Help, please: GRS Graversmith Adjusting...

[vondershred]

Hey friends,

Hello again! Second post here on this forum. As explained in my first post, I'm new to engraving and and I bought my Graversmith and 901 handpiece last week.

I have been fiddling around with it and I like it so far! I managed to engrave some straight lines and curves in some aluminum testplates. However, after many times watching the Youtube tutorial of GRS, I think something's wrong or off...

This has been the reference I've been using to finetune my Graversmith. I also thoroughly read the instruction manual provided on the USB stick that came with the machine. But again, I think something's off because the equipment I bought doesn't behave this way.

- My handpiece doesn't "knock" when ramping up the pressure. It just buzzes a little and immediately stops. No constant knocking (like heard in the Youtube video) whatsoever.

- Only when the arm in the pressure gauge is past twelve o'clock I feel like the handpiece is ready for engraving. Anything below that is really weak and doesn't do anything, really. When I put my ear to the handpiece in this setting (pressure past twelve o'clock) I hear a constant loud hiss, as if air gets fed to the handpiece to a damaging degree. This worries me because I don't wanna break my equipment and void my warranty. Also, as demonstrated in the Youtube video, the pressure gauge doesn't go past ten o'clock... I know it's a different handpiece but still. I’ve seen many users on this forum using the 901 and everytime their pressure is at 10 o’clock-ish.

- Upon closer inspection of the equipment I bought I can confidently say it's not brand new, although I paid for new. When I picked it up last week it was displayed in the jewellers store, ready for demonstration powered up and hooked to a compressor. Both Graversmith and handpiece. At first I thought "well, I'd rather have fresh boxed" but I was so happy at the time I finally found the stuff I needed. I thought when I said “I’m taking it” the salesman would get the fresh boxed items out of the store stock, but instead he tore down the stuff that was in the showroom and put it all in a box. Too shy to object, I guess. The handpiece shows obvious signs of use (see pic below). A lot of surface scratches and pitting. I wish I saw this at the store. The first thing I had to do when installed at home was cut the hose just a lil' between the handpiece and the Graversmith, and re-attach to the brass thingy inside the handpiece because it wasn't airtight and air was escaping. I thought that was very strange for a "brand new" tool. Secondly, the face of the pressure gauge of the Graversmith moves along with the direction I turn the knob to, for a couple of milimeters then stops, until I start to turn again. I don't know if this is normal, but it also raises a lot of questions... The gauge feels of inferior quality, or damaged.

I apologize for the lenghty post (again), and I’m sure there must be stuff on here you'd rather read/answer... but I'm in Belgium and this forum is the only place I can ask for help for now. Should I return the Graversmith and handpiece and demand they provide me with fresh boxed items? Am I whining over something futile? I paid €2300 for this professional equipment without any prior experience in engraving because I’m really motivated, but I'm very handy and I feel like if the machine can't be tuned as demonstrated in a rather fool-proof video there must be something wrong. Nevermind the obvious signs of usage on these “brand new” items. I kinda feel cheated for buying used and potentially broken at the new retail price. Your thoughts?

Thanks you guys,

Tristan.

 

[jessberry]

Hi Tristan,

Sorry to hear about your issues. Certainly in the UK you would expect to receive a substantial discount for "ex-display" equipment as it is bound to show some wear and tear and is not classed as "new" any more. For that reason alone I think you're well within your rights to complain to the shop and ask for a replacement.

Added to that, the issues you're having sound genuine to me. I am new to this (as you know from my other thread!) but I have done a course on engraving using GraverMax and 901 handpiece. On the course, all eight of us newbs set up our machines and handpieces with no trouble and the pressure was at the 10 'o clock point as you said.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Jess

 

[vondershred]

So, an update…

I called the store yesterday and they were very friendly and understanding. I could pick up a fresh boxed Graversmith and 901 handpiece today, which I did. I came home, installed everything,… same problems.

I mailed GRS with this, hoping this gets resolved soon. I can’t see any issues on my end really, read the manual multiple times, same for the instructional videos.

Everything is installed and connected as it should, 50 psi coming in from my compressor,… Still these issues occur:

- Handpiece only works when the Graversmith gauge is at twelve o’ clock (20 psi), whereas in the Youtube video it’s at around ten o’ clock (10 psi).

- No uninterupted knocking from the handpiece right before the ideal pressure tuning point. Sometimes a sporadic hiss or buzz.

- Hissing from within the handpiece (no leak in hose) when the Graversmith is at 20 psi.

Sigh… I really hope to solve this. After all I paid a hefty amount and this is the second unit that doesn’t work as described.

Tristan.

 

[Sam]

When tuning, if the handpiece doesn't tap or "knock" as they say, give it a tiny bit of foot pedal. Once it starts tapping continue advancing the regulator knob until it stops. That puts the foot pedal right on the threshold so the handpiece starts to operate as soon as your foot depresses the pedal.

If the handpiece flutters when you depress the pedal, your air pressure is too low.

If the foot pedal requires you to depress it half way before the handpiece runs, your pressure is too high.

This tuning adjustment sounds very complicated when you type instructions, but in reality it take 1/2 second to do.

I pay no attention to what the gauge says. It's all done by feel, not by numbers.

 

[vondershred]

When tuning, if the handpiece doesn't tap or "knock" as they say, give it a tiny bit of foot pedal. Once it starts tapping continue advancing the regulator knob until it stops. That puts the foot pedal right on the threshold so the handpiece starts to operate as soon as your foot depresses the pedal.

If the handpiece flutters when you depress the pedal, your air pressure is too low.

If the foot pedal requires you to depress it half way before the handpiece runs, your pressure is too high.

This tuning adjustment sounds very complicated when you type instructions, but in reality it take 1/2 second to do.

I pay no attention to what the gauge says. It's all done by feel, not by numbers.

Thank you Sam!

I also received an email from Greg Gentry at GRS after my last post in this thread. Your feedback together with his reassured me.

It’s not like it never worked: I managed to engrave my first lines and curves. I was just too worried I was using it wrong and might break it.

Am I also right to assume you can “play” a little with the footpedal? Usually when starting a line I slowly put my foot down, and slowly lift it up again when I’m going out of a line. Sometimes I even depress it just a lil’ so I can work slower and not engrave as deep. Or is that a technique I should unlearn?

Thanks again, Sam!

Tristan.