I know nothing of engraving besides the fact that it is an amazing talent and skill. I would absolutely love to get into engraving due to its beauty and the fact that I absolutely love all trade skills and learning them. I want to know the basic tools for the skill. ( Talk noob here because I just stumbled onto engraving, I do know a little about dremel engraving but that is nothing compared to ya'll engraving skills) Another thing is how much is this going to cost me for this investment? If I take this hobby seriously and become a somewhat good at it is it possible to make my investment back for a couple of jobs that I'll do? Basically I'm just asking for a nooby outline of engraving. Thanks for the feedback, all comments will be seriously regarded.
Question: Basic understanding and tools for engraving
- Thread starter Wheat
- Start date
Wheat,Where do you live,maybe there an engraver near you that can give you some advice.You mention the dremel tool we don't use a dremel for engraving,hammer & chisel,hand push gravers or power assist.Keep reading the information on this forum lots of talented engravers were with good advice. J.J.
MICHAEL
Elite Cafe Member
Wheat, I second everything JJ said especially where you live, we all had help to get started, and I know I feel an obligation to help someone when I can. I found this forum to be the greatest resource for building my knowledge base for engraving. Also, draw as much as you can, whenever you can, wherever you can. You will start to see how much it improves your eye hand coordination. This will help with your engraving.
I've been doing pneumatic engraving but the other day tried hand-push method and really enjoyed it. That would be a cheap way for you to start. I'll leave that to the more experienced members of the forum to explain to you. Like JJ said keep searching the forum. Click on advance search and type in key words to what you want to find. If your not finding the info you need after giving it a serious try, post a question, or P.M another member if unsure. So, welcome, good luck and remember to always enjoy the journey!
I've been doing pneumatic engraving but the other day tried hand-push method and really enjoyed it. That would be a cheap way for you to start. I'll leave that to the more experienced members of the forum to explain to you. Like JJ said keep searching the forum. Click on advance search and type in key words to what you want to find. If your not finding the info you need after giving it a serious try, post a question, or P.M another member if unsure. So, welcome, good luck and remember to always enjoy the journey!
don hicks
Elite Cafe Member
Wheat;
Welcome to the forum. Go to the tips archive, the first sticky has info for beginners.
Your question " What is it going to cost to get into this activity? is like asking " How long is a piece of string?" It all depends on how deep you want to go. I have over $ 6000.00 in tools and materials ( books , DVD's, practice plates, sharpening equipment, scope,etc.).Do I need it all? My philosophy is " Better to be looking at it than for it?"
One thing for sure is, the longer you hang around this forum, the more you will learn and the more gear you will want.Ha Ha! If you get as good as Sam and many others on this forum, I'm confident you will get your money back. For me, I keep hoping one of my children or grand-children will take an interest and I can leave if all to them,no illusions about making money here, just hope to embellish some of my own toys someday.
Climb aboard and enjoy the ride.
Cheers
Don
Welcome to the forum. Go to the tips archive, the first sticky has info for beginners.
Your question " What is it going to cost to get into this activity? is like asking " How long is a piece of string?" It all depends on how deep you want to go. I have over $ 6000.00 in tools and materials ( books , DVD's, practice plates, sharpening equipment, scope,etc.).Do I need it all? My philosophy is " Better to be looking at it than for it?"
One thing for sure is, the longer you hang around this forum, the more you will learn and the more gear you will want.Ha Ha! If you get as good as Sam and many others on this forum, I'm confident you will get your money back. For me, I keep hoping one of my children or grand-children will take an interest and I can leave if all to them,no illusions about making money here, just hope to embellish some of my own toys someday.
Climb aboard and enjoy the ride.
Cheers
Don
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Roger Bleile
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
First go here to get an idea: http://www.engraverscafe.com/showthread.php?13891-Tool-List-for-Beginners
Next look through these pictures of various engraver's workbenches. They will give you an idea of how many tools and fixtures an average hand engraver has to do the work. http://www.engraverscafe.com/showthread.php?1511-Workbench-thread&highlight=pictures+shop
Next look through these pictures of various engraver's workbenches. They will give you an idea of how many tools and fixtures an average hand engraver has to do the work. http://www.engraverscafe.com/showthread.php?1511-Workbench-thread&highlight=pictures+shop
Marrinan
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Roger forgot to mention his glossary of engraving terms. it is under his signature. Fred
good info in tips section, as well as the link mr. bleile posted. most every engraver has a dreml, or dreml "type" tool. you'll find no one that uses them to do actual engraving. as far as 1 or 2 jobs paying for the tools needed--- uh, well, uh, i don't think that's likely to happen. nothing against you, but a hell of a lot of disciplines are needed to do good engraving. the two that first come to mind are tool sharpening and learning to draw well. learning to draw well also includes the ability to make pleasing design concepts. i nearly forgot the pleasant part----- the fun part---- cutting the design in reasonable fashion. the best tool
you can buy is taking a class. i wish you luck. if you pursue engraving, and get to be reasonably good at it, you'll never resent the time spent.
you can buy is taking a class. i wish you luck. if you pursue engraving, and get to be reasonably good at it, you'll never resent the time spent.
