Learning the hard way--part 2

[M. J. Atkinson]

I've been playing around all this time on top of a bench that's 37" tall. My ball bearing mounted turntable is
2" above that and my home-made ball vise is a good 6 or 7" above the bench. Had to sit on a bar stool type chair and could barely reach the throttle pedal. Just not comfortable at all, couldn't keep the kinks out of scrolls, couldn't maintain an even bevel around a curve, you name it. I kept thinking about one of those drill press based work tables and finally sacrificed a cheap bench type that I had in the shop that I never use. It doesn't have the crank adjustment but no matter. Just by setting the vise at arm level sitting in an office chair that I picked up, the difference is amazing--smooth curves, pretty darn even bevels. Makes me feel like I've made a quantum leap and motivates me to practice more.

 

[AllanFink1960]

Wow. Quite the study in fundamental ergonomics. Your description sounds like you were working way up in the air, and quite off balance. You might have had better luck standing up, which some engravers do prefer.

A workbench setup for engraving is generally different than a bench for most jewelry work. A jewelry bench is overly tall compared to an office desk so that you can get the bench pin up under your eyes where you can see it and do your work without slumping over. If you have an engraving ball, you want to mount it much lower to get the work surface about where the bench pin would be. Much higher or lower would put you off blance in one direction or the other.

GRS makes an engraving ball shelf that puts the engraving ball low enough that the work is about bench pin level.

I had to rethink all this when I got a microscope because that adds another constraint in the mix.

Also check out Roy Cover's website and have a look at how he set up his engraving work benches for his shop and school. They are lower than a jewelry bench, and very tidy and efficient.

Precision demands stability. Most things that take physical skill in a repeatable way have to be done with your body in balance. If you are ever off balance, stop and reposition yourself. That goes for shooting pool, thowing a basketball, swinging a baseball bat, drawing a picture with a pencil, and steering a graver. A lot can be "wrong" with your bench or work environement and you can still do good work if you are balanced. But you arent going to get far if you are off balance. Your body creates a lot of involuntary movements to keep you IN balance that you wont even be aware of. Trying to engrave with that going on is difficult to overcome.

 

[monk]

the finkster knows his biz. absolutely. it's plane old physiology. when your body spends more energy correcting and compensating for lousy posture, out of balance, and such, this creates an even worse situation, tension. tension and fatigue will set in, muscles get all tensed- it becomes impossible to do enjoyable work. if you aint enjoying your work, i'm thinkin your customer probably wont either. it's very important to work relaxed, and as tension free as possible. this is as important as sharp tools, good drawing, and all the other crap engravers gotta learn to do.

 

[Marcus Hunt]

When you sit your knee should be flexed at 90 degrees and, if possible, your pelvis tilted slightly forward. You should also have some way of supporting your lower back. In other words get comfortable and get stable like Allan says. This then leaves you with a bit of a dilema as to how to handle your work and what to place the vise on. So far I have found the drill-press route the best way by far; it enables you to sit comfortably and either raise or lower it depending on requirements. If you go the route of using a scope it's invaluable in keeping it in focus i.e. you can lower or raise the press as oposed to adjusting the focus on the scope.

Believe me I've done everything wrong in the past and now I'm paying the price. Whilst demonstrating at a show a couple of years back, I had to use a bar type stool and ended up just leaning my backside against it as there was no way I could sit on it and engrave at the same time.

If you must use a bar stool and have a high bench perhaps you should consider a hand controlled unit (either Palm Control or Air Tact) as you don't have to have your foot on a pedal.

 

[Peter E]

The drill press table is a great solution which I didn't consider when I set my bench up. Another idea I used was a Grinder pedestal stand. I picked it up for about $30.00 and cut the support tube to suit the range of adjustment I needed. It is not as easily adjustable as a drill press table with a crank, but I like it as it is not connected to my bench, and it can be moved easily to accomodate long or odd shaped items.

I also took some advice and purchased a "task" chair. Prior to that I was using a stool. BIG improvement!

Good Luck,
Peter

 

[Bill Tokyo]

Engraving height

I'm in Japanese engraving school in tokyo, which is a lot of fun, but the height of the engraving ball drives me nuts. In Japan the use a pitch bowl like repousse workers use for students. Pros use engraving balls, mostly
American.

They rest it on a table , so that it is chest height, and it is just too high for me. As it is all done with the hammer, I have to raise my elbows up to shoulder height. Maybe I'll try standing and see if it is any better that way.

Bill

 

[John B.]

To Bill Tokyo and other new H&C engravers.

I'm in Japanese engraving school in tokyo, which is a lot of fun, but the height of the engraving ball drives me nuts. In Japan, Pros use engraving balls, mostly American.
They rest it on a table , so that it is chest height, and it is just too high for me. As it is all done with the hammer, I have to raise my elbows up to shoulder height. Maybe I'll try standing and see if it is any better that way.

Bill

Hi Bill and other H&C engravers.
As an old H&C engraver I have a comment that you might consider.
When using the H&C, standing or seated it is actually better to raise your elbows to shoulder height to make the main cuts.
This may seem a little unnatural at first, but try it.
With the elbows raised the upper torso is free to swing in an arc, making it easier to cut smooth curves.
With the elbows low the torso does not swing as freely and is more "locked up."
Just try it to see what I mean. You don't need to be engraving, just swing your upper body with your arms in both raised and lowered.
For small detail cuts it does not matter as much.
Most of the great H&C EU engravers that I know cut their main scroll backbone and leaves with their elbows raised.
Just some food for thought. Hope you enjoy your engraving classes in Japan.
Best wishes, John B.