Help, please: Newbie hand engraving questions...

hoakin1981

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Hello to all. I am in the process of making a specific jewellery related piece which i would love to be able to hand engrave to add a more personal and hand made touch. Unfortunately i am a total newbie when it comes to hand engraving so i am not sure if what i want to achieve is even possible.

So, the questions:

1. Can you hand engrave a very thin piece of aluminium or copper? And when i say thin i mean 0,2mm thick.Obviously the aim is not just to carve something on it but for it to show deep enough to be nice.

2. Initially i would like to engrave just some numbers and go from there. Are the tools shown here adequate enough for this?

Any reply will be most welcome and appreciated.

Thanks in advance!
 

monk

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Hello to all. I am in the process of making a specific jewellery related piece which i would love to be able to hand engrave to add a more personal and hand made touch. Unfortunately i am a total newbie when it comes to hand engraving so i am not sure if what i want to achieve is even possible.

So, the questions:

1. Can you hand engrave a very thin piece of aluminium or copper? And when i say thin i mean 0,2mm thick.Obviously the aim is not just to carve something on it but for it to show deep enough to be nice.

2. Initially i would like to engrave just some numbers and go from there. Are the tools shown here adequate enough for this?

Any reply will be most welcome and appreciated.

Thanks in advance!
did you mean .2mm thick, or 2 mm thick ? either would be engraveable. if .2 mm thick, the metal would need to be glued to a wood block for support and securing in a vise.
for lettering, most any graver can be made to work------- but depending on the chosen size and style of the lettering, specific gravers may be desired to achieve the desired effect.
as for going deep, not a good idea on lettering. remember-- as you go deeper, you also will be getting wider. fine, shallow engraing can look deep if given a blackening to contrast with the background.
good luck in your pursuit.
 

hoakin1981

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Thank you for the reply and for the positive news.

To be more precise I want to engrave a sheet of copper 0.2mm thick. The numbers I have in mind are 2mm wide and about 3mm tall in this style so the question on whether the gravers I had my eyes on will do or not still stands. With regards to the need to secure the sheet in question somehow, yes I had this in mind and I will manage somehow.

The shallow, fine engraving mentioned above by "monk" sounds good enough for me if the result looks clear and definable enough. I have absolutely no need for the design to be deeper than necessary.
 
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diandwill

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I don't want to rain on your parade, but lettering is challenging even for many experienced engravers. You may be able to use a narrow flat and cut block, if you are very careful. Script will be challenging.

When I am trying something new, I layout and cut the lettering, just as I would on the finished piece, 2,3 4 times or more, until I am comfortable with the project. I would recommend doing that.

Good luck, and let us know how it went!
 

hoakin1981

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I don't want to rain on your parade, but lettering is challenging even for many experienced engravers. You may be able to use a narrow flat and cut block, if you are very careful. Script will be challenging.

When I am trying something new, I layout and cut the lettering, just as I would on the finished piece, 2,3 4 times or more, until I am comfortable with the project. I would recommend doing that.

Good luck, and let us know how it went!

Thanks for the info. I understand that there will be a learning period which could be substantial but I am willing to pay this price if the outcome is eventually nice enough.

Of course trial and error on test sheets of metal will take place, after all its not like you can take an eraser and wipe out what you did wrong..

Not trying to be a pain here but can anyone let me know if the graver set i have in mind is suitable for the job?

Thanks again!
 

DKanger

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can anyone let me know if the graver set i have in mind is suitable for the job?
Probably a waste of money. Buying "sets" almost ensures you will never use more than half of them. You really only need 2 gravers to do what you want.....a flat and a square and experienced engraves can probably do it only with a square.

Blanks are available in 3/32nds from engraving supply houses or you can use 1/8" HSS lathe bits and a handle to mount them in. You will have to grind them to your needs. This entails sharpening stones, preferably diamond both to shape and sharpen later. How to do this is included in the various tutorials and videos on this site. See Tips and Tutorials at the top of this page. You really need to peruse them before you go any further, then return with more questions. Sam also has a video on lettering which can be purchased and downloaded. It is invaluable for your needs. Its link is usually in the column to the right of this dialogue.
 

jerrywh

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Most relief work is about .010" deep to look effective as a sculpture. .2mm is only .008" thick. If you were an master engraver you could probably make it look fair but starting from scratch I would say it isn't going to happen. I have found most tool sets near useless.
 

Southern Custom

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You can answer your own question by purchasing a few gravers and practicing on copper. As the others said though, hand pushing lettering is extremely difficult do and will take a lot of practice. It took me several years if practice Outside of my regular work before I felt competent enough to cut lettering on a piece of jewelry. And I was already engraving patterns on rings when I started. Not trying to be discouraging but there's not much instant gratification in engraving till you master the tools. Good luck with it and you can get all the help you need here going forward.
 
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hoakin1981

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You can answer your own question by purchasing a few gravers and practicing on copper. As the others said though, hand pushing lettering is extremely difficult do and will take a lot of practice. It took me several years if practice Outside of my regular work before I felt competent enough to cut lettering on a piece of jewelry. And I was already engraving patterns on rings when I started. Not trying to be discouraging but there's not much instant gratification in engraving till you master the tools. Good luck with it and you can get all the help you need here going forward.

Thanks again for all new replies. You do have a point, but i still need to know it is technically possible given the extremely thin piece of metal i have to work with. Reason for this is the fact that its not as simple as "buy a set of gravers to try" since i will be needing sharpening stones and handles and hammers and more tools to make the graver fit the handle and a vice etc. so the total cost does add up. What has me worried is the point made by "jerrywh" since i am no master engraver...

P.S. I do not know if it makes any difference but i need to engrave numbers not letters at least in the beginning.
 

John B.

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Please think about it and try it with a pencil. The numbers 2, 4, 5 & 8 can pose extra difficulty.
Then try it with an ink pen, no corrections allowed.
Ink is nearly as difficult as engraving except for the cut depth control and the pressure required to cut the metal.
The only way to find out is to practice with the tools you have or seek out a teacher.
 

diandwill

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Thanks again for all new replies. You do have a point, but i still need to know it is technically possible given the extremely thin piece of metal i have to work with. Reason for this is the fact that its not as simple as "buy a set of gravers to try" since i will be needing sharpening stones and handles and hammers and more tools to make the graver fit the handle and a vice etc. so the total cost does add up. What has me worried is the point made by "jerrywh" since i am no master engraver...

P.S. I do not know if it makes any difference but i need to engrave numbers not letters at least in the beginning.

Putting it the way you are stating it...No. It is not possible. Find an experienced engraver in your area and pay them to do it.

You will not be able to learn enough, even to learn whether you can do it, if you won't buy the tools and stones.

It probably is possible for a very experienced engraver, but I wouldn't want to do it. Then again, I've only been engraving for 15 years.
 
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