Our next Featured Business is located in Western Australia. All engraving businesses typically start small, and the determination to work and grow is a testament to the owners. Jeff currently works on WA Engraving part time and we’re sure he will grow as his customer base grows!

Welcome WA Engraving!

Contact name: Jeff Tennant Contact details: email is best – jeff@waengraving.com.au or waengraving.com.au , ph. 0450 497 352 Established: 2014 Location: Landsdale, WA Number of staff: 1

Tell us a little about WA Engraving and the team.

WA Engraving is currently only me, Jeff. I currently run WA Engraving as a part time business, operating in the evening and weekends.

My goal with every job is to do the best possible engraving I can to suit the client’s needs. I offer the care and attention to detail that only a small company can. If redrawing artwork will give a better result, then I’ll do that. If doing several passes with the laser will give a better result than I’ll do that. My goal isn’t to get the job done quickly, it’s to get the job done right.

If an urgent job is required, I can be flexible and will work with you to make sure it’s finished in time. If I can do it, I will, and I’ll do the best job possible.

What do you like to do in your down time away from the business?

My current hobby is remote control helicopters, cars and planes. I’ve also been making my own remote control car by laser cutting the components. I’m still waiting for some of the electronics to arrive so I’m not sure if it will work yet but I’m having fun with it!

How did you get into the laser engraving industry and what do you enjoy the most about it?

For the past 5 years I’ve been working in the promotional industry. The company I worked for had an old laser engraver machine which broke and I was assigned the task of finding a replacement. I came across Trotec’s Speedy 100 and thought it looked pretty cool. After having a demo I fell in love with it! I told my work how amazing the machine was but rather than getting a new laser they decided they would like to outsource all their engraving work. Although I couldn’t afford it I knew I had to work out a way of getting the machine and starting my own laser engraving business. It took over 12 months before I could start the business and get a loan approved to buy the Speedy 100 but I got there in the end!

I love everything about the laser engraving process, from helping plan and design the image to be engraved (and redrawing if required), to setting up the laser engraver and watching this amazing machine burn the image into an item with unbelievable speed and precision.

What machines do you currently have? 

I only have a 60 watt Speedy 100 at the moment. Although there’s a ton of different items that can be laser engraved with this machine I would really like to get a Speedy 300 Flexx. Not being able to help all customers because I don’t have a fibre laser is disappointing, but hopefully I’ll be able to get a Speedy 300 Flexx in the next couple of years.

What type of jobs/work do you do?

A lot of work I get is through the promotion industry like pens to have a company logo engraved. This is nice easy work and I offer good prices and I never miss a due date. I’ve actually done several “all nighters” to make sure my clients got their job in time.

I also do a lot of small one off jobs for the public, like laser engraving a wallet, a bag or an iPad. I do these jobs while my clients watch and I explain the process to them while I work. Most people love seeing how it’s done and leave with a great job smile!

What was your favourite job to date?

I’m not sure I have a favourite job. Every job has it’s challenges and is exciting in its own way. Sometimes the item being engraved will not be too interesting but the client will be awesome, and sometimes the item itself is something I never would have imagined engraving in a million years, like a flute I engraved once. So I guess I have lots of favourites.

What would be your ultimate job and client to work with and why?

My dream job would be a single large client with repeat work that lasts years. Ideally a charity organisation so I knew the work I was doing was for a good cause. If I could get enough regular, steady engraving work then I could do it full time. Being able to work from home as a laser engraver would be a dream come true.

Below is a range of WA Engraving’s recent projects. Thanks for sharing them with us!