Laser engraving on wood, steel, and acrylic is easy with any CO2 engraver, but engraving tumblers requires a swivel attachment to keep the cups in proper alignment.
If your glass has a coating on the outside then it's fine to put in an engraving machine, however, if it's plain stainless steel then you'll need to spray paint with tempera or laser marker or paint the mug before engraving.
You can always remove the temporary paint after the job is done.
These are the steps you will need to follow when engraving your stainless steel tumbler. We'll make it short but easier to understand.
Step 1 - Clean it
The first thing you need to do is clean the glass properly, making sure it is free of dust or other particles. Check the glass for any plastic or other coatings. Otherwise, you'll need to tint it with a temporary laser protective paint. However, you can remove it after engraving is complete.
Step 2 - Measure
It is very important to measure the tumbler perfectly, because if the measurement is not correct, the engraving cannot be restored. Make sure to account for all corners and sides and direct the cutter accordingly.
Step 3 - Adjust Settings
Then you'll need to adjust the engraver's settings based on the design you've made. Laser power and speed are always variable, depending on the thickness and complexity of the design. However, you may prefer to always choose the default setting.
Step 4 - Place on Rotary Table
Place the roller on the rotating drum and adjust the height of the laser engraver accordingly. You should also adjust the focus lever to maintain the highest level of precision.
Step 5 - Wait and Post Process
After the laser engraving is complete, wait a moment and retrieve the tumbler. If there is temporary paint, you can remove it now.
We initially selected 17 different types of laser engraving machines and conducted a multi-level evaluation for 37 hours. Our technical evaluation team independently rates each engraver regardless of what others say.
We focus on engraving quality, rotational efficiency, laser type, laser power, robustness of the machine, ability to work on different materials, engraving speed, upgradability, brand value and many more other qualitative issues.
Our experience shows that the Xtool D1 Pro is a suitable choice for the budget-friendly user who prefers economy and accuracy of composition. We like Atomstack's compatibility and its greater speed and precision. Atomstack is our top choice because of its sculpting quality and build quality.
These are the best laser engravers for tumblers, ramblers, or Yeti mugs
Xtool D1 Pro – 20W (best overall)
Gweike Cloud Pro (Fastest Laser Cutter in 2022)
LaserPecker 2 – 60W (compact but diode)
OMTech 50W (expensive but great)
Attomstack S20 Pro (a good alternative to Xtool D1)
Xtool M1 10W (Suitable for one machine with multiple uses)
The Attomstack S20 Pro is a professional laser engraver capable of handling tough materials. Regardless of engraving speed and other quality issues, we've found excellent tumbler engraving quality, which is why engravers are our top choice. Also, the Laserpecker is comparable to smaller engraving machines, but is exceptional in its ability to engrave glass. Laser pickups are compact and affordable, but not as premium as the Glowforge.
The OMTech is a large engraving machine suitable for all types of materials. Aside from the manual boost feature, the engraving quality is amazing. Atomstack can be considered as the most suitable Xtool replacement and it will definitely blow your mind.
The Atomstack S20 Pro is another great laser engraver capable of working on metal Yeti mugs. It uses 130W semiconductor laser technology to produce 20W laser. It supports around 40 materials and can engrave o.o5mm thick stainless steel plates.
