Engraving Lowers - AR15.COM

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Posted: 11/21/2005 10:14:26 PM EDT

With Christmas coming up I've been looking at presents for my dad. He's really had a lot of fun plinking with my AR when I'm home from college. He got laid of a while ago and is finally getting back on his feet after getting a college degree. I want to get him something special and personal. I'm thinking of buying a lower reciever and putting it together myself with a parts kit. I want to engrave the lower, however, to make it a little more special. Now being in college, I can't exactly afford to send a lower off to be specially engraved by ADCO or something. Is there anyway I can bring a lower to a jewelry store and have them engrave it and then have it sent of for ~~parkerizing~~anodizing? Or is this going to be a spendy project? My step-mom has an engraving machine at her shop and she would do it for free to help me save cash if needed. I came across this idea after seeing the post for a free lower for beta testing and thought it'd be a perfect present. Any help is greatly apprecated.

Posted: 11/21/2005 10:22:37 PM EDT

[#1]

ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=7&f=118&t=221158

Posted: 11/21/2005 10:24:57 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
With Christmas coming up I've been looking at presents for my dad. He's really had a lot of fun plinking with my AR when I'm home from college. He got laid of a while ago and is finally getting back on his feet after getting a college degree. I want to get him something special and personal. I'm thinking of buying a lower reciever and putting it together myself with a parts kit. I want to engrave the lower, however, to make it a little more special. Now being in college, I can't exactly afford to send a lower off to be specially engraved by ADCO or something. Is there anyway I can bring a lower to a jewelry store and have them engrave it and then have it sent of for parkerizing? Or is this going to be a spendy project? My step-mom has an engraving machine at her shop and she would do it for free to help me save cash if needed. I came across this idea after seeing the post for a free lower for beta testing and thought it'd be a perfect present. Any help is greatly apprecated.

I *think* you can legally have non-gunsmiths work on it as long as you stay with it -- you can't drop it off and go back and pick it up though. If the engravng machine can engrave aluminum, you should be good to go.

Just FYI - AR lowers aren't parkerized -- they're aluminum, and parkerising is a process for steel - the lowers are anodized.

Posted: 11/22/2005 7:30:10 AM EDT

[#3]

As the link above shows......username likemopar (Tom Sawyer Manufacturing). High quality work indeed!!!

Posted: 11/22/2005 8:31:15 AM EDT

[#4]

+1 for likemopar

Posted: 11/22/2005 8:32:33 AM EDT

[#5]

You could engrave it, "Sorry about the job, here use this to get revenge."

Sorry, that was a really stupid joke. Please let me know if you find anyone to do th engraving.

Posted: 11/22/2005 10:25:56 PM EDT

[#6]

I read a topic one time about how it's tough to engrave through the anodizing. Do I buy a lower without the finish and then have it anodized after I get it engraved? I'm going to my step-moms shop in the morning to do some test work.

Posted: 11/23/2005 3:54:39 AM EDT

[#7]

I understand if your own a budget, but $30-$40 to have it engraved by some one who knows exactly what they are doing isn't so bad. Especially when you are talking about the overall price of an AR.

I still say contact Steve Sawyer at Tom Sawyer Manufacturing, usernam likemopar here on the board, and see what he can do for you. If nothing else he can answer these questions you have.

I'd just hate to see you screw up a nice new lower receiver if you don't have to.

Just my $0.02.

Posted: 11/23/2005 3:58:39 AM EDT

[#8]

Depending on who you want to get the lower from, Lauer Custome Weaponry offers engraving on thier lowers.

Posted: 11/23/2005 7:12:55 AM EDT

[#9]

Longhorn, thanks for the advice. I think I'll be contacting likemopar for some engraving.

Posted: 11/23/2005 7:52:23 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
Longhorn, thanks for the advice. I think I'll be contacting likemopar for some engraving.

No problem. Be sure to post pics of it whichever route you take!!

Posted: 11/24/2005 9:19:14 AM EDT

[#11]

Wow,
Thank you for the kind words and support.
Trophy shop engravers can be a hit or miss situation.
Bummer is if it is messed up, fairly costly to fix.
I see a couple each month that require repair and engrave which can run $150-$250 depending.
Many are SBR's that have the $200 tax paid and paper work processing, so just replacing the $100 receiver is not an option.
BTW, I am not aware of any Federal Regulation prohibiting a private individual leaving or loaning their AR to anyone who can legally possess it. Finding an engraver who will accept a firearm......
It is FFL's and NFA weapons that have tighter regulations regarding transfers and possession.
Here's a couple of shots of "trophy shop" engravings.
Please let me know if youhave anymore questions.
Steve

Posted: 11/24/2005 7:42:14 PM EDT

[#12]

Here's a picture of what I'm considering for an engraving. My budget was limited earlier but for something like this I would get it done and work a few extra hours for it.

