After a trip to New York City, Mike McNamara of McNamara Signs found the inspiration for what to do with a beautiful piece of copper he’s been saving in his Seattle sign shop for years - 

McNamara Signs’ in-house laser engraver is an awesome piece of equipment!  The versatility of the laser engraver makes it possible to create amazing custom signs, graphics, company swag, art - you name it - on just about any kind of material possible, from wood to glass to even metal. 

Local and national businesses and companies have come to us for over 20 years to create their custom outdoor signs, indoor signage, plaques and graphics.  But sometimes, we use our creativity and craftsmanship on our own projects – we love what we do!  Using equipment, like the laser engraver, on projects like this help us discover new and exciting ways to put our equipment to use.  Our in-house projects aren't just for fun, they give our team an opportunity to learn new capabilities, too.  This is what keeps us motivated, and helps to improve our skills that we can then use to help our valued customers. 

Recently, Mike returned from NYC with a beautiful photo of My Lady Liberty.  The Statue of Liberty, a gigantic 150 foot statue made of copper, was a gift from France to the United States in 1886 and has stood as a symbol of freedom and democracy for our country.  This iconic image is an inspiration to all who see it.  Mike was so inspired by his visit to the Statue of Liberty that when he returned home and back to his Seattle sign shop, he knew just what to do with a piece of copper he had been holding on to for years.  His vision:  to etch the photo of The Statue of Liberty on to the copper panel, using the copper’s natural patina to evoke a sense of beauty and timelessness.  

Using his in-house laser engraver, Mike first had to go through a testing stage for image adjustment and settings.  Testing on the backside of the copper panel he was able to see just how much detail the patina could hold, and could experiment with controlling how the patina “flows” into the image.  The result – Beautiful!  

Mike has documented his progress on McNamara Sign’s Facebook page.  Check out their page here.  

Do you have a special or unique project you'd like help with?  Contact us!