In today’s world, almost everything is manufactured in a factory and mass-produced. The days of handmade essentials are a thing of the past, and personalized articles are virtually non-existent. Everyone wears the same tennis shoes and buys the same phone. Yes, this method provides cheaper products for consumers, but it essentially erases personal identity and individuality. In the era of the assembly line, it can be hard to stand out from the crowd, but a laser can help add a personal touch to otherwise standardized merchandise. This article will focus on the various uses of hobby lasers, the cost of purchasing one, and ideas for what to use them on.
Is Engraving Personal Items Worth the Cost?
Buying in bulk is always going to lower the individual price of the item in question. The pricing depends on the cost of materials along with other factors such as labour, advertising, and packaging. With so many variables, it hard to give a definite pricing average, but the best solution to counteract this problem is to shop around and compare prices. You can send personal items in for engraving, which will eliminate markups. If you’re interested in Boss Laser, more information is available on their website.
What Materials Can Be Engraved
Engraving materials are abundant and affordable. Here’s a list including, but limited to, possible materials that can be engraved with a laser.
- Glass
- Rubber
- Acrylic
- Plastic
- Wood
- Leather
- Metal
- Photos
- Stone
- Fabric
The pricing of materials depends on factors such as the shape, thickness, quality, and type, but for reference, a t-shirt cost is around four dollars, and a leather wallet is around thirty dollars. People usually do engravings on small objects, so the cost should remain affordable.
Engraving as A Gift
Here are some ideas for items that can be engraved and gifted to a significant other, friend, or family member.
- Wallets
- Key Chains
- Wedding Rings
- Water Bottles
- T-shirts
- Pens
- Phones
- Dog Tags
- Journals
- Christmas Ornaments
Engraving as A Hobby
If engraving is something that you’re interested in, then you’d be looking at anywhere from one-hundred to two-hundred dollars for a small, low-powered machine up to thousands of dollars for a large, high-powered laser engraver. However, this price can easily be reclaimed by setting up a small side business, or if you’re really ambitious, a full-scale production. The average price is ten dollars per engraving, but the charm of having your own business is you can charge whatever you like. Engraving materials are relatively inexpensive, which makes this a perfect hobby for anyone on a budget.
Conclusion
Commissioning an item for engraving is relatively cheap unless you want to purchase the laser engraving machine itself. But it can’t be argued the accuracy of laser engraving is something you just can’t get with wood-burning, hand-carving, or etching, and they definitely add an extra special touch to any item. And the smile on the face of a loved one when they open up their present, and it has their name written all over it, is priceless.
