Question: bullino engraving What is a good magnification for such work ?

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Feb 11, 2013
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Heber Springs, Arkansas
I am very new to engraving in fact i have done only rudimentary things, but i have had some luck with doing scrimshaw work and i enjoy it. My problem is i don't have high enough magnification to do it well, to the untrained it looks good but to those who even have a slight clue what they are looking at know better...lol I am also unsure as to how the basic patterns are laid out on the metal surfaces? When i do scrimshaw on bone or ivory or even vegetable ivory i use carbon paper to transfer my basic shapes to the piece. Even osstrege eggs but i am in need of advice.
Also what would be best tool to use, i have a high speed 500,000rpm turbine driven engraver that i have very very small cutters that are very capable of cutting even hardened steel with ease or would something else be preferable ?
 

Roger B

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If you plan on using a rotary cutting bur I think that most would not consider the result to be bulino even you end up with images that look like bulino.

What you need to work with would be H & C, air powered gravers or hand push gravers to pick out very small cuts or fine lines. Try looking up bulino engraving on you tube and you might find educational videos that you could purchase. As for magnification, I think Chris DeCamellis suggested about 10x, using much higher magnification could be anti-productive.

Here is an example
https://vimeo.com/75277373
 
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monk

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! welcome to the forum. most if not all engravers have a rotary tool or two. they have a place on the bench, but definetely not for bulino work. for that matter, the rotary really has no application in fine engraving. the exception would be background removal.
for transfer info, go to the page top. use the search bar. there's lots of info there on transfer technique. you'll find, like most phases of engraving work, that there are multiple ways of achieving a given goal. don't rush into buying all the latest toys. bulino can be done with a surprizingly small tool investment. as for optics, a plain old optivisor should work for what you want. good luck.
 

SamW

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fp done.jpg stick & pick tools.jpg I suppose it depends on how good (old) your eyes are. At 75 I find a No. 10 Optivisor works just fine for all my work, including the fine detail. Here is an example (which I call stick and pick as opposed to bulino) and the tools required, which are not much. There are of course some fine lines cut with a simple push graver and I am not referring to the scroll work.
 
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oiseau metal arts

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welcome to the forum.
bulino is likely the least expensive style to work on. its 99.9999999% just one hand push tool. you can hold a piece secure with as little as a strip of 2 sided tape and a block of scrap anything solid.
Ive been using just a push graver (105 deg. Cmax) and a 10x jewelers loupe for bulino work, and had better end results than when I used the scope. (images actual sizes are about 1" diameter)

transfer........ I use laser printer, and acetone frequently, but am also quite comfortable with just a dab of modeling clay, and a sharp pencil. there are so many transfer options. search this forum, and read them all. try them all. choose what works best for you.

the training videos id ordered for instruction, and inspiration are the ones by Christian DeCamillis.
https://www.engraver.com/bulino-techniques-training-set-by-christian-decamillis/
theseare what I have, and there are others out there also. I dont get too many request for this level of work, nor do I put in as much time practicing it as id really like to. (bills to pay, life, and so on)

in short .... dont be distracted by fancy tools, or intimidated by the work as magnificent as what SamW posted. BE INSPIRED! he has been professionally doing this since before I was even breathing, and with the simplest of tools for a lot of it. (likely still using some of the same ones too) its just going to take a bit of initiative, and a lot of practice to catch up to him.
 

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JJ Roberts

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Bulino Tools

These are the simple hand tools I use for my Bulino engraving.
 

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jerrywh

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That Nile gun is the best I have ever seen. My web site is down so I don't have any photos but when I do bolino I use The same graver as Coggan but I use the scope on about 10 power. I don't see any way it could be done wit ha rotary tool.
 
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