Help, please: Can someone please help me understand inside ring engraving???

jasincarlin112 · Jun 20, 2010

Hey guys,
I'm having such a rediculously hard time trying to figure out how to go about engraving inside of wedding/engagement rings. In my shop, located inside of a jewelry exchange, its in really high demand. I've never attempted to try to engrave inside before, so i bought the three tools from GRS and the inside engraving holder. Would it be more beneficial to push engrave as opposed to using my GraverMach. Just seems like such a headache trying to figure it out myself. I apprieciate you guys taking the time to read this. Please help if you can.

Sam · Jun 20, 2010

I tell my students that inside ring engraving is roughly 50% as good as what you can do on the outside of something. In other words, if you give yourself a 5 on a scale of 1-10 for script lettering, you can expect it to be a 2.5 inside a ring. This is because of the restricted area you're working in and the limitations you have.

I use a square or flat graver to cut the brightcuts, and a square to do the hairlines. I also have a bent graver that I use for crossing T's and putting a dash between dates. And I also cut everything with my GraverMach AT and ring holder.

It's awkward and difficult but if you can do really nice lettering you can usually get acceptable results inside of rings. If your lettering is so-so, then it might not be of acceptable quality inside a ring. / ~Sam

jasincarlin112 · Jun 20, 2010

Hey Sam,
Thanks for the quick reply. Long story short, I've been a wedding band engraver for about 15 years, and in that time, i've been the Lead Hand engraver for three of the largest Wedding band companies in the U.S. Recently, i've finally got the nerve to go out on my own and be an outside contractor. So, now, i've gotten wedding band manufacturing and designing down to science, i feel like all this time, i've neglected lettering and learning fancy script. I realize that i NEED to get private training from someone as well respected as you. In any event, thank you for everything you've done for my engraving via this website. I aspire to, one day, be at least 50% of the hand engraver you are. Thanks again. I will keep practicing my inside ring engraving.

mitch · Jun 21, 2010

ok, the first & foremost thing you need to 'understand' about engraving inside rings is that it's a cast iron b***h, no matter what metal/karat the ring is made of. Sam makes an excellent point about downgrading your expectations.

other things to consider are using a style of script that has virtually NO lines running parallel to the lettering. in other words, it's pretty easy to cut across the width, or perpendicular to, the ring itself, but next to impossible to cut along the 'length'. curved ring gravers help, but definitely have their limits.

speaking of ring gravers (or ANY type graver used for this), grind/round off & polish all edges that could come into contact with the ring. the cross-section should be pretty round and shiny anywhere away from the point. this will save you from having to polish out a bunch of dings and scratches around the rim when you're finished. don't just wrap them with tape- that makes them fatter and further limits your already limited working arc. not to mention, the sharp corner on a square graver will cut right thru all but a thick layer of tape. maybe even starting with round graver stock would help, if you're careful about grinding & sharpening the point.

i'm not familiar with the GRS fixture. years ago i made a little wooden 'saddle' that cradles the ring at an angle in my engraving vise. the ring isn't glued in or otherwise clamped in any way- you just hold it with your fingertips and the fixture provides a little shelf to brace the ring against as you cut. it's a little difficult to describe in words what it looks like & how it works. i haven't used it in years (see above comment about how much i LOVE engraving inside rings) but i'll try to find it and post a photo.

one thing i do remember is that it allowed me to engrave from one side while looking thru the opposite side (which may be standard operating procedure- nobody ever taught me how), and it does work pretty well under a microscope- which is always helpful with any lettering anywhere.

mitch · Jun 21, 2010

here's the first 2 pics* of my crude, but fairly effective, little fixture block. note the notches that allow some clearance for settings. (for some reason, couldn't get the next 2 to upload in this post)

mitch · Jun 21, 2010

and the next one...

mitch · Jun 21, 2010

and the last one. (man, that was painful. multiple attempts to upload pics even with splitting them up amongst 4 posts...)

jasincarlin112 · Jun 21, 2010

Thanks Mitch.. I apprieciate the effort you put towards my question.. If you have any photos of some inside engraving that you've done that would be awesome. Been practicing, but it just seems like a severe pain in the butt to get right. Not really worth charging $6-$7 dollars a letter.

mdengraver · Jun 21, 2010

Mitch are you using....

