just commited to my venture into hand engraving and need your help

[KCSteve]

Tira

Thanks for the mini-review of the En-Set!

I had noticed with my GraverMach that the slower stroke speed was surprisingly useful. I've found that it not only lets you move more metal more deliberately, it also works better (for me) in softer things where I had control problems at higher stroke speeds. I'm betting the En-Set will do the same - when you get yours try slow strokes on something like soft brass and see if it gives you better control.

 

[RoycroftRon]

I'll be taking the Blaine Lewis class in July at GRS. Class looks full, are you in that one? if so GRS gives you a discount on tools bought during the course.

Thanks for everyones input! I have decided on the gravermach AT. I will probably take a course with GRS in the fall. I wish I could take one earlier but I will be taking Blaine Lewis 1 week course in June or August for advance stone setting.

 

[medicbeedge]

I use the lindsay sharpening system and think it works great. I have yet to have a problem with it. The only thing that threw me off in the beginning was lining up the graver in the jig when resharpening. It was confusing to try to figure out how to get it back in the same way. I just made sure to marked the graver with a sharpie and lined it up with the open side and used the length guide to realign it. The system is a good fool proof way to get correct geometry on the graver. The only downside is that you have to buy new templates for each different pattern, but they are only about $32 each which I think is worth the price. If you do decide to go with this, I would recommend getting one of the presharpened graver they sell so you have something to compare yours to when you are doing your initial sharpening (mine was way off!)
~Brian

 

[mrthe]

use the lindsay sharpening system is easy fast and very cheap if you buy the complete set 4 stones with 4 templates you will male all the points that you can need to engrave and compared with other systems is very very cheap a power hone help you bit you can use the two things at the same time

 

[laserboy]

thanks everybody for your inputs. Mrthe, thanks I thought maybe a power hone could be used with templates. I wiill order templates and pre-sharpened gravers. I was going to try to get to Blaine's class in his school in TN which being from Ohio I could drive.I would like to get in his June one if any openings if not he has one in Aug. I plan on taking a beginners course for engraving in the fall with GRS. I would have liked to have Sam as teacher but his is in April and way to soon for me. I want to get my equipment set up and play a little bit before taking a course. Again everybody I can't thank you enough for your inputs! Maybe once I am set up I can show pictures of my progress. Might be amusing for those of you whom are already skilled and have mastered the art of hand engraving. Many thanks, Larry

 

[Marcus Hunt]

I use the GRS system and have done for the last 12 years or so. I was taught with a push graver so a foot pedal was never natural to me. In fact, it used to give me a bad back. Airtact was brilliant because it allowed the graver to be hand controlled and it was retro fittible. But I do use a foot pod for stippling as pedals are a definite advantage for this. I've always used GRS equipment and have been extremely happy with it. But recently the hoses have been driving me mad; they tangle, pinch and the airtact hose drops off the hand piece. This doesn't just happen occasionally either; it's gotten to the point where it's happening 6 -7 times a day and often right in the middle of a delicate stroke.

So as I haven't retooled for years and both the tools and interest on the loan are tax deductible, I've bitten the bullet and got a business loan and today ordered a Lindsay Palm Control. I've always said that ideally you'd have both systems in a workshop as each has advantages over the other. The reason I never got one before was because when I tried the Lindsay I didn't find it so easy as the GRS for English style scroll which was 95% of my work but recently I've had a lot of call for large foliate and ribbon styles of scroll for which I think the Lindsay would be ideal.. The other thing I was never keen on was the piston idling in the palm of the hand when at rest but when I tried Simon Lyton's Palm Control a little while ago it was nowhere near as noticeable as the earlier versions I tried so I can live with it. So now, hopefully, I'll now have the best of both worlds with both systems in the workshop like Tira has. Can't wait for it to arrive!

And now there's a new kid on the block En-Set. I'm really interested in the capabilities of this machine and if there was a hand controlled version I'd buy one at the drop of a hat. But because of the pedal control I don't think my back would put up with it all day. So for me, at this moment, En-Set is not a priority as I would only be using it for certain parts of a job instead of all day use so I can't justify the extra outlay right now. But at sometime in the near future I'll definitely get one because that ultra low speed is fantastic.

