Marking Plastic Chanters

[Steve MacLeod]

Almost all pipe bands provide matched chanters to their membership. My band uses plastic chanters and we'd like ideas on how to "mark" them.

The initial thought is to indicate them with a few letters and a number for inventory purposes.

Thermal and pressure methods seem reasonable - chemical etchants would seem unlikely. Maybe using an engraver would work, but would be "sloppy". Perhaps some combination for the band name and a number.

Based on the idea that these marks will only prevent loss/theft by "honest" mistakes, another interesting and very simple idea is to use automotive pinstriping to add a colored "ring" around the sole of each "band" chanter.

Thanks in advance

[AWPIPER]

Steve,
If you take them to a engraving shop....usually located in the shopping malls....they can put whatever you want on it....just have to tell them where you want it engraved....Is neat and can add color to engraving to set it off if you desire.
Mark

[DVMPiper]

You might try finding a metal stamping set that has numbers and letters at a local hardware store or hobby shop. You could heat them up and stamp the plastic without having to smack it with a hammer to imprint whatever string of ID characters you wish. If you are careful and find a small sized set, should work fine.

[LJ Neville]

Marking plastic chanters is a snap with one of those hand-held Dremel tools and the appropriate sharp engraving bit... using this tool I've marked the flat of the ball at the top of the chanter, i.e., the space perpendicular to the tenon which is flush against the stock when you put the chanter in the chanter stock. (make sense?)

Good luck,
Laura Neville
Pipe Major
Midstreams & District Pipe Band
Ocean County, NJ
www.midstreams.org (http://www.midstreams.org)

[Stormy]

I don't see any problems with using a DIY engraver on the bottom of the sole of the chanter.
Just a thought (even if alcohol induced!) :thumb:

[michael gunn]

steve--seems like we used to use an engraver on the bottom surface of the "foot" of the chanter-- a simple "#5" or "#13". I like laurie's idea--sloppy or not, it's out of sight. room for a "kspb" as well, d'ye think? :wink:

[kensoup]

When we ordered our chanters we had them numbered and the initials of the band placed on them. The chanters are from Kron and they are marked on the the bottom of the chanter at the base.

Ken