Mitch are you using injection mold rubber as your holding fixture with your vise with the shelf built into it?

mitch · Jun 21, 2010

injection mold rubber? not sure what you mean, but the block itself is just wood. maybe smearing a thin coat of clear silicone adhesive/caulk on the ring contact surfaces for a little extra traction might not be a bad idea, tho...

mdengraver · Jun 21, 2010

The reason I asked......

It looks yellow the color of some types injection molding for making wax injections. By the way, nice idea!

BES · Jun 21, 2010

Hi All!

I accidentally found this piece!

This chuck, which is used inside the laser printer!
If carved this piece the size you want and combine it with
the tool from the company GRS
It will clamp rings with which to engrave inside the ring

Eric S. Brezhitsky

mbroder · Jun 21, 2010

I use either a 90 or 105 degree and touch up with a small flat graver. I only use a bent graver when absolutely neccesary. I do everything on a slant (italic) to avoid horizontal lines whenever possible.

I find setting the ring up in shellac or setters cement works best, but you have to heat it up and move it every 3 letters or so.

Karl Stubenvoll · Jun 21, 2010

Mark---That is some very nice looking inside work. My hat is off to you!

monk · Jun 22, 2010

try some thermoloc. this is some great stuff. as for technique, some of the "older" jewelry engraving books delve into these techniques, and are quite helpful. i gave this a try years ago on some appropriately sized brass tubing. thank god i had sense enough to never work on a real ring !!!! but really it's like any technique, the proper tools, and the right attitude, and practice will get you there.

James Roettger · Jun 22, 2010

I like to hold the ring on a rubber pad with my fingers. My favorite pad is actually a 2" diameter rubber stopper. With all the rotation required to engrave inside a ring affixing in a hot medium is too much hassle. I use a 100 degree "V" angle and a 20 degree heal angle ( I prefer shape mine to the Lindsay patented relieving facets and parallel heal facets for clean curve lines). Use a very long narrow graver square graver, preferably under a scope.

jasincarlin112 · Jun 23, 2010

Great ideas guys..And the pictures are beautiful..Great work.

Eddi · Jun 23, 2010

Thanks alot for starting this thread. I have started practising inside ring engraving now. Just using my regular graver and some thermoloc. I dont fasten the ring in it, just make a seat for it so I can move it around. This is very difficult work!

Eddi

mitch · Jun 24, 2010

i've noticed several people have mentioned using thermo-loc or other more form-fitting fixturing media and here's my thought on that- unless you're working on a cylindrical band (like the one in my pics), rings tend to change width, contour, etc., as you rotate them. this makes for a situation where it fits perfectly at one point and not worth a darn anywhere else, that's why i just use a block of wood for my little fixture.

trust me, i'm the fixture king- you should see my box of pitch blocks!- but this is one instance where i think looser is better.

Marcus Hunt · Jun 24, 2010

Bes, the setup you've found holds the ring from the inside so you can engrave/work on the outside. This is the inside ring engraving holder they sell: http://www.grstools.com/for-jewelry-work/ring-holders/004-697.html

Help, please: Can someone please help me understand inside ring engraving???

Member

Chief Administrator & Benevolent Dictator

Member

~ Elite 1000 Member ~

~ Elite 1000 Member ~

Attachments

~ Elite 1000 Member ~

Attachments

~ Elite 1000 Member ~

Attachments

Member

~ Elite 1000 Member ~

~ Elite 1000 Member ~

~ Elite 1000 Member ~

Elite Cafe Member

Elite Cafe Member

Attachments

Elite Cafe Member

Moderator

Elite Cafe Member

Member

Elite Cafe Member

~ Elite 1000 Member ~

~ Elite 1000 Member ~

Sponsors