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Hi Marcus

All hoses on any equipment that is handled a lot will eventually fall off or crack/break around the fitting. Just cut off a few millimeters and stick it back on and you will be good to go. By the sounds of it you also need to coax the kinks out by gently stroking down the length of the tubing...........like getting the kinks out of a rope or fly line. It only takes a couple of minutes and needs doing about once a year or less.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Marcus Hunt]

Believe me Andrew, I've tried it all. I think it's a case of a whole new set of hoses. Even chopping off the Airtact hose didn't work for long. A few days later it started dropping off again. The hoses seem to toughen up after a few years and this toughness seems to equal less grip. What I can't understand is how draping the hoses over the wrist causes them to twist. When I was at GRS a couple of years ago I explained this phenomenon and they didn't believe me and thought I must be putting the graver down and then picking it up with a twist. But in front of JB's eyes it twisted whilst around my wrist and that seems to be the crux of the problem. If you just let them dangle it's fine but I find them heavy and uncomfortable so I prefer them to come up and over the wrist to relieve the weight. Personally I think they should've bitten the bullet and got a twin extruded hose rather than messing about with sleeving. When I was in hospital I had a two different diameter hose attached to me so I know it can be done.

 

[Sam]

I don't blame you, Marcus. My truck kept getting flat tires so I bought a new one!

Just kidding...good luck with your new handpiece.

 

[Roger Bleile]

As far as cutting the hoses shorter, I was under the (possibly wrong) impression that with GRS equipment the hose had to be exactly a certain length for the tool to work correctly. Perhaps it is just the GraverMeister that works that way. With Lindsay Airgravers the length of the hose is irrelevant.

Roger

 

[Sam]

That's my understanding too Roger, although I've never used anything other than standard length hoses. I think you'd notice a difference if you added or removed a significant amount of hose, but snipping off worn ends has no effect.

 

[Gemsetterchris]

Well done Marcus :clapping: , i`m sure you`ll be happy with the palmcontrol.
Takes a while to figure out how much psi & what collar stroke to use & when but you soon get the hang of it.
Also you can easily adjust the idle so it`s not like a hornets nest.

The Enset looks great, not sure about having microchips in things though :thinking: , least with well engineered tools you can just dismantle & clean.. what happens when electronics get funny??

I also hang the excess tubing over the regulator rather than around my wrist, works fine for me.

 

[Marcus Hunt]

No Sam, I didn't just get a new tool because of the hoses, lol, but rather to use both systems in tandem which is something I've wanted to be able to do for ages. Seriously though, it's very annoying to suddenly find the graver stops mid stroke because of a kink in the air hose. I love my GRS equipment and wouldn't want to be without it, but I'll need to do some overhauling in the near future.

 

[laserboy]

Hi everyone, Just got my new gravermach a/t and everything else but the kitchen sink. wow, this new venture was not cheap! But I am ready to go and learn! on the Lindsay graver templates are these capable of positioning for the heel angles? I am also going to review Sam's video on shaping and sharpening graver's as well as GRS's. I understand sharpening is one if not the most important things. Thanks for everyone's help! I'm excited!Larry

 

[FANCYGUN]

JB at GRS tells me that the hoses indeed have to be at a certain length which is the size the machine comes with.
I have been using 6 foot hoses on my equipment for years due to the fact i have two engraving stations and need the length. To be frank, it works just fine for me and if there is any slight amount of loss of performance, I have not noticed it at all and I do not think my work is suffereng for this abnormally long hose set up.
Hoses do crack and get hard over time so I just replace them as needed which is not often at all.

 

[Sam]

Congrats on your Gravermach AT, laserboy. GREAT machine with the best of both worlds of palm and foot.

 

[Christopher Malouf]

The standard hose length is about 3'. A little longer for the Magnum.

Yeah it ain't no big deal .... unless you're trying to engrave a 5 foot long custom exhaust .... otherwise, the Magnum performed very well.

 

[Sam]

Chris, you are one fearless dude!

 

[Roger Bleile]

Chris,

Is that for your bike?

Roger

 

[fegarex]

Man Chris.... Talk about noise in the studio!! I bet some serious hearing protection was needed to do those.
Awsome!
Rex