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When you learn how to engrave a tumbler, you unlock a new set of possibilities for your craft business.
Personalized tumblers are still one of the top crafts that make money, so if you're excited to learn how to make your own, you're in the right place!
What's Inside:
- What You Need to Engrave a Tumbler
- How to Engrave a Tumbler with a Laser Engraver (Step-by-Step)
- Other Ways to Engrave Tumblers
- More Resources for Engraving & Customizing Tumblers
- Frequently Asked Questions
Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means that we may receive a commission if you make a purchase using third-party links.
What You Need to Engrave a Tumbler
First things first, let's gather your supplies.
Laser Engraver & Rotary Attachment
You'll need a laser engraver with a rotary or jig to hold your tumbler. If you don't have one yet, we recommend the ultra-fast xTool F1 or high-powered xTool F1 Ultra fitted with the RA2 Pro rotary attachment.
With a jig, you can only engrave on one side of the tumbler at a time, but the rotary attachment will rotate the tumbler for larger or full-wrap designs.
Read our comparison of the xTool F1 vs xTool F1 Ultra here.
Powder-Coated Tumbler
For best results, you'll want a high-quality powder-coated tumbler with an even coating and consistent color.
We are obsessive-level meticulous about our tumblers and quality, so you know that the powder-coated tumblers you get from us will be top-notch and reliable. Plus, we price them affordably so you can make a good profit from each sale.
[product=40-oz-tumbler-with-handle-powder-coated]Our best-selling 40oz tumbler that's easy to craft with an optional mix-and-match handle.[/product]
Score an awesome deal on tumblers with our Powder-Coated Tumbler Build-a-Bundle and get 10% off of any tumblers you choose.
Why powder-coated tumblers? The laser will engrave away the coating, leaving the shiny metal underneath. You can choose a standard stainless steel coating or try a rainbow-plated or gold-plated tumbler for more fun effects.
[product=40oz-tumbler-rainbow-plated]This 40oz tumbler has a rainbow-tinted stainless steel interior to add more color to your engravings![/product]
Yes, you can also use a plain stainless steel tumbler, but you can't directly engrave into it without a powerful fiber laser like the xTool F1 Ultra. However, you CAN use a marking spray with a regular laser to leave black markings. We'll explain how to do that later on in this article.
Your Design
You'll need to prepare a design to engrave onto your tumbler. We've collected thousands of free laser engraving files you can use for commercial use.
Make sure you get a design in the right format!
Designs in vector format will turn into the best-quality engravings. These include SVG, AI, and DXF.
You can also engrave other formats, like JPG and PNG, but they might not be as clear and sharp as vector files.
Software
You'll also need a software program to send the image to your laser engraver. In most cases, you'll use the software that's bundled with your laser engraver. Some people also use a paid software called Lightburn.
For xTool laser engravers, you can use the xTool Creative Space software that comes with the machine.
And that's about it!
How to Engrave a Tumbler with a Laser Engraver (Step-by-Step)
🎥 Looking for a quick video tutorial? Check out this short video we made showing how to engrave a tumbler in just 5 minutes! 👇
#1 - Load the Design Into Your Software Program & Choose Settings
Make sure the design is showing up in your software program at the right size and position. If it looks right, you can choose your engraving settings. Here's what they mean:
- Power: How much of the laser's power do you want to use (in % form)
- Speed: How fast you want to engrave (slower means a deeper and higher-quality mark)
- Passes: How many times to engrave over the design
- Lines per cm: How many lines to include per centimeter of space. In other words, how high of a resolution do you want the design to be? More lines will slow down the engraving, but will give you a sharper image.
For this tutorial, we used a power of 80%, a speed of 250 mm/s, 1 pass, and 300 lines per cm.
The right settings will depend on your laser engraver, your blank, the look you're going for, and other factors. Experiment with the settings until you find what you like.
#2 - Set the Tumbler Into the Engraver
Next, remove the tumbler lid. Use clean hands or a glove to make sure you don't leave any fingerprints, as this can interfere with the engraving. Make sure the tumbler is clean and dry with no lint or dust.
Attach the tumbler to the rotary and tighten it up to secure it in place.
Don't forget to level the tumbler! If it's not straight, your engraving could come out warped.
Use the preview light to adjust where you want your design to be on the tumbler.
#3 - Focus & Start Engraving
If your laser uses auto-focus, press the button to set the focus. If it's manual, adjust the focus until the preview lights align on the tumbler. (This can vary, so if in doubt, follow your machine's instructions..)
When everything looks right, you can start the engraving process! Don't forget to wear safety glasses and keep the cover of the engraver down while engraving.
#4 - Remove & Polish
When the engraving is finished and the laser has shut off, carefully remove the tumbler from the rotary.
You can wash it with soap or rub with a degreaser to clean up the engraving.
Put the lid back on and it's ready to go!
