Hello All,
I'm new to both metal working and engraving. My hobby is making antique and classic gun parts. The sight dials below are classic M16 items, and haven't been made since the early 60's. There is a retro craze on right now, and original sight wheels are getting hard to find. Soooo, I thought I'd make some repros. I can machine them on my manual Sherline mill from steel bar stock with a rotary indexing table, but I can't figure out how to mark (stamp or engrave?) the "R" and the arrow. For size reference, they're about 3/4" or so in diameter. I'd like to make about 25 of them. Can anyone point me in the right direction?
Thanks

http://photos.ar15.com/WS_Content/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?sAccountUnq=96324&iGalleryUnq=2537&iImageUnq=55828

http://photos.ar15.com/WS_Content/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?sAccountUnq=96324&iGalleryUnq=2537&iImageUnq=55830

What type of quantities are we talking about?

If they're low: Look into having a hand held punch made or a simple etching setup

If they're high: Have the part punched... I know of a small shop in South Georgia that would be willing to help you out. I'm sure you could get a completed (all features) part off every few seconds.

There are other solutions you may wish to consider like this one: http://www.propen.com/usa/index.htm

Good luck,

U need cnc to engrave them, which would work fine.

You could have a punch made, and stamp them, then file off the metal that gets mushroomed up around the R and the arrow. If you stamp them, I would consider leaving plus stock on the surface, and after you stamp them, re-skim off a few thou, so you can’t tell that you stamped them.

That part in the picture could have been coined, like when you make a coin? like a quarter? (A form of punching)

It's highly possible it was made from "powdered metal" but that wouldn't be practical for only 25 pcs, but would be worth a look, if you needed a few hundred of them. They have metal that is in a powdered form, and compact it in a mold, in a press, so the powder holds together, in the form you want, then bake it in an oven! Yes, I’m not BS ing you, they make precision parts like that!

If you are single, try finding an ugly girl who's daddy owns a cnc machine shop, and sweet talk her, and you will get them engraved for free! If your married, bring a case or two of cold Heineken to a cnc shop, and bribe an employee. (now I may be BS ing you) Hey, I’m only throwing ideas cause I see no one else has any!

Good Luck

Thanks for the input. I'm looking around to see if someone can make me a radial hand stamp with both the "R" and the arrow on it.

Do you have an engraving machine? If so this is fairly simple. If not the stamp folks will be your best bet. LL.

I haven't had much luck getting hand stamp companies to reply. Does anyone have any recommendations for a company who can make the stamp?