Tips for Using a Burnisher

Burnishing is different than standard rotary engraving mainly because you do not use the nose cone to set the depth of cut. Burnishing does not actually cut deep into metals; rather it cuts the lacquered surface off of coated brass and aluminum material. To effectively burnish, it is recommended to use an optional ”EZ Rider“ burnishing adapter. This helps to control the pressure of the cutter on to the material.

Screw the ”EZ Rider“ into spindle. Note that the ”EZ Rider“ will screw in counter-clockwise looking down from the top of the spindle. Next, insert the cutter through the ”EZ Rider“ and through the spindle so that the cutter sticks out below the nose cone approximately 1/8 of an inch. Tighten the setscrew in the ”EZ Rider“.

Power the engraver on and set up the job in the software you are using. Secure the material to be engraved to the T-slot table. Make sure that the proximity sensor is off. Use the X & Y jog keys to move the spindle out over the material. Press and hold down the Z down jog button until the cutter touches the engraving material. Press the Z down jog key a little bit more. There should be a small gap underneath the set screw in the EZ Rider. This will ensure that the depth of cut is consistent. Press the set surface button and then press Enter. The spindle will lift up a small amount. Make sure there is some clearance between the bottom of the cutter and the material you are engraving. You may need to increase the Z lift in your machine or software to allow for enough clearance so the cutter does not drag in between letters.

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