Custom Metal Barrel Stencil

Making a custom metal barrel stencil is a great way to brand a whole production run at the distillery or winery quickly, efficiently and it can be used with both spray paint or, preferably, a propane torch right on the wood barrel top.

Metal is such a wonderful material to work with for so many different applications that we fulfill for our customers, it’s incredibly strong, resilient in any environment and it’s durability is second to none.

You want your custom stencil cut out using polycarbonate, which is incredibly strong and a great alternative over steel with the added benefit of being able to see through it, check this video out for a comparison.

For this project specifically, CNCROi.com made a custom metal barrel stencil so the customer can brand their storage barrels as they see fit during a distillation production.

Using a CNC waterjet to produce this custom metal barrel stencil allows us to get incredibly tight and precise cutouts in the metal without having to be concerned about heat warped zones as the waterjet is a cold process, unlike laser or plasma cutting metal.

Waterjets are a little messy, instead of smoke or particles being shot in the air, it’s sprinkles of water with abrasive sand that gets everywhere, just like a CNC router shooting sawdust in all directions.

When it comes to custom metal signage, stainless steel isn’t required because most of the time CNCROi.com just paints it but it is something to consider because stainless steel can also be painted if you wished with a clear coat to augment it’s visual appeal.

There is no perfect machine though, where the CNC waterjet excels in cold cutting, it’s also far slower than any other production method so CNCROi.com carefully reviews the project at hand to decide which machine will do the job best at the highest quality possible.

This custom metal barrel stencil is really looking sharp, you can see the fonts used are all stenciled so there are no inner parts getting lost so when a propane torch or spray paint is used with this stainless steel stencil, everything will come out fantastic.

The nice thing about waterjet cut stainless steel is there is very little clean-up required, it’s basically been washed during the production of the custom metal barrel stencil production process so there is only a light sanding required in the back and it was ready to ship right to the customer.

When it comes to flash rusting, it happens right during production and is always creeping on metal that isn’t stainless steel, it’s cost effective though if you want something that looks rustic right out of the gate and can be easily painted too.

If this custom metal barrel stencil was only going to be used one time, CNCROi.com could have cut it using our CNC router (plywood, MDF) or laser (acrylic, cardboard) so metal wasn’t the only option available for this project but for durability, really, metal was the only way forward.

What’s wonderful about CNCROi.com is having access to multiple machines, each with their optimal production envelope, that allows us to pick the best machine for the best project forward, it allows us to really produce some amazing stuff for our customers in a cost-effective and timely manner.

Regardless of which CNC machine CNCROi.com uses to make projects on behalf of our customers with, it’s always a mesmerizing process to see such a heavy and strong piece of machinery move about as if it weighed as much as a feather with the incredibly precision only possible using a CNC.

CNCROi.com can also produce custom metal props or anything else you might need made out of metal.

Whether you want one or a thousand units, the repeatability of CNC equipment is amazing, for this project, the custom metal barrel stencil is going to be used for labeling and branding purposes but if you wanted just a custom metal sign for exterior or interior use, that’s no problem either.

As for the weight of this project, it’s 20 inches in diameter and weighted about 5 pounds, so it’s easily carried about the shop and for the employee branding the wooden barrel tops, even if dropped, will not shatter or break on them.

Another great application when it comes to metal are custom memorial plates, they are far more durable than any other alternative and will stay beautiful for eons to come.

The maintenance on a custom metal barrel stencil is also nil, it will last a very long time in pretty much any environment, unlike just about any other material choice CNCROi.com could have produced this stencil in.

You can see the jet of abrasive and water shooting upwards during the metal piercing process on this stainless steel on the photo above, waterjet is a wet cutting process in more ways than one.

CNCROi.com also has a round logo roughly the same diameter, so you can see the contrast in the design but the process itself is very similar.

When it comes to your stencil options, literally any mix of fonts and imagery are possible but specifically for stencils, you have to remember that support material has to be added so that inner parts don’t go flying off and are lost, that means making silhouettes, little bridges and playing a bit with the design for optimal support where needed.

When it comes to metal options, they are endless, if you want a custom metal barrel stencil made using an inch thick metal or aluminium or even titanium, that’s not a problem for CNCROi.com, the only real limitations is generally the budget attached to the project, not the scale or material options.

When it comes to additional branding options, CNCROi.com can bring the metal from one machine to another no problem.

Cutting out the custom metal barrel stencil means that this project has come to a close, after the stencil has been cut-out, it’s just rinsed with regular water with the back sanded slightly to remove any metal flow as the CNC waterjet is essentially cutting and pushing the metal out of the way, a slight skin appears extruded where things have been cut out.

If you are wondering why there is little concern about this custom metal barrel stencil rusting, it’s because it was cut using stainless steel, if this was mild or cold or hot rolled metal, then there would be flash rusting immediately, although stainless steel costs a lot more, the resistance to corrosion is well worth it.

What I really enjoy about CNC waterjet cutting especially is how clean items are right out of the machine, CNCROi.com can cut any stencil you want, contact us right now!