# Fix bad engraving on AR lower



## Pavy (Dec 20, 2011)

Took a lower to a local engraver and the jacka** really messed it up...The good news is the engraving is only a fingernail thickness or 2 deep so this may be able to be ground out and re-blacked (this was to be a gift to my father so I'm already having a new lower laser engraved, so I don't care if a new engraving can be made on this same place).  

Can anyone recommend someone who may be able to fix a bad engraving?    Looking for someone in the Columbus, GA area.


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## rayjay (Dec 20, 2011)

I would think that anodized aluminum would be the absolute worst metal to attempt to cut engrave. You should have done your homework before not after.

There is a guy that specializes in reanodizing AR parts. Victor iirc is the guy's name. AR15.com can probably get you hooked up.


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## Swede (Dec 20, 2011)

Or, will it take a color? Fill it in?


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## Pavy (Dec 20, 2011)

Since this was to be a gift for my dad, I'm having another one done "right" (it actually looks worse in person...sloppy lines...looks like a 3 yr old's coloring book)  I'm going to keep this one for myself so hoping it will be able to "buff out."


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## FredBearYooper (Mar 14, 2012)

Special Forces?


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## miles58 (Mar 14, 2012)

rayjay said:


> I would think that anodized aluminum would be the absolute worst metal to attempt to cut engrave. You should have done your homework before not after.
> 
> There is a guy that specializes in reanodizing AR parts. Victor iirc is the guy's name. AR15.com can probably get you hooked up.



I would think it's the responsibility of the engraver to know what he can and cannot do, not the person seeking to have the work done.  Castigating Pavy seems like dumping on someone whose just been dumped on.

Dave


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## ASH556 (Mar 14, 2012)

Ship the lower to a real firearms engraving company such as Orion Arms:  http://www.orion-arms.com/


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## Boar Hog (Mar 15, 2012)

rayjay said:


> I would think that anodized aluminum would be the absolute worst metal to attempt to cut engrave. You should have done your homework before not after.
> 
> There is a guy that specializes in reanodizing AR parts. Victor iirc is the guy's name. AR15.com can probably get you hooked up.



Pavy is not at fault here, the engraver should pay for the piece to be repaired or replaced. You wouldn't be to blame if you were served a bad meal at a restaurant would you?


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## Flaustin1 (Mar 17, 2012)

If you dont ask if its any good beforehand you are.


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## miles58 (Mar 17, 2012)

Flaustin1 said:


> If you dont ask if its any good beforehand you are.



When it comes out nearly unrecognizable, comparably bad to the engraving the OP received I would say not.  That's be like ordering a pork chop and getting something like cold day old liver.

Dave


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## rayjay (Mar 18, 2012)

miles58 said:


> That's be like ordering a pork chop and getting something like cold day old liver.
> 
> Dave



No, it would be like ordering pork chop and then demanding something else because you hate pork chop.

I want to tell you people something that will obviously amaze you . Professionalism in this country is dying out. Yes there are plenty of people doing awesome work in this country but they are far outnumbered by hacks. If you expect everybody that hangs out a shingle to do work to the highest standards you are going to spend your whole life suffering let downs like the OP has experienced with his hacked up lower. 

There are threads regularly posted on this site by people that have suffered at the hands of hack gunsmiths, engravers, carpenters, mechanics, etc etc etc. These aren't isolated instances, they are the norm. You have to do some real searching to find the pros and they probably won't be local unless you are just very lucky.


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## miles58 (Mar 18, 2012)

rayjay said:


> No, it would be like ordering pork chop and then demanding something else because you hate pork chop.
> 
> I want to tell you people something that will obviously amaze you . Professionalism in this country is dying out. Yes there are plenty of people doing awesome work in this country but they are far outnumbered by hacks. If you expect everybody that hangs out a shingle to do work to the highest standards you are going to spend your whole life suffering let downs like the OP has experienced with his hacked up lower.
> 
> There are threads regularly posted on this site by people that have suffered at the hands of hack gunsmiths, engravers, carpenters, mechanics, etc etc etc. These aren't isolated instances, they are the norm. You have to do some real searching to find the pros and they probably won't be local unless you are just very lucky.