Other Ways to Engrave Tumblers
Laser engraving a powder-coated tumbler isn't the only way to make an engraved tumbler. Here are two more ways you can engrave a tumbler for different results.
How to Etch a Tumbler with Citristrip
You can use a paint stripper called Citristrip to remove parts of the powder coating without needing a laser engraver. This is the most affordable way to engrave tumblers, but it's more of a messy process.
🎥 Watch how to do it in this short video tutorial by So Fontsy.
How to Mark a Tumbler with Laser Marking Spray
Another way to engrave a tumbler is to use a laser marking spray like Cermark.
Spray the black coating onto the surface of your stainless steel tumbler, then use a laser engraver to engrave into the coating. The marking spray embeds into the tumbler, leaving a black design behind.
Shop stainless steel tumblers at MakerFlo and get 10% off your order with our Stainless Steel Tumbler Build-a-Bundle offer.
🎥 Watch how to laser mark a tumbler with this short video by VelfCreations.
More Resources for Engraving & Customizing Tumblers
Looking for more? Check out these articles next:
- How to Customize a Tumbler in 12 Creative Ways
- How to Start a Successful Tumbler Business: 23 Expert Tips
- 4 Best Laser Engravers for Tumblers (Budget-Friendly)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How long does it take to laser engrave a tumbler?
As shown in our video above, it can take as little as 5 minutes! But it depends on how large your design is and the settings you choose for the engraving.
How much should you charge for a laser-engraved tumbler?
Start with your desired hourly rate! Calculate how long it would take to make the same product for 1 hour. Let's say you can prep & ship 4 engraved tumblers in 1 hour. Your cost per tumbler is $8 and your hourly rate is $60/hour. So you should sell the tumblers for $15 labor cost ($60 divided by 4) + $8 = $23 per tumbler. If you are paying for packaging, then $25 per tumbler is a safe bet. On top of that, you might need to consider extra costs that come from online marketplaces or other sales fees.
What is the durability of laser engraving?
Laser engravings are really durable! The design is carved into the surface of the item, so it's not as prone to scratching like decal stickers, vinyl, or other ink-based prints. If you use tumblers made of stainless-steel, as most are, you'll also benefit from the strength of the stainless steel itself. However, you'll want to take good care of laser-engraved items by hand washing, keeping it away from high heat, and trying not to drop the tumbler. Powder-coated and PVD (electroplated) tumblers are the most durable, while painted tumblers and anodized aluminum tumblers get scratched more easily.
Are laser-engraved tumblers saturated in the market?
It really depends! Yes, there are a lot of sellers in the market, but there are niches you can find with lots of opportunities. Many creators compete by pricing their tumblers low, and that's where you'll find tons of competition! But the ones who compete with creativity, serve a specific niche, or share their work with live engravings or video are still having massive success for tumblers! And think about it this way—are Yeti or Stanley still selling tumblers at the $50-$75 price range, and are they having problems selling tumblers?
Are there different coatings for laser engraving?
Powder-coated tumblers engrave beautifully, as the powder coating engraves nicely and exposes the stainless steel underneath. Painted coatings also engrave nicely, but the paint is less durable than a powder coating. PVD or electroplated coating can work nicely with a fiber laser like the xTool F1 Ultra but creates a more subtle effect. And finally, anodized aluminum tumblers create a great contrast when laser engraved. Coatings that DON'T work well are epoxy-coated tumblers (because the laser will not be able to etch through) and UV-printed tumblers—it can burn the ink but won't create a nice engraving.
What type of file do you need for engraving?
It's best to use a vector file like SVG, DXF, or AI.
Can you engrave a Yeti tumbler?
Yes, you can! If you choose a Yeti tumbler with a coating, you can engrave with any laser engraver. If you choose a stainless steel Yeti with no coating, you'll need a fiber laser or a laser marketing spray.
Can you engrave a Stanley tumbler?
Ye,s you can! If you choose a Stanley tumbler with a coating, you can engrave with any laser engraver. If you choose a stainless steel Stanley tumbler with no coating, you'll need a fiber laser or a laser marketing spray.
What is the difference between laser etching and engraving?
Laser etching melts the surface of an object to make raised engravings, while laser engraving removes parts of the surface to reveal what's underneath. In this article, we're talking about laser engraving tumblers, not etching, though these terms are often used interchangeably.
What laser is best for tumblers?
We recommend the xTool F1 as a starter machine for powder-coated tumblers, or the more powerful xTool F1 Ultra which can also engrave directly into metal. See our comparison of the xTool F1 and xTool F1 Ultra and other picks for the best laser engravers for tumblers.
Can Cricut engrave tumblers?
Not like a laser engraver, but you can cut a piece of vinyl with a Cricut as a stencil for Citristrip engraving. See more details about Citristrip in the article above!
Can you engrave a sublimation tumbler?
We haven't personally tried it, but Patrice of Craftable Things tried it on YouTube and it worked for her! Check out our collection of sublimation tumblers here.
