Choosing The Right Cutter For Your Engraving Machine

By Author: Janet Wong (www.mypewterart.co.uk)
Total Articles: 14
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How do I know which cutter to use?

When first purchasing an engraving machine a lot of thought is given to the machine itself and its software. Obviously it is essential that these two items meet the needs of the task in hand and offer the flexibility for future growth, but there is another element in the complete engraving system that is often taken for granted or even overlooked.

If the wrong cutter is selected then the quality of the mark can be so bad as to make the design totally misrepresented or the component may even become unusable. In many ways your expensive engraving machine and software is only as good as the cutter that you choose and quite often your machine is only supplied with a couple of cutters and maybe a diamond, thereby limiting your engraving options.

Cutters can be initially be broken down into two types - one for marking the surface of metal, glass or pewter tankards, and the other for actually cutting into the product or material you are marking.

The surface mark is easy to understand. The cutter used ...
... is normally a diamond and this can be broken down into two further types; rotating or non-rotating. There are also different tip sizes to choose from. This section would be made by determining the boldness of the mark required or the type of material to be marked and in some cases its hardness.

When actually engraving into the material, a conical shaped tool is normally used and this can be made of either high speed steel or carbide. However, the options widen even further with not only a choice of tip sizes, but also a variety of angles used in the shaping of the tool. When cutting through the material, the choice becomes even more complex, with different types of cutter, other than the conical one mentioned above, all being available in different widths. In most cases the material you are working with determines the type of cutter to be use, but there are other factors which sometimes need to be taken into consideration.

Janet is an expert in giving wording and fonts arrangement advice for engraved tankards and engraved goblets. Visit Pewter Art UK for more pewter gifts idea. http://www.mypewterart.co.uk