With logic like that I can see you being disappointed often.

Dave


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## SmokyMtnSmoke (Mar 18, 2012)

Possible solution: Clean surface with brake cleaner to remove all oils, skim coat it with JB Weld then sand until smooth then Duracoat the lower. Keep it as a good shooter.


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## Paddle (Mar 21, 2012)

Who did it?


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## Flaustin1 (Mar 21, 2012)

miles58 said:


> With logic like that I can see you being disappointed often.
> 
> Dave



Dude really?  The mods are probably going to throw me off for this, but have you ever noticed you go against the grain of everybodys opinion.  With logic like yours, no wonder that professionalism is dwindling in this country.  Would you have your roof done without checking the roofers crudentials first.  You always ask for references and examples of someones work before you have it done.  Atleast i do anyway.


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## miles58 (Mar 22, 2012)

Flaustin1 said:


> Dude really?  The mods are probably going to throw me off for this, but have you ever noticed you go against the grain of everybodys opinion.  With logic like yours, no wonder that professionalism is dwindling in this country.  Would you have your roof done without checking the roofers crudentials first.  You always ask for references and examples of someones work before you have it done.  Atleast i do anyway.



OK.  First explain to  me how demanding a vendor provide what he agrees to provide is cause for professionalism in this country to dwindle.  Under the law in this state, and most others, if a vendor agrees to provide a service when it is as thoroughly botched at the example provided by the OP the vendor in this case would be liable for replacement of the whole rifle if the OP decided to take it to court unless the OP provided a pattern as unrecognizable as the outcome.

I  have been there.  I gave an incompetent gunsmith a shotgun to install choke tubes and he mangled the job.  He also wound up buying the shotgun, and he didn't have a prayer of contesting that.  I would be willing to bet a whole lot of money that the OP is in every bit as good a legal position.  Idiots who castigate him for not finding out the engraver was not up to the job are maybe why they remain in business.  If the OP holds the engraver accountable for the mess and the engraver winds up replacing the rifle maybe that will go further to solving the problem.

I have had hundreds of pieces of anodized aluminum engraved back in the early 70s, and I can tell you from personal experience that it is simple to engrave and it comes out beautifully.   If Bubba does the job with a vibratory "engraver" (which the OP's picture almost looks like) then that's a whole other proposition entirely.

You've got the ball do something intelligent with it.  You are presented the opportunity to show me and everyone else just how messed up my logic is, but please don't go flying off the handle and peeing down your leg if you are wrong.  Just stand up, be a man and and admit you took offense to someone disagreeing with you when you where out of line.

Dave


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## Dub (Mar 22, 2012)

miles58 said:


> I would think it's the responsibility of the engraver to know what he can and cannot do, not the person seeking to have the work done.  Castigating Pavy seems like dumping on someone whose just been dumped on.
> 
> Dave



Well said.


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## Flaustin1 (Mar 22, 2012)

Answer my question.  Would you have a roofer roof your home without checking his crudentials. Do you think GE would hire a sub contractor to build their turbines without checking crudentials?  (answer is no.)  I do agree that the engraver should stand behind his work but it is also your responsibility as a consumer to do your homework and make sure the person you contract to do a job is competant.  They're are scumbag wanna be everythings out there these days.  You have to do your homework! To each his own, Im not going to argue with you simply because i love this forum and dont want to lose the priveledge of being part of it.  Are you union?


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## Flaustin1 (Mar 22, 2012)

Dub said:


> Well said.



What if. . . just what if, the engraver thought he did a wonderful job?  Just goes to show you that you have to make sure the person performing the work can perform it on a level that is acceptable to you.


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## miles58 (Mar 23, 2012)

Flaustin1 said:


> Answer my question.  Would you have a roofer roof your home without checking his crudentials.



