Frequently Asked Questions

Do you still offer laser engraving & cutting services?

Yes! If you'd like to request customized laser cutting & engraving services, click HERE to shop my store for those items. For customized items, or for bulk/B2B purchasing, click HERE to submit a contact form. I usually return my emails within an hour but almost always within 24 hours.

What's your store's address? I want to come browse.

Sorry, I don't have a physical store. I work out of my home. Occasionally, for local clients, I will allow them to pick up items from my home. I live in Rosedale, Maryland, just outside of Baltimore City.

Your YouTube videos are AWESOME! Can I suggest a project?

Thank you! I do try hard, and my first few videos were kind of... bland. I know. I try hard to make each video better than the last. If you have an idea for something I haven't tackled yet, click HERE to send me the suggestion.

Whoa! That's not how you do that!

In the beginning of each video, I have a disclaimer (also in the description of all my videos) outlining my explanation about this. I try to do everything exactly right while being the safest I can, but I don't always know the "right" or "correct" way to do everything. In many of the things we do, there isn't always a right way. You could say it's less a "how-to" video and more a "how-I-do-it" video.

What is the turnaround time for my order?

I do my very best to get your order set up, designed, saved, engraved, boxed & shipped as fast as I can. If I have all the materials on hand to complete your order, my goal is to have it finished and given to the mail carrier within 24 hours. During the holiday months however, I highly suggest ordering personalization as far in advance as possible! For the 2023 holiday season, I stopped taking orders on December 15th just to catch up on backorders. So yes, the earlier the better!

Do I have to buy an item from you for you to engrave it?

No. While I can sell you an item that I will engrave for you; you can either drop off or mail me the item you want engraved; or I can build the item for you THEN engrave that. Many of the items I do sell are made in factories specifically designed to be engraved in an industrial-grade engraver, so whatever your situation, I got you!

What kinds of materials can you engrave?

I can engrave the following materials: Acrylic, Canvas, Cardboard, Ceramic, Cork, Corian, Fabric, Foam Board, Granite, Leather, Marble, Matte Board, MDF, Stone, Vinyl, and Wood (yes, I can engrave fabrics).

With anodized Aluminum, it isn't technically engraving into the aluminum: it's removing the coating on the aluminum.

With glass, the laser beam doesn't remove material- it actually creates super tiny cracks in the glass that makes it appear engraved. the proper term is etching. Nickel (along with aluminum, copper, brass and other base metals), Painted metals and Stainless Steel must receive a coating of marking spray. When the spray dries, the laser engraver heats up the dry coating and the silicates in the spray melt & then solidify on the metal. When the process finishes, I wash off the remailing coating and you're left with a dark etching. See below for a video of that process.

What kinds of materials can you cut?

Acrylic, Canvas, Cardboard, Cork, Fabrics, Foam Board, Leather, Matte Board, MDF, Vinyl, and Wood.

Do you work with other businesses, or do you just focus on the consumer markets?

Whether you order one small item one time, or if your company needs 10,000 items every few months, I will do my best to deliver INCREDIBLE results each & every time. I realize that every item that leaves my laser bed could become a valuable family heirloom, and I don't take that kind of responsibility lightly!

How do you charge for your services?

It's impossible to give an accurate estimate without knowing
the details. If you have a specific project in mind or need a quote/estimate,
you can contact me HERE and I will be in touch!

 There are specific things one must do to engrave an item: we
must prepare the surface, place it level onto the laser's bed, we must design
what is to be engraved, ensure everything is aligned correctly, then finally,
we engrave. Knowing this will help explain this next section:

 Informed Estimates:            free

File Conversion Fee:           $15.00

Design Services:                  $10.00- $100.00*

Packaging:                            $5.00

Laser fee:                               Up to $4.00 per minute**

Laser Cutting Service:         Up to $3 per minute**

Leathercraft:                          Based on the item

Resin items:                          Based on the item

 Smaller items & less-involved designs are usually charged a flat fee.

 *Design services are based upon the difficulty & intricacy of the design. I reserve the right to base this fee on my professional judgement AND reserve the right update it in either direction if necessary.

 **The Laser Fee is calculated by the power level required to complete the job, multiplied by the minutes it requires to complete the process.

 Commercial Clients:

Bulk Discounts:                    Yes- depends upon the request.

Repeat Orders:                     Yes- depends upon volume & frequency.

 All orders under $750.00 require payment in full prior to beginning your order. Orders OVER $750.00 require a 50% deposit before the work begins. Once completed, the remaining balance is due prior to shipping/pickup.

I am a returning client. You already worked on the files and vectorized the images. Do I have to pay for that again?

That depends. I keep image files for at minimum one year from your last purchase. Anything after that, I cannot guarantee I still have the files. Unfortunately, you would be shocked to know how quickly storage space gets used up.

Can you engrave a photo image onto a material? If so, what materials?

Yes of course! Photos can be engraved onto a variety of materials, including wood, rubber, anodized aluminum, slate, marble, acrylic and many other materials.

What services to you provide, and can you explain each service & tell me the price for the services?

It's impossible to give an accurate estimate without knowing
the details. If you have a specific project in mind or need a quote/estimate,
you can contact me HERE and I will be in touch!

 There are specific things one must do to engrave an item: we
must prepare the surface, place it level onto the laser's bed, we must design
what is to be engraved, ensure everything is aligned correctly, then finally,
we engrave. Knowing this will help explain this next section:

 Informed Estimates:            free

File Conversion Fee:           $15.00

Design Services:                  $10.00- $100.00*

Packaging:                            $5.00

Laser fee:                               Up to $4.00 per minute**

Laser Cutting Service:         Up to $3 per minute**

Leathercraft:                          Based on the item

Resin items:                          Based on the item

 Smaller items & less-involved designs are usually charged a flat fee.

 *Design services are based upon the difficulty & intricacy of the design. I reserve the right to base this fee on my professional judgement AND reserve the right update it in either direction if necessary.

 **The Laser Fee is calculated by the power level required to complete the job, multiplied by the minutes it requires to complete the process.

 Commercial Clients:

Bulk Discounts:                    Yes- depends upon the request.

Repeat Orders:                     Yes- depends upon volume & frequency.

 All orders under $750.00 require payment in full prior to beginning your order. Orders OVER $750.00 require a 50% deposit before the work begins. Once completed, the remaining balance is due prior to shipping/pickup.

For custom, unique requests, can you tell me the process? What do you need from me?

Come up with an idea- that's often the hardest part! Once you have a good idea of what you want, be descriptive! Depending on the specifics, I can have your order ready to ship the same day or soon after. But once I have the design and a deposit of 50% if the total estimated cost is over $750, or payment is due in full before work is to begin.

When all is good to go, I will begin designing. When completed, I will send you a proof of the design. If the design needs anything else, let me know and I will fix it. Once you're satisfied & have approved the design, I will begin working immediately. When it's finished, you can come pick it up or I'll ship it to you. After all that, I will ask you to write a review.

What I will need from you: your design & input approval, payment and feedback. If you want anything engraved, just specify it. Poems, quotes, photographs, and that type of thing.