How I engrave cups

James Roettger

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Here is a cup holding jig I made from a carpenter's cabinet clamp and a large rubber stopper to act as a pad against the inside bottom of the cup. I used tape and bits of wood to expand the pad of the cabinet clamp for better holding of the cup. Note the use of adhesive putty to back the area to be engraved. Adding the spot of adhesive putty makes a huge difference in the amount of vibration experience when using a pneumatic engraver. The tool cuts deeper and substantially easier with the putty added. The little plastic bag inside the cup is to help keep the inside in like new condition and prevent scratches.
 

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Southern Custom

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Thanks so much James. I find myself engraving more and more cups these days and I've been using the sandbag. This seems like a fantastic method. I really like the putty!
Layne
 

James Roettger

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Carlos, adhesive putty is purchased from any office supply. It is used to tack photos etc. onto walls or surfaces. It is soft and sticky at room temperature, no need to heat it up. It adds weight or mass to the thin metal making it harder to vibrate and thus it behaves like thicker metal. When you are done just peel the putty off and reuse for years. About $3 for a package.
 
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dlilazteca

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Like the blue fun tack used at schools to hold up posters?

Carlos De La O III
 
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atexascowboy2011

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Principal- What happened to ALL of the blue tack putty?
Auditor- Your records show you purchased and received 62 pounds last month.
Principal- That is very strange!
What on earth could anyone use that stuff for? :shock:
 

Ron Spokovich

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When I saw the cup vibration fix, a few cases came to mind that may, or may not be, of help. It may be possible to make sleeves, two of them, out of something akin to upholsterer's foam, and stuff them into the inside of the cup with the splits staggered some 180 degrees apart and somewhat firmly, but not too tightly, held in place. This may sufficiently dampen the micro jackhammer like effect of the cutting tool. This may work when there is nearly total coverage. Some time back, my NASA Tech Briefs had an article where a monomer or polymer was poured between the O.D. of a bearing, and the I.D. it slid into, and the RPM's were raised about three or four fold. An old machine shop trick we used, when cutting drums, was to wrap the O.D. of the drums with a couple wraps of a tire inner tube, and vibration was substantially reduced, or eliminated. It's just a thought.
 

monk

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i used a similar trick to engrave on trumpets. used flexible clay inside a plastic shopping bag. the metal way to thin to work without some sort of backing. this trick is cool- as you can side it exactly where you want it . thanks for showing.
 

silverchip

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I think Plastocene(how ever you spell it) clay in a shopping bag would be a great way to deaden vibration and noise. I know it has been used as an armature for chasing the shape of large vessels. Look at Randy Stromsoes silversmithing website,there might be a photo of him chasing on a pewter or silver vessel filled with clay.
 

kuzcokelly

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mcdonough ga
Thanks for sharing James! That is an excellent solution to a couple problems I've run in to. I sometimes get stuck not thinking outside the box.
 

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