seeing bulino while practicing.

ETHELBERT · Mar 25, 2010

I am having a rough time seeing the bulino that I am practicing on. I am practicing on stainless blanks I recieved from a fire apparatus company (scraps). It seems no matter where I put my lamp it just doesn't want to come into any focus on where I can see it decently.
Any help would be appreciated.
thank you Ethelbert :tiphat:

FANCYGUN · Mar 25, 2010

I use a black sharpie and rub it off the surface right away .

Ron Jr. · Mar 25, 2010

I've heard it called the "sweet spot" on the forum before, i.e. the best viewing angle/light for seeing the bulino engraivng, is that what your trying to see through the scope?

Kevin P. · Mar 26, 2010

I just finished a pp and went crazy trying to orient the light in oder to see the work. Thanks for the Sharpie tip.
Kevin P.

mitch · Mar 26, 2010

as long as you're just practicing on a plate, it might help to 'cheat' on the polish. with a worn piece of 400 or 600 grit paper or grey scotchbrite pad, thoroughly swirl polish the metal- like you're using a tiny manual random orbit sander. now no matter what angle you look at, there are minute scratches perpendicular to your eye to reflect light (and will, therefore, be interrupted by your dots/cuts).

i have a special bulino set-up that allows me to position my microscope at a 45Â° angle to the surface, then i use a pair of twin-tube fluorescent desk/drafting lamps vertically out in front to illuminate a broad area. it puts the vise way out away from me (even without the 0.5x objective lens), but with a couple pads to rest my elbows, it's actually pretty comfortable. then i focus by moving the eccentric adjustment on the microscope positioning vise- in other words, i move the area being worked on into the focal range of the scope, i don't adjust the scope. beats the heck out of a loupe.

Kevin P. · Mar 27, 2010

Mitch this (your special bulino set-up) sounds very interesting. I can't get my head around it just by reading your explanation; but I'm going to try your set-up. Sounds like it would help. Thanks
Kevin P.

mitch · Mar 27, 2010

i haven't had it set up lately, but will be in the next week or two. remind by PM and i'll send you a picture.

ETHELBERT · Mar 28, 2010

Thanks all for advice

thanx all for your advise. I just tried to do an elk and was doing so-so. I was having trouble with the light so I tried an 8x magnifying glass. well low and behold I thought i was on the eyeball portion of the elk and starting to do some lines. after I had worked on that area for roughly 10-12 minutes I pulled back put my glasses on and now it looks like a racoon face. I WAS IN THE WRONG SPOT ON THE FACE, i should invest in a microscope but then I read about how Italian engravers use a magnifying glass (high power) and the suggestion was to engrave by or use light source from outside. The article that I read was they preferred engraving by a window that faces the north. any way thanks all. Ethelbert :beat up:

leroytwohawks · Mar 28, 2010

Ethelbert, sounds like you've created a new animal there!!!!

Kevin

monk · Mar 28, 2010

don't do bulino. but i'll tell you a stereo zoom scope will soon make a much more enjoyable task for you at the bench. as for glare, try cutting with a few dabs of plasticene clay or transfer wax. if you have no wax, i have some xtra i can part with.
you have my email address.

seeing bulino while practicing.

ETHELBERT

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