Help, please: Hello,newbie in search of direction,tools

tattooer601

Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2009
Messages
18
Location
Jackson,Mississippi
Hello Everyone...
I am amazed that i stumbled upon this forum, this place is full to the rim with talented artist:)

My name is Russell , I have a deep love for metal craft of many types, casting, and metal carving.
For the past several years, I have read and read about hand engraving,I always have loved the art of leafing, and flourishes made by a talented engraver.
I have hand carved quiet a few items in Brass/bronze, all of these items, Have been freehand with a foredoom rotating hand-piece.
I purchased a cheap electric engraving tool(not worth its packaging...lol), I tried to use it in the method of a graver, no such luck.

My closest purchase to true hand engraving, was a purchase of several hand graver tools, they to where not very useful as a tool,My hope was to try to learn to engrave on scrap brass,or cold rolled steel,I had no luck other than scoring the surface.

Could anyone help direct me to a few beginner tools, so I could get started, this would be a true gift to me, I would love to learn this beautiful art......
Below is a example of my carving and casting work,this device was cast,carved and machined (milling machine), every part was hand made except the Allen screws that holds the machine together........Russell
 

jetta77

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Welcome Russel, I too have a passion for metal and art. Getting started depends on how much money your willing to invest in tools. I started w an onglette and 40 flat graver w wooden handles, about $20. Try to absorb as much info as possible and don't be afraid to ask questions.
 

Andrew Biggs

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Nov 10, 2006
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Christchurch, New Zealand
Hi Russell

& welcome to the forum.

Jeff is right, it's one of those deals where you can start out cheaply with a few hand tools...............or you can start paying a fortune.

It all depends on your budget, amount of time you have etc etc.

One thing I would recommend is take an engraving class. That will give you a bit of direction and a feel for the whole thing.

Cheers
Andrew
 

Roger Bleile

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
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Oct 4, 2007
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Northern Kentucky
Russell,

As a beginner I will suggest you click in the link below my signature which will take you to the online hand engraving glossary. There you will find over 300 engraving terms explained with over 400 pictures for illustration. This glossary contains descriptions of all the tools we use and styles of ornamentation.

Good luck,

Roger
 

tattooer601

Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2009
Messages
18
Location
Jackson,Mississippi
Thanks so much for the replys, I appreciate you guys not shuning a new commer to the hobby of hand engraving.
I have saved up money striktly for the purchase of Hand Engraving tools, I just am not sure where to start, I have read that tool brand shouldn't be discused and always abide by forum policies, I am a moderator of a Tattoo forum.

Thanks for the glossary link, I will read it beginning to end until I have a good understanding.

Reguarding Engraving classes, I have searched and searched, the closest class to me is more than a state away....:(, I would take a class in a new york second if one was nearby.
(I'm hurt right now and can't ride in a car for long at all without extreme pain)

I read that the 901 headpiece is a great all around headpiece.

I own a small silent type compressor that is used for airbrushing...etc,
The compressor I have already, Im in need of a few obvious things...

A good swivel vise and a good beginner hand piece,also steel stock to make gravers with,I make all my own metal lathe tools, so shaping and sharpening shouldn't be a problem.

Please any links,tips, or direction to get me started would be wonderful......Russell
 

dave gibson

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Aug 18, 2009
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Livermore,CA
Russell; I'm a tattooer too, this open exchange of information is nice, huh? Much like tattooing however,I don't think there is a way to get into this w/o getting very involved. I started by taking a class that had all major brands of equipment ,so you can try them all out and chose.No matter which you chose, good gear isn't cheap. A week or two of instructions and a power graver set up and the other things you'll want, like sharpening equip., workbench, vise,books,DVDs, handtools,ect.,ect, can soak up thousands of dollars real fast. It's kind of like tattoos or sex, the more you get, the more you want. Best of luck, Dave
 

Andrew Biggs

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Hi Russell

The money is the cheap bit weather or not it's $1 or $10,000. Time is your biggest cost :)

A few basics.............

