# Noob: need help find solution to mill letters on polymer



## Koobs (Apr 13, 2013)

Greetings, I have a plan to import magazines into canada but need to make certain modifications to them to meet regulations.

In the top picture you can barely make out the numbers 5.56 Cal.
I need to remove that which I though would be easiest by the three following methods but im not sure which would be "best"
- Scraping with a sharp tool (might look ugly after)
- Using a chemical or heat 
- setting a rotary dremel to take a thin layer off (prefered methodi think)

In the second image you can see the words PMAG, I would like to remove those letters, and on top of the new flat surface mill, stamp, cut or whatever process you guys might think would be best the numbers and letters *.50 Cal*.

My idea first was laser engraving but was told the process would not remove plastic, so my second idea would be a computer assisted mill to shave the PMAG letters and mill the new *.50 Cal* characters, or if not computer assisted maybe some sort of guide or stencil.

Obviously i can walk into a cnc shop and get this done by I want to keep costs low, and I am hoping there is some sort of mini milling machine or milling machine for kids etc. or even some sort of home depot solution.

please help, I will be driving from ontario, canada to New Hampshire to check on production and would like to have this device fit in my trunk so I can do the modifications on site

thanks guys!


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## wwp13 (Apr 12, 2013)

Koobs, I can't tell the size of the container. Being in the engraving and identification business, if it's small enough, a New Hermes bench top computer engraver would cut off the raised letters and then sink the copy you need. You can find them at trophy shops, which would be a great test site to see if that process would work. They usually have an old one that you could pick buy. Hand carry it anywhere. We laser plastic everyday, but not on polymer. You could set up a router to do the removal.. ever thought of a pressure sensitive sticker? would make it clean looking. We (and many other shops close to you) have equipment to make 1 label or 1 million. good luck


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## Koobs (Apr 13, 2013)

the container is the size of a ar-15 magazine.

about the size of an old motorola flip phone.

and i tried looking up the engraver you mentioned but didnt have much luck, can you possibly get me a model number? all i found was that they go for about $2000 but you can find one as low as 300-500


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## Koobs (Apr 13, 2013)

Okay I found the one you where refering to. I think thats out of my budget for this to be profitable.

I think I need to find a way to guid the dremel to shave the lettering, then guide the lettering or send them out to a laser engraver.

I emailed one company and they told me the laser wouldnt be able to remove the PMAG lettering. If I remove the lettering how deep does laser engraving go? does it look pernament?

here is a perfect example but i cant tell how deep the engraving is


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## Cliff (Feb 5, 2012)

I believe that is polypropylene or polyethelyne but I'm more sure of propelyene.

You can't mill prop' like that. It gets all stringy and gooey and fibrous. Makes a real mess. 

What I'd do if I was bug-F*K to have the term 50-Cal on the case is Make a wood placard and screw it on from the back or paint a bit of thin sheet metal with the desired letters and pop rivet it on.

I dunno nuthin' about laser on prop' I suppose it's work the same as laser on everything else does. It'd vaporize the plastic and poof it'd be gone.


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

So let me get this straight. You want help disguising something to get it across the border which in its self is illegal. :detective:

I'm thinking that's not happening.


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