what equipment to get for begginner ?

Hello every one

I am very new in engraving. I have started learning hand push engraving with books and sweat, but well, just the basics really. I have to be efficient by 6 months for letter engraving, this is my goal.

Air monitored engraver tools look just the right solution for me to learn faster. But what equipment would you recommend for a beginner in engraving ?

I am a jeweller and would like to be able to create new products with engraving. I just felt in love with these techniques that can be such a plus in design. I have allready ordered for a real GRS vise and a binocular (7x to 30x). At the moment I am learning to sharpen properly, it is not easy but getting a little better slowly.

I live in the french island of Reunion island (indian ocean) where there is no engraver at all, and have never been. This to say that I can relly only on your advice and I need equipment that can be serviced easily in case of problem.

All advices are mostly welcomed !

Welcome to the forum Frenchy, what do I need, is sort of like asking how much does a diamond cost? It depends on what you want to give up. If you want to progress faster, the air tools are the thing and you give up some money for the time you save. If you want the purist form of the art the hand tools, you give up the time for the money you will save.

If you have the money, get the best tools you can afford and ones that will do the whole job from fine to heavy work. I personally like the magnum handpiece and use the gravermax, but there are distinct advantages to the very subtle differences of the tools which you won't even be able to evaluate until you can handle the tools with superior efficiency. Some will fit your requirements better than others and there is only one way to know. Just begining it is hard to be able to decide. So having said that, Joseph illustrated that you can do outstanding work with a fishook, with the work mounted on a rock, so it is solely up to you what tools you buy. The fact is you will learn to do fantastic work with just about any of them, and the most important tool is your dedication and commitment to the art of engraving. If you are commited, nothing can stop you. Not money, not time, not frustration, nor whatever tools you use.

It would be good if you could take a beginners course, but I see your delimma and as you said, you are going to have to learn it on your own. Two things very important, learn to draw, and learn to sharpen your tools correctly, the rest just takes commitment and practice.

Fred,
I also live on a Island.... Orcas Island which is in the San Juan Islands just south of the Canadian border in Washington state. It sounds like you need a GRS diamond graver sharpening system. It will make a huge different in the time spent sharpening your tools.

Good luck & Welcome

P.S. Listen and take to heart what Ron Smith has to say.... (he is one of the sharpest knives in our drawer)

frenchyFred,

Your primary question has been asked in this forum many times by many beginners. Everything you wish to know is within these pages. It will only take a little work on your part to uncover it. Here is a link to a thread started by another beginner with a similar question less than a month ago: http://www.igraver.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3149

Tool fight!!!!!!


Roger, the guy that started that last thread never came back. He posted on another forum that the onslaught had somewhat surprised him. He did want to thank everyone and let folks know he was happy with his new system and that everyone's responses were very helpful. He's a real nice kid.

I figure I'm somewhat on the ignore list of most folks till I go away now. I think you guys are stuck with me.

Gotta go ... catch ya later.

Welcome Frenchy!

It sounds like you've already ordered what I think are the two most important pieces - a sharpening system and something to let you see better.

If you're fighting to get a properly sharpened graver then you're not going to get good cuts.

If you can't see exactly what's going on it's much harder to do things right.

Beyond that it's hard to go wrong, as long as what you're using isn't getting in your way. I'm lucky enough to have both of the major systems - GRS and Lindsay - and they both work great! I'd say the GRS set up is a bit more versatile because you have such a mass of choices in every aspect. Of course for a beginner that just means more confusion. The Lindsay system is the king of portability. Mine runs off of 20oz CO2 cylinders and I actually have the full system in a toolbox I call The Box O' Happiness I also use it at my bench with the better vise and scope, of course, but it's so nice to be able to engrave almost anywhere.

Read through that recent 'tool fight' thread and see if anything mentioned about one system or other other sounds like it would be either a major advantage or hindrance for you. In addition to the choice of vendor there's also the choice of whether you use a foot pedal (less expensive) or palm control (more money but can be significantly nicer to use).

Hello Frenchy Fred, and welcome to the Cafe. You've come to the right place for help, advice, and inspiration. I remember Reunion Island from my ham radio DX days, but I've never had the pleasure to visit there. Maybe someday.

Your question is a legitimate one, and you'll find many people who like different systems for different reasons, including hammer & chisel, hand-push, GRS, Lindsay, and Ngraver. I've used GRS equipment for my professional work since 1989. All of the tutorials you see on iGraver.com were done with a GraverMax and GraverMach. They have served me well for many years, and are capable of far better work than I'm able to deliver.

Cheers / ~Sam

Hi FrenchyFred and welcome to the forum

The GRS and Lindsay air tools are both excellent tools. Either one will serve you very well. It's just a matter of personal taste and preference.

Perhaps the most important thing is sharpening your tools. Without razor sharp tools you will struggle to do anything..................but I guess you have already discovered that

I would highly recommend a dual angle sharpening fixture and a power hone. With those two peices of equipment you can sharpen and shape anything that you want to any angle you desire. Square gravers, traditional gravers, punches and all sorts of things that will become usefull as you progress with your engraving.

Best of luck with your future and keep in touch by letting us know how you get on.

Cheers
Andrew

i'll say this about the grs equipment. i've used a gravermeister for 30+ years and it's still working ! that's a track record i cant argue with. also have used a lindsay maybe for a year or so. in my hand either tool allows me to do what i want. i also sometime turn the machines off and just use the handpiece without power. don't be afraid to learn the old ways, yes time is money. but there's a joy in the non power way too. critical beyond your choice of power delivery system, is some sort of power hone or system that permits exact and repeatable tool geometry.without consistent geometry on your gravers, you can expect your path to learning to be much longer.

Thanks al lot to all of you !

Yes you have helped me a lot, now I have a much better view of the problem.

This forum is of an unvaluable help for a foreigner as I. Thank you again, I will remain reading you as much as possible.

All the best to you all