Hammer & chisel along with push graving will be the absolute cheapest way to go.............but your learning curve will be a lot longer for actual metal cutting. But it is still widely used and a great way to go.

Once you start to get into Pneumatic equipment than you start with an NGraver flexishaft engraving system. After that you get into airtools which are either GRS or Lindsay. These will lessen part of the learning curve..........but only part and not by a lot, maybe a few months.............depending on how much time you are going to spend practicing..................... Engraving is a very big subject and there is a lot to learn.

It's not that we don't like discussing brands which is fine on the forum if you want to. The trouble is some users tend to get a bit vocal and over the top about which brand is the best one to use. All this does is confuse the hell out of a novice and create unnecessary strife. A bit like a Texan walking into a bar and telling everyone that his hat is better than anyone else's.........then the fun begins.

The reality is...........they are all good. There is no "mine is better than yours" as all the tools are only that..............tools. It is what is between your ears, how skilled you can become with your hands and a little bit of your soul that will create a work of art or a butchers mess. The tools have nothing to do with it. I suspect the same is true of your tattooing :)

Work out a budget and do your homework thoroughly.............. and go from there because things can get out of hand pretty quickly. One thing I can assure you is that all of the tools are first class quality and they all do what they are designed to do......cut metal. How well it's cut has nothing to do with the tool that you buy................. as that part of it is entirely up to you.

One thing that I would highly recommend is a sharpening system. That is the one thing that will be of infinite help and get you sharpening tools so that you at least have a fighting chance at cutting metal. Lindsay or GRS, take your pick as they both sharpen tools. The GRS sharpening system (power hone, dual angle holder) is probably the most versatile out of the two. The Lindsay templates/hand sharpening system (you can use a power hone with it as well) locks you into the preset angles of the templates and only sharpening certain gravers etc. Which is fine if you don't mind that.................so it's a matter of pays your money and be happy because both systems work very well.

There are other decisions to make are, do you want to use a microscope? If you do that brings in a whole bunch of other factors. Your airbrush compressor will drive you nuts with an airtool so you have to think about that as well.


Cheers
Andrew
 

RoycroftRon

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If you don't already have it I suggest you get a copy of "The Art of Engraving" by Meeks... It took a lot off the learning curve for me. What clinched it was taking a class. It will fill in a lot of the blanks. You get to try out a lot of really good equipment, all of course you will want - but you can determine what you need to get by. I'm from Buffalo and I made the trek out to Kansas for a class at GRS with Sam. Well worth the trip. Next time I think I will fly though:thumbs up:
 

Sam

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Hello Russell, and welcome to the Cafe. You're getting some sound advice from the members and there's not much more I can add. Go slow, do your research, and soak up as much info as you can before you buy. This is a very informative group and we certainly welcome newcomers to the art of engraving and will do what we can to get you started on your journey.

Enjoy the forum and happy holidays!

~Sam
 

tattooer601

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Dec 12, 2009
Messages
18
Location
Jackson,Mississippi
Thanks everyone for the very sound advise, I will read and do as much research as I can, I have seen several neat things in the classifieds on this forum , I didn't want to pass up a good deal simply because I have lack of knowledge of the terminology........

Dave Gibson,
Its awesome to meet another tattoo artist, always is a neat thing, simply makes this big world seem a bit smaller....lol:)

Thanks again, I will read and absorb.......Russell
 

Chapi

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May 31, 2008
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San Diego, CA
Russell,
I am also a tattoo artist/engraver. Like everything that Mr. Gibson said, engraving is a lot like tattooing, but it is also 180 degrees different in the actual mechanism of it. Its interesting to go from moving the hand over the canvas, to turning the canvas in toward the graver. Ron Smith's Drawing Advanced Scrolls book is an essential part of the learning process, both for the drawing info, and also for the philosophy presented therein. Engraving tattoo machines is great fun. If you have any questions specific to machine engraving, please feel free to drop me a line - sabertoothtattoo@gmail.com

