Engraving your workpiece and setting depths

Let’s now tackle engraving your workpiece. Maybe you have cut your part on the 3018 and it looks awesome, and you’d like to mark it in some way. Here are some engraving use cases:

• Decorative purposes
• Adding a logo or some sort of identifying mark tying the part to you
• Inventory and serial numbers – so that you can tag a certain part
• Graduation markings (for example, ruler notches for measurement)
• Labeling (for example, to indicate the function of a control that might later be attached to the finished product, such as an indicator of where the on/off detents are)

If you are working with opaque materials, letting paint (or for wood, stain) seep into the engraved areas will enhance the visual attributes of the marking. On/off marks can be marked in red on a white surface, while ruler notches might be in black on a metallic piece. Engraving need not be done with an endmill, and in fact, I generally...