Marrinan
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
It is not unreasonable to make enough to pay for your investment. Jewelry engraving and lettering are most likely to reach that goal.. You will make more per hour in these efforts than any gun engraving can do by the average engraver. In order to make a living as a brightcut independent engraver of jewelry you have to develop the speed of layout and cutting to compete with our neighbors to the south and now far eastern, but the custom market is always open. Good luck! Fred
KCSteve
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
There are basically three levels you can go for on engraving, from the oldest to the newest.
Hand push is how it all started and you can get started very cheap - even buying all new you can get going for a couple of hundred dollars. But this is the method that's going to take you the longest to learn with. Everything is on you and developing muscle memory. I think it would be almost required to get some training to learn this way.
Hammer & Chisel was the next advancement. Easier on hands and only slightly harder on the wallet. But still a whole lot of muscle memory you have to build up and a long time to learn.
Modern air assist: This is what you want. The metal wants the lines. You'll love everything about but the price. This is where you're looking at $5,000 - $7,000. And you still really want some training. it's just that the training will take you a lot further, a lot quicker.
Good luck - sounds like you're already caught in a highly addictive hobby.
Hand push is how it all started and you can get started very cheap - even buying all new you can get going for a couple of hundred dollars. But this is the method that's going to take you the longest to learn with. Everything is on you and developing muscle memory. I think it would be almost required to get some training to learn this way.
Hammer & Chisel was the next advancement. Easier on hands and only slightly harder on the wallet. But still a whole lot of muscle memory you have to build up and a long time to learn.
Modern air assist: This is what you want. The metal wants the lines. You'll love everything about but the price. This is where you're looking at $5,000 - $7,000. And you still really want some training. it's just that the training will take you a lot further, a lot quicker.
Good luck - sounds like you're already caught in a highly addictive hobby.
I'm not completely worried about the muscle memory, as my occupation (welding) requires it. But I look at any skill as I look at welding, you must practice, practice, practice until you're in the place where you need to be. I believe I'm going to take the push method. I watched some of the videos last night that are on the forums and well, it looks like I'll enjoy that most of all to be honest; and hell if it's cheaper I'm all on board! Now the modern air assist; is this a sort of mini chisel? I believe I saw a video of this; and by chisel I mean a tiny air moved chisel. ( to me describing this is best put as a tiny sort of tattoo gun, or at least the similar movements.) Also thanks for all the replies, extremely helpful information; now it's just time to look for some equipment to begin the starter steps.
If you plan to engrave anything other than soft metals, then I would encourage you to learn to use hammer & chisel as well. There are plenty of times when it's the preferred method over pushing, and I think it's easier to learn as well.
Pneumatic handpieces are like mini jackhammers, and have a small piston inside the delivers the impacts. Tattoo guns are reciprocating but pneumatic handpieces are not.
Pneumatic handpieces are like mini jackhammers, and have a small piston inside the delivers the impacts. Tattoo guns are reciprocating but pneumatic handpieces are not.
MICHAEL
Elite Cafe Member
When someone says muscle memory, what they are really saying is that you have to build a mind to muscle connection for that specific task. Some tasks will carry over while others will not. I do not see welding carrying over to engraving. I do see drawing carrying over to engraving. This task will improve your hand eye coordination and you will quickly realize that the better you can draw, the better your design will appear after cutting. You were correct on your 2nd sentence though, practice, practice, practice, will fire those neurons in your brain and connect with your hand /arms/foot to make beautiful art one day.
KC Steve is correct, you can spend 5-7K easy (this is the best and least frustrating way to learn), but if you read the tips section you can use your drill press with 600 grit diamond wheel, Hammer / chisel or air assist graver of your choice (bought mine was refurbished from GRS classes for $400 off new price), 2 carbide gravers, bowling ball homemade vise, opti-visor, a couple of other things that the more experienced engravers can help you with better than me. Just trying to show you that you can get started for as little as a few hundred $ , hammer / chisel, to a few thousand $, air assist. you can add better tools later as you can afford them. What will happen when you cobble together tools from what you have is you spend more time re-inventing the wheel than engraving and then you'll have it in the back of your mind, is it me or the tool I cobbled together? Good luck.
Marrinan
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Right now there is a gravermiester on the buy sell for $760 complete. I and many others used these machines for many years. I myself 30 years. they have a built in compressor and have produced any cut you care to make. With the compressor right under the bench they are noisy but with aa little work that sound can be greatly reduced. Add a vice and some place to set it an optivisor and you are ready for power assist engraving. You can be in the air assist engraving for a lot cheaper than $6000 or $7000 dollars. Add something when you need it. That is how I did it. Need based not want based. Fred
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