I would and I have.



Flaustin1 said:


> Do you think GE would hire a sub contractor to build their turbines without checking crudentials?  (answer is no.)  I do agree that the engraver should stand behind his work but it is also your responsibility as a consumer to do your homework and make sure the person you contract to do a job is competant.



I think I would bet there are a lot of vendors to GE that are not researched, and further that GE has a receiving inspection department not different in principle than Pavy used in his case.



Flaustin1 said:


> They're are scumbag wanna be everythings out there these days.  You have to do your homework! To each his own, Im not going to argue with you simply because i love this forum and dont want to lose the priveledge of being part of it.  Are you union?



No, I am not now nor have I ever been a union member.

I, like probably a majority of members on this forum daily do ask for a recommendation for someone to do work when I do not know who to ask.  I also expect that on occasion I will get a bad recommendation like the gunsmith who messed up one of my favorite O/U guns.  I am also old enough and wise enough to understand that it just might be my job that an otherwise competent person messes up, and that no matter how gold plated the recommendation the same results can happen.

I have owned my own business for the last 32 years and understand what the law requires of me in terms of standing behind my obligations.

I have answered your question.  Your turn now.  "First explain to me how demanding a vendor provide what he agrees to provide is cause for professionalism in this country to dwindle."

Dave


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## cmshoot (Mar 23, 2012)

Castigating Pavy ain't helping matters.  The same ol' folks that like to rain on parades are once again pourin'.

I don't expect everyone to be an expert about everything.  I'd had anodized aluminum laser-engraved by Matt Lilley at Spartan Armory and it turned out fantastic; couldn't possibly look any better than it is.  If the engraver told the OP that he could engrave it, and he does such work for a living, then I would expect Pavy to believe that he could do it.

I took Spartan Armory's word for it.....

The guy is looking for some help.  Instead of sitting in your easy chair telling him what he should have done weeks ago (which he has no doubt figured out already) why don't you help him fix it, since y'all are such experts.

Pavy, an option might be to just replace the lower receiver.  This can be done for under $100.  Then get Matt Lilley at Spartan Armory to engrave it properly.  http://spartan-armory.com/

While not an anodized part, here is an example of the engraving that Spartan Armory does:


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## miles58 (Mar 24, 2012)

Flaustin,

Have you died and gone to heaven???

I have been waiting on an answer from you for two days, I am getting genuinely concerned that something terrible may have happened to you.

I am sincerely interested in just how my actions/proposal to hold the engraver accountable for his actions is causing professionalism to dwindle in this country.  If I am doing something to cause that I certainly wish to correct that.

If you have control issues and fear that the mods may toss you from the forum, just speak up and I will give you an email addy to contact me and set me straight, and I am neither offended nor really much surprised at what comes out of people's mouths so I won't toss you or block you.

Dave


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## rayjay (Mar 24, 2012)

rayjay said:


> There is a guy that specializes in reanodizing AR parts. Victor iirc is the guy's name. AR15.com can probably get you hooked up.



 I looked it up for the op

http://www.usanodizing.com/


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## Flaustin1 (Mar 25, 2012)

Didnt die.  Didnt go to heaven.  Did however go camping.


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## boneboy96 (Mar 29, 2012)

Flaustin1 said:


> Didnt die.  Didnt go to heaven.  Did however, sleep in a Holiday Inn Express last night..



There...fixed it for ya!


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## rkwrichard (May 5, 2012)

Sell it to me for $50 and don't worry over it any longer..


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## oldsalt65 (Aug 7, 2012)

cmshoot said:


> Castigating Pavy ain't helping matters.  The same ol' folks that like to rain on parades are once again pourin'.
> 
> 
> Well said brother, well said, Semper Fi


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## GroundMan (Oct 12, 2012)

Wow the laughs I have here. Thanks guys!


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## frankwright (Oct 13, 2012)

Dear Lord, Please let this thread die


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