Etching/Marking steel?

[BevelParticipant @bevel]

Hi Guys + Gals,

Happy New Year to all.

Looking for suggestions on best way to put letters/numbers into mild steel. Parts I’m making don’t really lend themselves to stamping and my engraving by hand is deplorable. I’m a little OCD with that type of thing anyway tbh if the stamps weren’t perfectly aligned or the engraving wasn’t the way I like it then the job would be pushed to one side and I’d lose interest, pathetic I know but I’m a stickler for that type of thing.

The size of the script would be between 2-4mm and if there is a good way to do it be transferred to outer dia of a component. I’m thinking maybe some type of ‘acid’ etch with suitable templates but have no idea where to start and this forum has always proved invaluable with ideas and suggestions.

Help with method and materials would be greatly appreciated and I’m all ears to all suggestions.

TIA and best wishes to everyone for a great 2026!!

[Mike CrossfieldParticipant @mikecrossfield92481]

Without knowing the nature of the items you want to mark, and the quantities involved, it’s difficult to suggest appropriate solutions.

I have a small Taylor-Hobson  pantographic engraver and the associated copy fonts which I use for engraving various dials and shop-made tools, and which gives excellent results. Whether such a machine would suit your need is impossible to say, and you might find the investment too great – mine cost £200.

The photo below show an example of a dial which I engraved.

Mike

 

[Charles LamontParticipant @charleslamont71117]

This is a question of interest to me too, as I am thinking ahead about scales and numbering for my Quorn.

I agree that punched numbers are not ideal. I have Pryor steel type in guided holders on the Pillar Tool, but I still I find it difficult to get an even depth of impression.

For scales and numbers on tool parts, I would have though etching would be too shallow. I don’t know what is possible with laser engraving, but I have not seen anything I have thought adequate.

Machine engraving seems to me to be the ideal answer, but I don’t think I could justifying the cost of a Taylor Hobson or Gravograph machine. Would a CNC router do the job? It would need a rotary axis to do cylindrical work.

[John PurdyParticipant @johnpurdy78347]

There was away to acid etch markings on steel by typing the text on to Gestetner (?) copier masters. I believe it was detailed in ME many moons ago, probably the ’80s? With those type of copiers gone the way of the dinosaurs I’m not sure if the material would be still available.  I seem to recall that there was a commercial kit available at one time using a similar technique.

John

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

This is a question of interest to me, with a part-built “Stent” T&C Grinder to finish.

 

If this is going to be a one-off or only very occasional it may be worth engraving the lines but having the numbers added by a professional engraving company.

I don’t know what it might cost but at least you’d have good results.

 

[BevelParticipant @bevel]

Thanks gents all replies welcomed.

 

@mikecrossfield9248 your right your pantograph has done a lovely job or should I say you done a lovely job on the dial its looks amazing.

Looks like I’m not on my own here then a few of us would like info on ‘marking’ our creations.

I would say its something I would do maybe once or twice a week on relatively low numbers say between 2 – 6off and save the boring details I could describe them simply as small round bars of 12mm x 40mm diameter.

I love my machines but whether I’d have enough room here for a pantograph is another quandry lol

[HollowpointParticipant @hollowpoint]

Search salt water etching on YouTube. You can etch steel with nothing more than a stencil, a 9v battery and some salty water. 🙂

Another way is to use a stencil and a shot blaster.

[BevelParticipant @bevel]

Thx Hollowpoint I will check that for sure

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