larger base is 8.5 x 12, so that is the largest piece of metal the machine can hold. There are also limitations to what the machine can cut. There isn't a lot of information out there on what the machines can do with metal, so you would have to be up for trial and error with the Curio.

[@lisa3281]

hello, thank you for great video. can you please advise if it is possible to engrave on silver 925 as well? thank you

[@MissMaryEmbroidery]

Thanks! I have never etched silver so I am not sure! Sorry!!

[@lisa3281]

thank you for answer

[@MissMirandita]

Thank you for your tutorial! I have two questions. 1.- Do you think this equipment can engrave in metal and acrylic a small text in a 1 cm dog tag? for example: 01.04.16 2.- Are the dog tags you used stainless steel? I hope you can help thank you in advance for your time 🙏🏻

[@MissMaryEmbroidery]

Claudia Natalí Miranda Cázares hi! I'm not sure what the dog tags are made out of. I have etched stainless steel in one of my other videos (the round jewelry blanks are stainless). This machine can etch, which is like scratching off the surface, they can't engrave into metal. And I'm not sure how it would do with really little writing, I have never try it!

[@lifeofparry]

you are amazing! thank you so much

[@MissMaryEmbroidery]

Thank you!! I appreciate hearing that!!

[@nrred]

I ran it through twice and still can't pop out the template pieces as easy as you show. Am I missing something?

[@MissMaryEmbroidery]

Machines vary from one to another, so you can increase the force or go up to the next blade number.

[@bonkosbluff]

why would you trace the pieces on paper and then use Pixscan? Why wouldn't you just place the pieces directly on the Pixscan mat? Thanks for your videos. They are awesome.

[@MissMaryEmbroidery]

Mags! I am a fan! I took your clay class at ATS in Peachtree City in April. I guess you could have etched on the pixscan mat & used the paper as the template. I like to etch on the foam embossing mat, I feel like it has some give and the machine is less likely to bind & get off track (I have no proof of my feeling, just how I like to do it!). Also if the dog tag etching is something you will go back to, you can leave the template on the mat & have your pixscan mat free. Thanks for watching!

[@bonkosbluff]

I'm a fan right back at you! I've enjoyed watching your videos because I am going to try some acrylic etching in the next few days.I think I understand now why you did it as you did. I wasn't thinking about the pieces being etched on the Pixscan mast instead of the embossing mat. I think I will try doing the clay on the embossing mat to see what happens. Thanks for taking my class! Are you coming in November?

[@MissMaryEmbroidery]

I'm glad you enjoy the videos! I was planning on buying a shopping pass to the November Conference. I am local and it's really hard to pass up all of the shopping!! Are you teaching again?

[@bonkosbluff]

I am teaching again. I hope to see you.

[@tracygolochowicz6355]

Thank You!!!

[@MissMaryEmbroidery]

Tracy Verrastro you are so welcome!!

[@ConnyvanDenDungen]

dank je xx

[@MissMaryEmbroidery]

graag gedaan (google told me that was your welcome in dutch!)