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Posted: 7/24/2017 9:57:23 PM EDT
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So I am hoping to get my kit built Beretta AR70 engraved but the normal sources are out because it is fully built.
I found a local laser joint, Leo Armory. that can do it but they need a lot of time to work up the template. I figure maybe I can do this and it could be a learning experience for all of us. I'm sure the same process could turn out a template that could be printed out for electro engraving. So how do you turn this into a template? Attached File Attached File |
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Progress so far. I was sent a .dxf file that will work great but I still want to figure out how to do this myself.
Using this pic would not work due to the angle the pic was taken at but shows the markings I am trying to duplicate. 
I grabbed this screen capture from the video Ian did at forgotten weapons that shows the civi markings. They are the same save the serial prefix and it was shown straight on. 
Next I uploaded this image to fontsquirrel.com and it found a match. DIN 1451 fette Breitschrift 1936 Best of all it was free to download. I installed it then opened up word and typed the text with the picture underneath. 
I adjusted the spacing and font size until I got it as close as I can. The image I captured was slightly angled so it is not exactly lined up. Still playing with the spacing. So here is my file with the image removed. I have it as a .docx and a .pdf. 
Next I need to convert this to a dxf. That is my current sticking point. Free software stuff is not doing the trick yet. That or I don't know how to use it properly. Any suggestions? |
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If you're dead set on doing it yourself you could attempt the electro-etching process and just get someone to print you up a vinyl decal you can place on the receiver. If your receiver is still in the white it may be worth pursuing.
Edit: just reread the OP, I see you already had that in mind as a possibility 
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Progress.
I downloaded InkScape which is a open source graphics program. I opened up a new doc and made two layers with the pic on the bottom. I typed in my DIN 1451 and lined it up just like I did in word. 
I then took out the bottom layer and tried to save the file as a dxf and it wouldn't work. I finally figured out that I needed to do an additional operation called "Object to Path" After that it saved properly and I had a working dxf file that a laser engraver could use. 
Now all that being said I didn't use this file. I had sent Leo Armory several files to work with before I figured this out. They took my pdf version and dropped it into CorelDraw and finalized a working version. They resized it to match some of the original markings that were on a demilled receiver I left with them. I got to say the folks at Leo Armory went above and beyond the line of duty. They took me in the shop and walked me through the whole process including the actual engraving which I got to video. BigRix Instagram Turned out great. 
Now off to JT to match the finish on the rest of the gun and this clone will be complete. I think this process could be used to make a vinyl stencil and electro engraving would work just fine. I plan to do some other projects like this and give it a try. Resizing to the proper dimension is the only thing that would have to happen to make that work. Final sizing was done on the laser before we started engraving. |
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