Laser Engraving and Metal Etching

I've been restoring some old radios from the 20s and some are missing the brass ID plate.  From the photos online, they appear to be etched.  I can make new plates using that method, but because of the lettering size, I will need a resist made by a laser.

Anyone done anything like this or have a laser etching go-to?  Here's what I want to replicate:

I actually just got an 80 watt laser engraver. I still have to set it up and learn to use the thing but would be happy to make parts for you once that gets done. It will probably be mid May though. 

We have an 80 watt laser at the makerspace.  From experience with that particular one, it will engrave metal but the design wont be very deep at all.

Would spray paint work as resist?  If so, that might be a way to do it with a laser.  That is, paint the metal and use the laser to burn the paint away for your design.

paranoid_android said:

Would spray paint work as resist?  If so, that might be a way to do it with a laser.  That is, paint the metal and use the laser to burn the paint away for your design.

Yes, that's exactly what I had in mind.  I watched a youtube video by Switch and Lever and that's what he did.  I just tried to do the method where you transfer toner from a printout onto the metal and it didn't work.  So paint and laser it is.

How was it done originally, do you think?

Google up how to make circuit boards from photocopies.  I would imagine it would be virtually the same process.

Apis Mellifera said:

  I just tried to do the method where you transfer toner from a printout onto the metal and it didn't work. 

I've not had much luck with it either.

The plate is roughly 1" x 2".  I'd image they made them by etching back then.  They may have silkscreened the resist on.  I'm not sure.  My family actually manufactured the radios, but we have no records on that kind of detail.  They likely had the plates made.

I think the photocopy method is the same as the printer toner.  I've tried it several times and got it plenty hot.  It just never fully transfers.  I made a jpg of the resist so it's a matter of emailing it to someone with...

Ah, silkscreening. Makes sense. That's something you could do yourself, it's not terribly complex but it could be a little fiddly. I used to do my own screens by hand when I was in high school.

If you can't find someone with a laser on GRM, I know a guy who could do it.

Modern photocopiers are scanners plugged into a laser printer, AFAIK.

Apis Mellifera said:

paranoid_android said:

Would spray paint work as resist?  If so, that might be a way to do it with a laser.  That is, paint the metal and use the laser to burn the paint away for your design.

Yes, that's exactly what I had in mind.  I watched a youtube video by Switch and Lever and that's what he did.  I just tried to do the method where you transfer toner from a printout onto the metal and it didn't work.  So paint and laser it is.

Cool, then I would say yes it would work.  I’ve seen work on aluminum sheet done this way, and it looks amazing.  I don’t have the pieces here, otherwise I’d attach a picture.

Do you have the digital designs already?

I would be more than happy to laser them for you, but can’t for a week or two.  I had surgery yesterday...

I have the design in a jpg and the PhotoShop file I made.  I'd really appreciate the assist!

I sent you a pm this evening.  If you didn't get it for whatever reason, feel free to email me at owensdad74 ala the google mail.

We can start figuring out how to do this

“Awards Atlanta” is my go-to engraver. That’s all I got.