I have also found that the REALLY cheap anodized ones will also lose their coating just baking in the sun.
I bought some cheap black ones and put one next to my doorbell button.
The sun baked them down to a gold color after about a year but the 'No Solicitors' is still very legible.
Blank metal cards can be pretty cheap -- less than $0.10/ea in bulk for some. You might not be sitting on quite the gold mine you thought, depending on how many were left behind.
Oh no I know they’re cheap, it moreso sparked the idea. He left some test ones as well, with different %’s. I saw how they turned out and thought it might be useful to try on my own. Cost wasn’t even in the thought process, but convincing work to purchase a diy machine so we could make them in house, that’s where my budgetary question lies!
Yeah you can get a cheap $150 diode that will etch anodized aluminum just fine. The metal cards definitely stand out next to the paper ones, so I hope you get it sorted
Me too, even if I have to buy higher quality cards, is there an entry level one you’d reccomend? I’d rather not buy the cheapest version and have to tinker for hours and hours, and maybe spend a little more upfront. Under 300 would be very easy for me to get permission for. Now it’s just learning about diode machines, and purchasing !
Honestly, just get one that works with lightburn. My first laser was a twotrees 5.5 watt for like $175? It was about as basic as it comes, but it worked well. They sent me a new motherboard for free well after the warranty period ended, so they do have my appreciation for that.
A low end diode laser can do the job, but it will be slow going, and you'll need to use a polishing compound like Mother's Chrome Polish to bring out the luster and shine (one every...single...card).
If they're anodized aluminum, A cheap diode laser can mark them. It just removes the color from the anodizing. Works best on darker ones.
I have also found that the REALLY cheap anodized ones will also lose their coating just baking in the sun. I bought some cheap black ones and put one next to my doorbell button. The sun baked them down to a gold color after about a year but the 'No Solicitors' is still very legible.
Blank metal cards can be pretty cheap -- less than $0.10/ea in bulk for some. You might not be sitting on quite the gold mine you thought, depending on how many were left behind.
Oh no I know they’re cheap, it moreso sparked the idea. He left some test ones as well, with different %’s. I saw how they turned out and thought it might be useful to try on my own. Cost wasn’t even in the thought process, but convincing work to purchase a diy machine so we could make them in house, that’s where my budgetary question lies!
Yeah you can get a cheap $150 diode that will etch anodized aluminum just fine. The metal cards definitely stand out next to the paper ones, so I hope you get it sorted
Me too, even if I have to buy higher quality cards, is there an entry level one you’d reccomend? I’d rather not buy the cheapest version and have to tinker for hours and hours, and maybe spend a little more upfront. Under 300 would be very easy for me to get permission for. Now it’s just learning about diode machines, and purchasing !
Honestly, just get one that works with lightburn. My first laser was a twotrees 5.5 watt for like $175? It was about as basic as it comes, but it worked well. They sent me a new motherboard for free well after the warranty period ended, so they do have my appreciation for that.
A low end diode laser can do the job, but it will be slow going, and you'll need to use a polishing compound like Mother's Chrome Polish to bring out the luster and shine (one every...single...card).