Help, please: Tips on engraving watches and curved surfaces
- Thread starter DannyPaik
- Start date
GTJC460
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Make sure the item is secured well in a fixture or some kind of fixturing material like thermolock.
Second, a square graver will be more easily controlled on a round or domed surface than a wider point geometry
Second, a square graver will be more easily controlled on a round or domed surface than a wider point geometry
oiseau metal arts
Elite Cafe Member
hours and hours and hours of practice.
don't get in a hurry. a cut will get away from you a lot more quickly on a compound curve.
don't get in a hurry. a cut will get away from you a lot more quickly on a compound curve.
Brian Marshall
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Start with 3 or 4 miles of copper tubing and the angled tube couplings & T's that go with it - that oughta teach ya something?
PLUS you can sell the scrap when you are done!
Buy a doming block and make some compound curves outta copper sheet or precut copper discs...
And if you are REALLY, REALLY serious - you can learn to cut the concave surfaces - after you cut all the convex ones!
Yeah, I know what the next question will be - when you get home with the stuff. "How do I hold it?"
(Start another thread when you've got it all in front of you.)
Brian
PLUS you can sell the scrap when you are done!
Buy a doming block and make some compound curves outta copper sheet or precut copper discs...
And if you are REALLY, REALLY serious - you can learn to cut the concave surfaces - after you cut all the convex ones!
Yeah, I know what the next question will be - when you get home with the stuff. "How do I hold it?"
(Start another thread when you've got it all in front of you.)
Brian
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Dani Girl
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
When you have been engraving for many many years. Does it get quicker? At the moment fairly gradual curves like that knife I was having trouble holding are taking me at least twice as long as flat surfaces. Would one expect to ever cut as quickly as one would on a flat object.
Andrew Biggs
Moderator
Yes, it gets slightly quicker with experience........but never as quick as a flat surface. Extreme curved surfaces like tubes slow you down considerably.
So always make sure you account for that in your cost estimates/quotes and charge out rate.
Its all just part of the deal
Cheers
Andrew
I have had to learn to cut backwards from my normal way sometimes to meet my scroll from the other direction. Now THAT is a challenge, to match the curve of the scroll and angle of "roll," but I find it is easier and faster than repositioning the piece every few minutes.
Bill
Bill
Dave London
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Also remember you have another hand, try it not so hard
NicGregson
Member
That's something that I've always wanted to teach myself...using the left hand as well. There was a local engraver here that did absolutely amazing jewellery engraving....he was ambidextrous. Don't think he does too much work for the trade now unfortunately
Brian Marshall
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
I tried to learn to use my left for an entire year.
My "normal" right hand was in plaster casts between surgeries.
Did get an improved left hand grip, but never could use it for things like writing, engraving or stone setting.
Had to go in and change my signature card at the bank to an "X" during that time - about the best I could do with my left hand...
Bank teller said that hadn't been done in over 50 years, so it was pretty safe, as long as I didn't let people see me do it.
Never had a problem. Switched back to a "real" signature as soon as I was able.
Brian
My "normal" right hand was in plaster casts between surgeries.
Did get an improved left hand grip, but never could use it for things like writing, engraving or stone setting.
Had to go in and change my signature card at the bank to an "X" during that time - about the best I could do with my left hand...
Bank teller said that hadn't been done in over 50 years, so it was pretty safe, as long as I didn't let people see me do it.
Never had a problem. Switched back to a "real" signature as soon as I was able.
Brian
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get some old,brass or brass plated lamp parts from a junkyard. plenty of compound curves there. also old metal door knobs will serve the purpose. the problem is---- a lot of practice is needed to do a decent job. sharp tools are an essential here.
Dani Girl
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Do higher heel angles help because you are pushing forward less and would be less inclines to skate off into the wild blue yonder.
Andrew Biggs
Moderator
Higher heels help on concave surfaces as you need them for clearance to attack the work.
As for convex curves..........nope, higher heels don't help. It is all about tool control and the only way you get tool control.............is to practice.
There's no easy way of doing any of this. It's eye/hand coordination, technique, tool control, skill and experience. There more you do it, the more those things come to you.
Cheers
Andrew
Marrinan
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
For me it was an issue of learning to raise my wrist as I went over the curve the bring it back to "normal" as I rotated the ring in the vise or the tube in my tube fixture or make a turn an return to the original flat area. just takes practice. Fred
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