Posted: 11/26/2005 8:59:47 PM EDT

[#13]

Not to highjack,

But I was thinking of having this done again but have one question. When the anodizing is engraved though to bare aluminum does this expose the lower to any type of chipping, corrosion or anything of the like?

Posted: 11/27/2005 6:21:48 AM EDT

[#14]

Likemopar, I think that your work is fantastic. I'd love to get you to do some work on my lower but unfortunately I live in Canada.

Posted: 11/28/2005 6:59:30 PM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
Not to highjack,

But I was thinking of having this done again but have one question. When the anodizing is engraved though to bare aluminum does this expose the lower to any type of chipping, corrosion or anything of the like?

Good question.
Have not encountered any of the above in mine or clients lowers.
My first lower is as crisp as the first day.

Posted: 11/29/2005 10:13:58 AM EDT

[#16]

I don't want to HiJack the thread, but I have a question for LikeMopar (Tom Sawyer)

LikeMopar, Hypothetically, if I were to send you an 80% Receiver, and asked you to engrave the HK Style Pictograms for the safety markings, and with all items Centered (to look nice)

Registered Pistol

For Civilian
Use Only

on the Right Side of the Magwell, and on the Left Side something like

M-4 Pistol
Cal. -multi
Ser. xxxxxx

And above the hamme pin hole, someting like;

Renegade AR
Somewhere, USA

Could you do this as asked??
Would you be able to do this, without adding anything else?
And how much would it cost????

Thanks,
Chief

Posted: 12/10/2005 8:38:21 AM EDT

[#17]

UPS'd my lower to TSM and they recieved it on 11/28. Called and left message on status of my lower on 12/08 and have yet to get a response......waiting like a kid at Christmas.

Posted: 12/10/2005 1:08:11 PM EDT

[#18]

Hmmm......
rollin_hot
Just tried to IM you and your account is not accepting IM's
Only work I received on the 28th from AZ is for "Mike" in Phoenix.
Work completed and shipped out the 29th, currently tracks "in Phoenix". but not delivered
Phone number given is "not a working number" when I try to contact.
Contact me for a tracking number and lets get to the bottom of this ASAP.
Here's my email:
[email protected]
or phone
651-357-0678

Posted: 12/11/2005 7:55:16 PM EDT

[#19]

Steve.....Thanks for the info. I will give you a call tomorrow for the tracking number. Not sure why I am not getting IM's, and the number I left on your voice mail is cuurrent.....no biggie though, I just needed to know when to expect it. Thanks in advance....It is greatly appreciated.

Mike from Phoenix i.e. "rollin_hot"

Posted: 12/12/2005 12:44:44 AM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Not to highjack,

But I was thinking of having this done again but have one question. When the anodizing is engraved though to bare aluminum does this expose the lower to any type of chipping, corrosion or anything of the like?

Good question.
Have not encountered any of the above in mine or clients lowers.
My first lower is as crisp as the first day.

likemopar,
What do you use to refinish (in black) the areas you engrave?

Posted: 12/14/2005 8:34:14 PM EDT

[#21]

Steve....Got my lower today...it looks great....I appreciate it.

Posted: 12/19/2005 2:55:22 AM EDT

[#22]

Engraving is bags of fun. Seems the trophy engravers are using lasers, and on a low setting it is like a laser show, painting the design or text on the item to allow adjusting the scale and position before the final burn. Very hard to screw things up with this method. Also, the laser goes right through the anodizing.

We can cut text etc with our CNC mill, but for lowers we use a WWII vintage Gorton panto mill. This is a milling head on a pantograph. Text characters are set up with moveable type and graphics are done with custom templates.

Custom templates are easily made. Get 1/8" thick UHMW sheet from MSC. Print out your design about 4X bigger. Tape the print-out to the plastic and with an Exacto knife schrimshaw through the design into the plastic. Remove the paper and rub with black shoe polish to bring up the lines. Then use a viening tool to groove along the lines and you have a custom template. Because of the size reduction when engraving, any errors are reduced!

Regards, Ray

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