Question: graver identification

Just wondering what you engravers do to store sharpened gravers with different geometry and know what you are picking up to resharpen or use.
Do you mark the gravers in some way? I'm using lindsay templets and when I change gravers and set one on the bench , 2 secs later I can't remember what it is and with my eye sight I have a hard time differentiating between gravers. Thanks for any suggestions.

Mark them with colored fingernail polish. One color for each geometry. I don't use this method on my engraving bench but I do on my jewelry bench, it works better with the GRS collets because the marking stays on the collet. With the Lindsey engraver you may have to redo the paint every once in a while, I don't know though I just drilled a board and always put them back in their proper location when I change gravers. If you use a En Set Tira sells a colored collet ring. So I guess it's just whatever works for you, but most options I know of involve coloring them in some way. Good luck. K Frei

Thanks for the info. I like the idea of using color. I thought of using the wood with 3/32 holes but I don't engrave every day as I should, so when I get back to the bench I may not know what is in the hand piece. The color system should solve the problem.
Thanks again
Cheers
Don

This is what i use: Hama beads or Ani beads medium size, a bag of 1000 in 48 differents colors cost around 2$

what i do if i have a same geometry with different sizes is put more than one to know if is more big or not example in the flats ones .
If i have different gravers metal example carbide , hss, m42 i mark it with an extra bead for example i mark my 96 degree with the red if is in Carbalt i add a transparent one, or the flats i mark it with the black ones if is a carbalt flat i add a transparent too, you just have to find your code

Same here, each color stands for a certain geometry.
I sticked some colors to a piece of brass rod and wrote the angles on the colored rings so I can remember which I have to pick.

Thanks guys;
Those colored beads , are they elastic ? and where do you get them?
Engravers are ingenious people.

They are made of flexible plastic and you can get them in a toy shop.

Ooo... I like that bead idea a lot.

I bought a mixed pack of heat shrink tubing a while back, with the same thoughts...
Cut little pieces and mix the colours for different geo's, then heat the tubing to shrink fit.

I hope this works Jo, i did use this shrink tubes to make the side edges of the graver less sharp for the fingers, but they came of very quick.
But I covered almost the whole graver, maybe a short color mark will last longer.
The plastic color rings are very tight.

Thanks for the heads-up...

To be honest, I bought the tubing a while ago. My first attempt to heat the tubing was with a hair dryer, which didn't work too well. I haven't really tried again since then.

BTW... I've just ordered a bag of beads!

I use different colors of R/C airplane fuel hose.

Beathard said:

I use different colors of R/C airplane fuel hose.

Click to expand...

Can you show us a pic Gerry, always interesting to discover other materials but airplane fuel hose...
I think this will not be available in the custom DIY store...

Willem,

It's also found in the toy or hobby store...

R/C is "radio controlled" - as in model airplanes, cars, 4WD trucks, boats, helicopters and what have you.

The fuel line is for those little engines, not full sized cars & trucks!

I've used it for many years - solves two problems at once. Grip & color code.


Brian

or you could do as i have done-- cut a shaped-block of wood or whatever, square block for 90. round one for rounds-- well you get the picture.

I use a diamond rotary bit in my micro motor and engrave the geometry on them, I don't have to remember what color is what!

Richard.

I used to notch them with diamond burs... but that was back when I could see without glasses.

I don't wear glasses or an optivisor when seated at the microscope.

So, now I just reach for the color I need - which I can still see without aid - so far...


Brian

I have been using Perler beads for a couple of years, which look the same as what Mrthe and Willem are using. They are great. The small size work perfect on regular gravers. And they make a large size which work on the old style flats, rounds, liners, etc.

In the USA you can buy them at Arts and Crafts supply chains like Michaels, and also Moore. They are cheap. Also you can use a coupon that you can find and print out online. They usually have 40% off regular price coupons.

The idea has been around on the forums for a couple years. I think Paul Hamler originally came up with the idea after seeing his granddaughter playing with them. I wonder if his granddaughter ever figured out why some of her colors went missing from her set.

Hi I Engrave the gravers geomerty on the graver with a micromotor or any rotary tool and diamond burr EASY!

Brian Marshall said:

Willem,

It's also found in the toy or hobby store...

R/C is "radio controlled" - as in model airplanes, cars, 4WD trucks, boats, helicopters and what have you.

The fuel line is for those little engines, not full sized cars & trucks!

I've used it for many years - solves two problems at once. Grip & color code.


Brian

Click to expand...

Ah, thank you Brian, I was thinking of real planes....:beatup:

I've tried a couple of different bead / tubing methods but they just didn't work for me. Tend to get in my way when I resharpen my Lindsay points.

I just recently switched to a new system - don't even have all of my gravers done yet - that I was thinking about posting on.

I got 10 little bottles of paint for models (in the USA Testors is the brand to go for). I use the tip of a toothpick to put little dots on coding each graver. For Lindsay gravers I put them on the side that goes in the notch on the holder (learned a long time ago that it's nearly impossible to figure out how some points go back in the holder without a mark). I also use a diamond file to put a couple of lines across that side.

The colors and code I use are based on the old Resistor color code. It's been, Lord, over 35 years but I still remember the politically incorrect mnemonic for the colors so I know what's what.

Basically any 'regular' graver just gets the angle. It's pretty easy to visually tell if it's a Lindsay style point or not. 'Special' gravers get a code that starts with a 0 (black). Additional 'notes' about a graver (say a flat to fit a particular wire gauge) are noted on the collet (GRS) or the slot in my cloth holder (Lindsay).


Here's my current code set:

GRAVER CODING


Coding is based on the standard Resistor color coding:
0–Black 1–Brown 2–Red 3–Orange 4–Yellow 5–Green 6–Blue 7–Purple 8–Grev 9–White

Codes read from the base of the graver toward the tip. Codes are painted on the 'up' side of the graver (for Lindsay, the side that goes with the notch in the sharpener, for GRS the peg in the QC holder).

Codes that do not start with a 0 are 'regular' gravers and give the angle. For example, a 90 degree square graver would be coded White / Black. A Lindsay Universal 116 would be Brown / Brown / Blue.
It's up to the engraver to figure out the difference between a Lindsay style point and a simple point which is actually pretty easy to see.

Other gravers get a code. Codes always start with a 0 (Black). If a graver is a specialized angle graver then the code for the angle follows the code for the graver type.

The following is the current list of graver codes:

01 – Flat
02 – Round
03 – Bulino
04 – Specialized
3.Stippler
05 – Mr. The
06 – Ray Cover
07 – Carl Bliele