Has anyone tried to use a laser engraver to etch on a powder horn? With the irregular shape, I was wondering if it is possible. I am thinking large areas of the horn, like a map or similar drawing.
Has anyone tried to use a laser engraver to etch on a powder horn? With the irregular shape, I was wondering if it is possible. I am thinking large areas of the horn, like a map or similar drawing.
A vote for anyone other then the conservative candidates is a vote for the liberal candidates.
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Nope........ I would think that a laser-etched whatever would look too perfect for my tastes, on a powder horn.
I'm more into original-looking, rustic-style horns, like a frontiersman would have likely made/used (YMMV, of course).
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Now I lay me down to sleep
A gun beside me is what I keep
If I awake, and you're inside
The coroner's van is your next ride
No experience with laser engraving. I would suspect the curve of the horn would make it problematic. I have found that push engravers like I use for metal engraving work well to “scrim” the design on powder horns. I have bit better control than a handle with a needle when cutting the design.
A vote for anyone other then the conservative candidates is a vote for the liberal candidates.
Never tried Lazer but when I did my horn I used my vent pick then rubbed India ink in the scratches.
Now I lay me down to sleep
A gun beside me is what I keep
If I awake, and you're inside
The coroner's van is your next ride
The problem with using a laser to engrave a powder horn is the shape of the horn. A laser requires the laser maintain the same distance from the surface during the whole process. While there is some leeway, even a 1/4" will be too much change. There are some high end lasers that have a "Z" axis control, the distance change still has to be programmed in so the laser can move the Z axis to maintain the same distance.
With that all said, the horn could be chucked in a 3D type chuck so the horn would rotate too allow a small area of the horn to be engraved.
You would need to very accurately "map" the surface to maintain the shape. I would think f the z axis varies then the width of the line will fade and get wider or narrower
Given the focus limitations of most laser markers, an alternative approach could be to print a flexible stencil on a Cricut or similar plotter.
If you think cutting and filing horns smells bad, consider the powerful burnt-hair stink a laser would make!
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
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