The Home Machinist!

I'm getting all my trailers squared away , I need plates engraved with the vin number . Laser engraving , rotorary tool or even stamped .
I had checked with the local trophy shop ,but they don't do engraving - so hopefully one of our members can help me out .
Thanks ,
Steve S

Maybe this is something a CNC machine can do ?

Yes, that is something that CNC can do.

I looked at laser engraving for a project and the setup charge was $75, and this was going to be for a one-off piece.

Do you have a local makers club in the area? Maybe you can contract with them. It might cost a lot less than an engraving shop and the money would go back into the shop.

I can't believe that a trophy shop doesn't do engraving.

Steve

I suspect that the "engraving" is just scratch, not cutting. That's not all that uncommon for trophies. And they may not do anything but trophies, so they, for all practical purposes, don't engrave.
A guy might be well served to just buy a small set of stamps, which could then be used for other things as well. Might not be all that expensive if they have them at Harbor Freight.

I own a couple sets of stamps marketed under the name Modelmark. The individual characters are inserted in a holder, with words stamped instead of individual characters. Used in conjunction with an arbor press, the end result can rival engraving. Once stamped, I draw file the surface, flattening the displaced metal. Follow up with a bead blast operation. I've made small dashboard plates by this manner with excellent results.

H

I do have two different size sets of stamps . I could stamp one to several digits at a time , but not enough to stamp the entire number at one time ...

Steve S

I was having a lot of fun with scratch engraving. My old BP is just not really fast enough for an engraving bit, but it works too, slowly.

Steve S wrote: ↑Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:58 am I do have two different size sets of stamps . I could stamp one to several digits at a time , but not enough to stamp the entire number at one time ...

Steve S

If that's the case, using a straightedge to locate the stamps for each series you create, and use an arbor press instead of a hammer. By doing so, you should be able to produce results that rival engraving.

Note that the amount of pressure needed for a good impression rises quickly. I use a 3/6 ton compound arbor press, and it taxes the press when stamping hard material (like steel). You can get around the ever increasing amount of pressure needed by shortening the number of characters you stamp per session. With a straightedge and care, you can get the characters properly spaced, at least within reason.

H

Is there a reason why you want to make plates for the VIN rather than using stamps on the frame of the trailer ? I ask because it would be very easy to remove a plate from the frame if the trailer were to be stolen, whereas the stamps would make a permanent marking in the frame. Even if the numbers were to be ground off, there are ways to recover the numbers.
http://www.evidencemagazine.com/index.p ... iew&id=366


Nyle

Nyle ,
All the trailers I've owned have had the VIN on a plate attached to the trailer .
I guess it's done like that for the same reason auto makers do it .
Besides if someone is intent on stealing a trailer , I highly doubt the vin application matters to them ....
Steve

I had to mark a home built trailer with a tag that was required by law for my state. I had the tag made at a trophy shop for a nominal fee and pop riveted it to the tongue of the trailer. This becomes the official ID of the titled vehicle and it is against the law to remove or alter this label.

After the theft and disassembly of a heavy truck I owned the bed was traced to another vehicle. Since the bed was made by me there were no less than 7 ID numbers stamped and welded on parts of the frame of the bed. One set of numbers weer 5 inches tall welded to the underside of the bed in weld bead. The 4 number series were the last digits of my SS number, and not random. After much posturing and wasted communication, the police authorities and the prosecuter would not file charges, nor allow a claim of ownership, as the numbers were not made by a manufacturer and could be duplicated by anyone. I lost my C-60 truck and parts from my warehouse that got raided by thieves.

SteveS, In case physical engraving doesn't pan out for you, have you looked into electrolytic etching or chemical etching with ferric chloride ?
Electrolytic etching is what I've done for some special TV props, all you need is a DC power source salt water and some sheets of PnP Blue
to transfer your numbers over to the plate, a vinyl stick on stencil would work too. I've done both electrolytic and chemical with brass and aluminum
I've never done with steel but electrolytic should do that too, no sure of chemical etching on steel.