Panel engraved nameplates

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J

JMWElectric

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Location
Martinez CA
I usually get mine made at a trophy shop. Anyone have a more convenient option on the fly? Do you make them yourself?
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I think unless you have a CNC router, you are out of luck! I guess one could use a label maker, a bit less professional of course. Sometimes I get them from a local place, but they are kind of pricey. One of the online places is much cheaper, and has a nice website you can type up just what you need. Peterson specialty I think, if I'm allowed to throw out a name.
 
Recently I worked as a contractor at a dairy factory that had their own engraving set up. It was brand new and looked like never used. I think it was the least expensive model like trophy shops use.


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We get ours directly from the panel manufacturer, preinstalled before they leave the shop. If we need additional nameplates or changes we send them the list and they make them for us.
 
We had a place that provided employment opportunities for the developmentally disabled make them. It turns out that this kind of work was exactly the kind of stuff they wanted.
 
The machines are cheap. The labor is what kills you unless you do enough of them that someone can run the machine efficiently. Ours runs almost continuously some times.
 
When I had a panel shop, I started out using a local engraver shop, but the issue I had with them was their "interpreting" what I put on the labels, because as you know, we use a lot of terms and abbreviations that are universally accepted in our industry, but he assumed were mistakes. After that costing me in terms of project delays, I went out and bought a used pantograph engraver machine for $500 and trained my wife on how to use it. Then once she got good, I started taking orders from other panel shops and contractors because everyone had the same issues I was having. At one point she was making $30k/year profit working part time at home, it was a sweet gig for her really.

That was in 1995, you can get one off of FleaBay for about HALF of that now!
https://www.ebay.com/i/262863938313?chn=ps
 
If I have to do it, either a trophy shop or Office Max.

If it’s a new panel I have the supplier order it from the mfr. If it’s just a loadcenter, my supplier will get from a trophy shop and re-sell to me. It’s cheaper to let them mark it up a few bucks vs what it costs in my time to see about having it made.


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I have been using www.pipemarker.com/ recently. Not sure how their prices compare to a local trophy shop but its nice creating the label on the computer and having it show up in the mail a few day later. No running around or guessing of what I want to put will fit on the label.
 
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