BTW, what forum do you moderate? I've been trying to get on tattooguild for about 2 months now and for some reason, its not happening.
 

monk

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2 things to take to the bank. the meeks book. you also owe it to yourself to buy a diamond-based sharpening system. it's very difficult to learn to engrave with tools that are not only incorrectly sharpened, but worse yet, sharpened inconsistently.
a sharpening "system" will get you on track the right way, the first time. it will eliminate one of the most troubling variables the newcomer faces-- bad tool geometry.
you can make a lot of stuff to save cash, but the sharpening system is one area where i would advise spending some dough.
 

tundratrekers@mtaonline.n

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Oct 15, 2008
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alaska
hello,mike here.i live in alaska.i have had no formal instruction.i first ordered a catalog from grs,then brownells.i didnt know about these forums then.i went all out !!! buying 2 sets of each graver from grs(52x2) an positioning vice,hammers,loupes,optivisors,lights,stones,and on and on.......heres what happened.i bought a whole bunch of stuff that i will probably never use.since i was determined to learn with manualy powered tools,i got the mckenzie tapes,the meeks book,i ended up selling the microscope ,the vice,and a lot of the accesories i 'thought i needed' to do engraving.i wish i would have got the book and tapes first.the tapes explain tool selection very well.would have saved me thousands of dollars,the loss from selling the tools in the second hand market.i also was determined to learn free hand sharpening,which the tapes cover very well.i am glad i stuck it out with the hand tools,long hard road,especially being self taught.but i feel i have a foundation that those who learn with power tools will probably never have.it will be much easier for me to switch to power tools if i need to,than for the other to switch to manual tools.sharpening is the same.then ,if for some reason you dont have the ability or access to all the modern aids,tools,then your out of luck,as you will have to relearn to work without them.sharpening is the hardest to learn,then tool control.i think the art part is a realm in and of itself.the engraving is a mechanical process,for the most part.knowing what i do now,and where i want to go with my work, i would get the lynton mckenzie tapes from brownells,the neil hartlieb book from the same place,hammer from brownells,chisle handles from ngraver or lyndsay,ceramic and diamond stones from brownells,a top quality jewelers loupe(dont skimp on optics,mine was $350)from kassoys,optivisors in different powers,get the glass lenses,and some short graver handles for push graving.i also have a new/used ray letourneau vice for sale,price negotiable,.if you are absolutely sure this is an investment your willing to make,the sky is the limit,with money and gear.dont let the low price and simplistic method of manual tools.engraving is at its heart ,from the heart.from looking at the forums,a newbie can think ,if i have the most modern tools,i can do the most modern of work,to this level.generally not true!! God Bless!!!!!mike
 

James Roettger

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Apr 21, 2008
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Minneapolis, MN
Sharpening is the "gateway" to engraving. I'm glad I learned completely freehand sharpening and push graving. I have every modern power tool and accessory but still at times fall back on my free hand sharpened push gravers. I still get my best bright cut patterns on jewelry using these methods. However 98% of the time I use power stuff for the greater speed. If you can do everything with a simple sharpening stone and push graver you will have a more well rounded foundation than any modern gadget can bring you.
 
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tattooer601

Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2009
Messages
18
Location
Jackson,Mississippi
http://www.joemasonengraving.com/

Here is a link to another engraver in Mississippi. I don't know how far Brandon is from Jackson, but Miss isn't that big. Welcome to the forum.

Will
I think its real neat you mentioned Joe Mason, he is a very talented and nice man to talk to (email...etc)
I have gone back and forth with Mr. Joe, he has been very understanding of my questions, and also been a nice man also suggested some tools............
I hope to in the future see if he would be interested in teaching me, he said that he would, just at a later date.....
for now I hope to read , draw order a few tools, and try a few things, until Mr. Joe has time to teach me as much as he would be willing to.......Russell
 
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