The Williams Collective The Williams CollectiveFamily-owned · Est. 2022

Home  /  Laser engraving

LSR / 1876

Burned in. Permanent.

Wood, leather, acrylic, slate, glass and powder-coated metal. Engraving doesn't sit on the surface — it removes it. Nothing to peel, fade or wash off, which is why it's the right method for gifts, awards and anything meant to outlast the year it was given.

Get a quoteCall 937.856.9372
Minimum
1 pieceOne-offs and gifts welcome
Turnaround
5–10 business daysSourced items add lead time
Setup
$0Vector artwork runs straight to the laser
Item size
Ask usTell us the item and we'll confirm it fits the bed

What we put it on

A short list of a long one

Bring us the item or let us source it. If it's wood, leather, acrylic, glass, slate or coated metal, it will most likely take a mark.

Tumblers & drinkwareCutting boardsLeather patchesSignageCoastersKeychainsPensSlate & stoneAcrylic panelsOrnaments

How the job runs

4 steps

No surprises. You see a proof before anything runs, and on a new material we test before we commit your piece.

  1. Step 1 / 4

    Confirm the material

    Tell us what you want marked. Some plastics and some coated metals won't take a laser — better to know that in a message than after you've bought fifty of them.

  2. Step 2 / 4

    Vector the artwork

    The laser follows paths, so artwork gets converted to clean vector. Photographs can be engraved too, as a halftone — a different look, and we'll show you first.

  3. Step 3 / 4

    Test on the material

    On a new material we burn a small test to dial in power and speed. Colour and depth vary by grain, coating and batch.

  4. Step 4 / 4

    Engrave and ship

    Cleaned, wrapped, and shipped nationwide or ready for pickup in Dayton.

Send us artwork

Before we can proof

Engraving is one-tone — the mark is whatever the material becomes when the surface is removed. Design for contrast, not colour.

File types

Vector required — AI, EPS, SVG or outlined PDF. The laser traces paths. A raster image has to be converted first, and detail is lost in the conversion.

One tone only

There is no colour in engraving. Solid black-and-white artwork translates perfectly; gradients, screens and drop shadows do not. High-contrast logos are the ones that sing.

Photos

Photographs can be engraved as a halftone on wood, slate and leather. It's a distinctive look rather than a faithful reproduction — ask for a sample before ordering a batch.

Material colour

Wood burns brown on tan. Leather burns dark on natural. Powder-coated metal reveals the bare metal underneath. Slate goes white. Ask and we'll send photos on your material.

Questions we get

5 answers
Can you engrave something I already own?

Yes, we engrave customer-supplied items — tumblers, boards, tools, heirlooms. We'll be straight with you about the risk on anything irreplaceable, and we won't run it if we're not confident.

What can't be engraved?

Anything containing PVC or vinyl — it releases chlorine gas and damages the machine. Bare stainless and aluminium mark rather than engrave. Send a photo and we'll tell you before you buy.

Can you cut shapes as well as engrave?

Yes — wood, acrylic and leather can be laser-cut to shape. That's also how we make the custom-outline patches for our patch hats.

Do you engrave leather patches for hats?

Yes, and it's one of our most-requested jobs. See custom patch hats — same laser, pressed and stitched onto a cap.

Is there a minimum?

No. One tumbler for a retirement gift is a real order and we'll treat it like one.

Ready when you are.

Send the artwork, a photo of the item and the quantity. You get a written quote and a proof before anything touches the laser.

Get a quote Email us

Also off our floor

Six more capabilities

Everything is decorated in-house, by the same family, on the same schedule. Bundle methods on one job and it ships together.

© 2026 The Williams Collective. LSR / 1876