xTool F1 Ultra Laser Engraving 14 Karat White Gold Ring

[Javier Odom]

The following testing was done, using a rotary, on a 14 karat white gold mens ring that was approximately 2.21mm thick and 6.57mm wide where it was engraved. Using the following settings I was able to get insanely fine details and clear legibility with text. Though I could get a clear engraving of text characters that are less than 1mm in size I opted to do the entire engraving at 1mm height. To be clear, I am using an image of text, not text, for this test job.

Image [SVG/PNG image with a solid black image on a transparent background]
Engrave
Fiber IR laser type
150 microns dot duration
75 % power range
1,200 dpi
1 pass
Floyd bitmap mode
Bi-Directional engraving mode
30 kHz

One Pass does a great job, but I found I like a little more depth. When I would run a single job with multiple passes it would create too many burrs or "slag". To remedy this I found that if I run a single job with one pass, then process the exact same job two more times, I get a better depth with less burrs or slag. I still use a brass brush to clean off the scorched metal, and if I were at the shop I would lightly hit the inside ring at the polishing machine, but I am not sure it is really necessary as the burrs are not sharp and may provide a little more longevity if anything.

All close-up examinations were done at 10X magnification (with a loupe).

I will need to update or reply in this thread with Text settings on 14 karat white gold.

[Javier Odom]

The following testing was done, using a rotary, on a 14 karat white gold mens ring that was approximately 2.21mm thick and 6.57mm wide (actually it varies and I did not measure it) where it was engraved. Using the following settings I was able to get fine details and very clear legibility with text. Though I could get a clear engraving of text characters that are less than 1mm in size I opted to do the entire engraving at 1.75mm height (it is actually width because I turned the text 90 degrees to run along the inside of the ring). To be clear, I am using typed text, not an image, for this test job.

Text [Chopin Script]
Engrave
Fiber IR laser type
70 % power range
400 mm/s
3 pass
Bi-Directional engraving mode
30 kHz

One Pass still does a great job, but I want more depth. Two passes was crispy clear. Three passes started to get fuzzy but had a better depth. By lowering the power down to 70% I did not have as much of an issue with burrs or slag. I had also increased the speed from my initial tests of 200 mm/s to 400 mm/s. I still use a brass brush for clean up.

I will definitely be fine-tuning this, but this is a great starting point.

Something to be noted is that the current software and hardware have different settings available when engraving a flat object versus a round object on the rotary. This means there are a total of four settings for every metal (flat image, flat text, rotary image, rotary text).

All close-up examinations were done at 10X magnification (with a loupe and a microscope).

[Javier Odom]

For the inside ring engraving, after several more tests, I am leaning towards running TWO JOBS of the following (run one job, then reprocess it without moving anything):

Text [Centaur]
Engrave
Fiber IR laser type
70 % power range
400 mm/s
2 pass
Bi-Directional engraving mode
30 kHz

Running this job two times will end up with four total passes. In my testing, this yielded better results than running a single job with 4 passes. Results may vary, especially depending on alloys and cast quality.

I have actually run out of 14kw rings to use for testing. I will need to go in and buff these out or find more test rings.

[Loxitation]

Hey, I just found your topic here. I am looking into engraving my first rings. Sadly I can't see your pictures here. Can you re-post them? Its my first time with expensive rings and I want to get it right. :-)

[Javier Odom]

Hey, I just found your topic here. I am looking into engraving my first rings. Sadly I can't see your pictures here. Can you re-post them? Its my first time with expensive rings and I want to get it right. :-)

No pictures were posted. The following quote is not saying there is an image in the post, but saying in the engraving software to use a SVG or PNG image with a solid black image on a transparent background:

Image [SVG/PNG image with a solid black image on a transparent background]

I posted these mostly as notes for myself, and if other people want to use the same setting that is great. It would be even better if they replied with their results and tweaks.

I see how images would be helpful but I honestly do not want to take images of all the testing I am doing as it would exponentially increase my time requirements as I am doing a lot of testing. I am doing more engraving work today and I will see if I can find some 14 karat white gold rings to photograph. No promises as I have a busy day scheduled, but just maybe...

What type of metal(s) are you using, and approximately what is the width of the ring shank(s)?

Are the rings tapered at all?