My new bench

Barry Lee Hands · Jul 6, 2010

I love the simplicity of bulino. This is my new setup, including tools and sharpening equipment.
A Piece of Lindsay HSS mounted in a rosewood dowel, A Lindsay 2000 grit diamond stone, a 10x loupe, a RoseArt #2 pencil and my first block, a Dixon from 1977.

handengraver · Jul 6, 2010

Perfection in simplicity! Congratulations, and good luck to this clear and focused setting. I guess the view is the other great bonus besides the practicality of the setup.

Interestingly, I have decided last week, that my new workbech will be a cast iron grinder stand from Harbour Freight. I plan to have it in the middle of the workshop, so I can easily engrave the larger and irregularly shaped workpieces.

Greetings - Ivan

Marrinan · Jul 6, 2010

Barry Lee, Simple and efficient. Ergonomically though you better add a riser under your block to save on neck and block problems-Very nice view I might add-Fred

FANCYGUN · Jul 6, 2010

It doesn't take much to make it work does it Barry?

Barry Lee Hands · Jul 6, 2010

Thanks Ivan, As Phil Coggan suggested to me in another thread, don't forget to provide for tool storage in your new setup.

Fred, Thank you for the suggestion, in this case the chair is adjustable, and my windows are placed high, so this works pretty good without any riser, but of course that would be a great solution if it was too short.

FANCYGUN said:
It doesn't take much to make it work does it Barry?

Yes, your rhetorical question makes a very good observation Marty. I have always been an admirer of your bulino, which often features a historical them with lots of drama, which combined with your thorough technique makes exciting and captivating work.

I have three work stations now, and compared to my number two station, shown below, this new bulino station is an elegance of simplicity.

GTJC460 · Jul 6, 2010

Are those "painters" floodlights with halogen bulbs? Don't you get hot working under them?

Barry Lee Hands · Jul 6, 2010

GTJ, those are 300 watt bulbs with frosted glass, and I am in Montana, nothing is ever hot, except perhaps the first week of August.

FANCYGUN · Jul 6, 2010

Barry.........Thanks for the kind words about my work. The tools are rather basic as you well know.
Since you are using natural window light for your scource, are you finding a time frame of the day in which you have to work?

Barry Lee Hands · Jul 6, 2010

You are welcome, they are well deserved.
At this time of year we get about 10 hours of good north light, so the schedule is not too important.
The bulino I am doing now is mainly an exercise, the work I have on my regular bench is sculpted stuff, so it takes most of my time.

ED DELORGE · Jul 6, 2010

Hello Barry, I have been wondering. I don't know if you mentioned it in another thread but what are the best or most meaningful training points that you received from your most recent to Italy? Thanks for all of your posts. They are always interesting.

Ed

Barry Lee Hands · Jul 6, 2010

Ed, as far as technique, it mostly confirmed a lot of things I knew already, but perhaps were a bit hazy.
At Giovanelli they do mostly line, or bank note bulino, and I came up with a way of expressing what Dario Cortini kept trying to make me realize.
" Make the line disappear"
Even though banknote is all about lines, you must use them in a way that none of them stand out, this way you don't notice them, and see the figure or scene one is trying to portray.
The other technical thing I learned was proper hammer and chisel framing and position.
Previously I was keeping my hammer tucked into my side, which was incorrect.
Mr Giovanelli taught me to keep the vise level, my left or chisel arm parallel to the top of the vise (level) and my right, or hammer arm at a right angle to the left on the horizontal plane.
The following pic gives you an idea.

I have also adopted their work schedule, 8 am to 10 am, then a 15 min break, then 30 min lunch at noon, another break at three, for 15 min and quit at 4. For the most part anyway.
Before I was working much longer hours, and not getting any more done.

In regards to dot bulino, I picked up a few things from my engraver friends that I am still exploring.

ED DELORGE · Jul 6, 2010

Wow, that is really neat to see and hear. Even though I do very little engraving any more, compared to the old days, I love learning more about it.

Thanks again for sharing.

Ed

monk · Jul 10, 2010

was it not chris decamillis that said, " less can be more" ? for me, however, my peripheral vision must see lots of clutter & junk for my "engraving gears" to turn.

My new bench

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