Does anyone know whether this machine will be suffice?

[Robert Lambie]

how much do they cost and what is the bed size mate?

[nickhodson1]

quote Robert Lambie:

how much do they cost and what is the bed size mate?

http://www.rolanddg.co.uk/productsmain.asp?idprod=17

[nickhodson1]

Compatibility

Engrave and scribe on a wide variety of light duty materials. Compatible materials include coated brass (diamond drag) for great looking trophy plates, as well as dual-coated micro-thin plastics (cutting) for professional badges, nameplates, key rings and luggage tags.

Dont know whether this will engrave the real heavy brass we use for our dentists plates etc.

Roland are saying yes, but of course they would.

[Shane Drew]

I’d be asking them to show you the machine doing the job personally. Let them demonstrate it working on that material.

[Rodney Gold]

We have one of them , it *is* capble of engraving 3mm brass -slowly!!!!!!!!!!!
It is hardly the ideal machine for that at all as it has mickey mouse power in the spindle and the spindle is not the most rigid thing around , the motor and spindle are treated as a consumable and will be a significant operating expense with this machine as they wont last any appreciable time in thios application (500 hrs is unlikley ) It is a light duty machine. apart from which , anything barring engravers brass will be very problematic. You will not have a lot of success with ordinary brass and you certainly wont be able to cut it or engravers. It is however an easy machine to use and fine for scratch or light duty stuff (giftware , plastic badges etc)
You need a decent rigid semi overhead router type engraver for your application , with a decent (1hp+ highish speed ) spindle. Something like a techno-isel + a kress 900w router spindle will do very well or something in that class. You want a bottom loading collet and you want a closed loop servo motor machine with a very precise and sturdy motion system. A single flue engraving bit made from carbide will be the best tool and if you are engraving normal 1/2 hard brass , you will need a cooling/lube setup.

[Carlos Cavanagh]

We had a customer that wanted us to engrave if he was to give us the rest of his business so we blindly went out and bought a Roland EGX-30 for occational use. What a dog! it’s a toy, deathly slow and the software is terrible. I wish I had asked Shane & Rodney beforehand.