system 3? what exactly does it do

[dlilazteca]

Hello all I am interested in engraving..here is my background...4 young kids (girls expensive) teacher/veteran...i just bought a shofu high speed engraver and im loving it doing some work on a glock tribal like the one seen on youtube...but would like to purchase a graver on a budget...i have read that the system 3 is a good start out assisted graver...i went to the grs website and saw the system 3 delux package for 539.00...what else would i need just the air supply? I already have a compressor...I know i would need a vise and so forth..im just asking if the system 3 would work right out of the box...does it pulsate? I would like it mainly to work on firearms...please help...

 

[Jared Eason]

I also use a shofu . Where did you buy yours ? I cannot speak much for GRS I bought an en-set . Be careful using the shofu on guns , one slip is all it takes. Best of luck to you.

Also. I found profitable hobbies to be the best place to buy your burs for your shofu

 

[dlilazteca]

I bought mine from Carl at graphictransfer great help he has been and no i do not work for them...he just has been helpful...for burs I bought mine at lascodiamond.com they have some specials and are at times cheaper than buying from resellers..just make sure you buy the right size you need...back to the topic if anyone can help or recommend a similar priced product that is assited please help

 

[Jared Eason]

I bought mine from Carl as well great guy I'm on there site as feature artist. Call GRS. They are very helpful and can suggest the right setup for your needs

 

[dlilazteca]

featured! Nice! Its always a pleasure to speak with someone with experiance...im just a rookie,and wet behind the ears...gonna call them its been a pleasure...thanks for taking the time to help

 

[Red Green]

I would wait until I had more knowledge, others have used or tried the unit, let them tell you its value. Salespeople are really good at not telling you what you need to know, good ones know how to tell you only what will part you with your money. There are tools that work well for just a little greater investment, the lowest price is not a good way to buy tools, what use you will make of them should determine what value they are to you.

Bob

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Don't even go near a gun trying to engrave it with a rotary tool. In fact don't even try any kind of engraving with a rotary tool. It is only removing metal and not engraving. All the results I've seen range between hideous and God awful and that is being kind. There is a special place in hell for people that use rotary tools on guns

To answer your question.......Yes, the System 3 needs to be hooked up to an air supply. If you already have a compressor then that will do. Like all these things just make sure you have a decent oil and water trap on it. It has a reciprocating action like all the pneumatic tools. I wouldn't recommend it for what you want to achieve. There is a vast difference between using a rotary and a pneumatic

If your aim is to work on guns or any kind of serious engraving in the future................Then I would suggest that you pay an extra $600 (???) and get a GraverSmith and 901 handpiece. This model works on foot control only and it will last you a lifetime and do everything that you want it to do and then some. You can look at the buy/sell section of the forum and pick up second hand units of the GraverMax/GraverSmith or you can buy new.

I appreciate that you are on a budget but you would be far better off buying something decent from the start and getting a lifetimes use out of it.

Keep in mind that any tools you buy are the cheap end of the deal. Learning how to use them effectively is where the true cost comes in. However there are ways around that and once you have learnt how to cut lines effectively you can always use something like the Dubber/Schowe transfer kit to work on guns.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[dlilazteca]

what exactly does a graversmith do? cant i just buy the 901 and use that with the filter and foot control..why use or not use a graversmith...thanks again

 

[Andrew Biggs]

No, you can't just plug a 901 handpiece into a compressor and start cutting. The GraverSmith/Max/Mach all come with a control box. This regulates the air and speed etc of the handpiece. In other words it gives you far better control over the handpiece.

With all pneumatic tools they work on a reciprocating action (think hammer action). This action cuts through the metal in a forward direction as opposed to a rotary action.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Red Green]

Copper wheels have been used for glass engraving for some time so the idea of using rotary tools for engraving is an old one that works quite well. Converting the idea to a hand held technique has yet to prove itself as effective. I think you would do well to find an instructor and try out some tools and find out what it is all about, cutting metal is only a part of engraving. As Andrew has indicated the tools are just the tip of the iceberg, so don't be in a big hurry to obtain tools you may not want after gaining a little knowledge.


Bob

 

[Sam]

I can't think of a faster way to turn a $1000 gun into a $100 gun than with a rotary tool.

 

[Jared Eason]

I love my shofu for my buckles. But would never use on a gun myself.

 

[monk]

once one becomes used to the cheap tools, they usually junk them and buy the more expensive stuff anyway. the limitations built into "cheap", all too often become quite apparent after a brief use.

 

[Beathard]

I have a rotary tool that I use to remove background on quick and dirty jobs. It's good for polishing small items like screw heads. I use it on glass as well. I would never attempt to engrave with it. That is just asking for mistakes.

 

[Gun Nut]

Just finished with a GRS class in Basic Firearms Engraving, and you will find the tools you choose will be one of the biggest decisions and expenses you will have. My advise is to take a class.

 

[jack]

The GRS system 3 is a great tool for setting stones. Raising beads for bead setting and great for bezel setting. I would never engrave with it. Not enough control. Jack

 

[mrthe]

Or you can save the 600 $ and try to find a better second hand unit type,with luck and patience,searching a little for some weeks,with this money you can buy it.

 

[dlilazteca]

Looking into lindsay artician what do you think

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Dave London]

A great tool, reasonable price MTC. Dont waste your money on a S3 like i did

 

[Southern Custom]

Please only use the rotary for background removal or you'll look back a couple of years from now and say what the heck was I thinking. There is no jumping over the learning curve!