Glass help

[Jack Martin]

I am trying to get a contract with a manufacturer of bongs and such. His glass is 'different'. It either doesn't etch well or blows out, not getting the dots and if I do they are almost invisible. I have tried masking with no apparent change. Tried any combo of speeds and settings that get me close but unless I fracture the heck out of it and get blow outs it really looks crappy. A few blowouts is also ugly.
This company has been sending their work out to be sandblasted and it takes weeks I guess. I am almost next door. I could do the sandblasting because the mask would be easy. Before I run out an buy a blaster, got any ideas?

50W, Ruidia, lightburn, rotory, l don't remember the glass type but it is the type used for blowing glass. I find glass varies greatly in it's response to the laser.

[Pete Cyr]

If it is a bong for smoking it is probably tempered and therefore MUCH harder than regular sheet glass

[Gene Uselman]

Somewhere in the deep dark crevasses of my brain I recall that Laser 100 will work on glass? I have been meaning to try it but I don't have one of my rotaries set up for this machine.

[Pete Cyr]

If it is a bong for smoking it is probably tempered and therefore MUCH harder than regular sheet glass

[Gene Uselman]

And... if it is not a bong for smoking, Pete? That is what we used to use them for way back then.

[Jack Martin]

Well actually at this point this is just scrap cut offs from making them, but It is a special glass and I forget the name. Yes it is hard hard stuff and no it is not tempered. I will try the Laser Bond and see WTF.

[Jack Martin]

Borosilicate

[Pete Cyr]

Well today I am unsure what many things may be called in the current lexicon. I too am dated in my definition of a bong - These day the more I learn the more ignorant I find my self to be. Back in the day I had no idea how ignorant I was or how much there was to learn.

[Jack Martin]

Ya I miss those days of knowing so much....lol....I sorta grew out of it and just don't give a crap any more. These young'uns know it all now, we are just dumb ole farts.

Hey the laser bond made the difference of having a product to show this customer and no product. Unreal how that stuff works. BUT I must include some of the setup. LaserBond requests a 2" focal length. I had a lens for that so swapped out, ramped, made my height gauge. The tube was put through two different images. Speed was 30 ips and the best power was 15% second best or almost the same at 18% but at 20% it began to blow out and not be as noteworthy of an etching. All the etchings have a black or gray tint to them but they don't rub off. I don't feel it needs lacquer on top like metal does.

Thanks for the suggestion

[Gary Thompson]

Jack

Borosilicate is used for chemistry equipment - beakers etc so it's a lot tougher. Pyrex is similar. I have had some success engraving on to it and can only remember that it ran a lot hotter than 'ordinary' glass.

If you get the settings sorted a good tip for this type of glass is to paint on some bench sodium hydroxide solution after it's engraved. Leave for a couple of days and wash off. You end up with a whiter etch.