Engraving Basics

An overview of engraving considerations when buying personalized gifts

Nothing says you care more than a personalized gift.  Getting an item engraved shows that you put a lot of time, thought and effort into the gift and the recipient will surely cherish it more because of this.  However, there are many things that you must consider when choosing what to have engraved.  These include the cost of engraving, the engravable area of the item, whether or not a picture or other image will be used and how the engraving will appear on the item once engraved.

Engraving cost the key consideration most people face when looking for personalized gifts.  Some companies have a minimum charge for engraving setup and then charge by the word or even by the letter.  Other companies have no cost per word but instead impose a hefty setup fee for the engraving which can run $35 or more.  Do some shopping around to find companies with all inclusive fees in the product cost, like M&G LaserWorks, where there are no setup or per word fees on items they sell.

Many engravable items have a smaller engravable area than the overall item’s dimensions.  You will have to consider this when determining the amount of text that will fit properly.  Laser engravers can clearly engrave text down to size 4 font on most items, but not too many people would be able to read it clearly.  For nice clear text you should stay over size 9 font.  To see if your desired message will fit on the product you would like engraved here is a trick you can do at home:

How to Test Your Engraving Layout At Home

Pictures add a whole new dimension to product personalization.  Whether it is a logo, clipart, vector image or photograph of Uncle Marley, engraving a picture on your item will make it truly special.  The biggest consideration when engraving pictures is the material that the item is made of.  Every image type is not suitable for a quality engraving on all materials.  Here is a short list of commonly engraved materials and the image types best suited for them:

·         Wood: Photographs, Clipart, Vector Images, Logos

·         Metal: Clipart, Vector Images, Logos

·         Glass & Crystal: Clipart, Vector Images, Logos

·         Stone: Polished Marble & Granite -  Photographs, Clipart, Vector Images, Logos

             Rocks, Bricks, Etc. - Clipart, Vector Images, Logos

·         Leather: Photographs, Clipart, Vector Images, Logos

·         Acrylic: Photographs, Clipart, Vector Images, Logos

Note that there are a large variety of sub-materials within the materials list above and some may be more or less suitable for image types listed.  Use the above information as a guide to help you find a product best suited for the image you would like engraved, but be aware that you can engrave any image on just about any material that you want.  Your engraver can help guide you as to the best materials suitable for your needs.

 

How your engraving will appear on an item once engraved is determined by two major factors, the material engraved and the method of engraving.  Most engraving is essentially etched onto an item’s surface, meaning the engraving is not very deep into the material and has a nice crisp look to it.  The exception is wood which engraves deep, necessary to make the engraving stand out against the color or grain of the wood.  It is still possible to get a crisp image on wood items but the depth of the engraving will give it a completely different look than the other materials on the list above. 

There are two main methods in which items are engraved.  One is rotary engraving which uses a metal tipped drill to carve out the engraving on an item.  The second method is laser engraving.  Unlike a rotary engraver which physically carves out an engraving, laser engravers burn out the engraved area literally vaporizing the material.  Laser engravers are typically able to engrave larger items than rotary engravers.  Most lasers can not engrave metal directly and laser engravers get around this by using a process to permanently mark metal surfaces.  This marking is typically black and stands out well against metal surfaces making the engraving more prominent than on rotary engraved metal, but ultimately it is up to the customer to determine which engraving method best suits their needs.

While there is much to consider when looking to get an item personalized the information above will help get you started on the right foot.  Here is a brief review:

• Determine your engraving budget.  Try to find an engraver with all inclusive fees in their product price.  Be sure to ask if this information is not clearly posted in the engraver’s shop.
• Take the time to determine exactly what you want to say—it’s permanent.  Test your engraving on a piece of paper to ensure your desired message will fit within the item’s engravable area.
• If you plan to add a picture to your engraving ensure that the image type you are using is suitable for the material of the item you would like engraved.
• Determine if you would prefer a laser or rotary engraver.  Laser engraving offers the most product material versatility.  Rotary engraving can directly engrave metal.  The engraver’s method of engraving will determine the type of products they offer in their store. 
• If you are stuck and are just not sure what product would suit you best, or you can’t find the words you are looking for, just ask your engraver.  Personalized gift engraving is a service industry and most store owners and employees are more than happy to help you find the perfect gift.