Question: Will be out of town and want to practice hand push

[tkelch]

I will be out of town doing some training with the army and want to put together a base bones set up to try to learn hand push engraving while in the barracks I us air assisted at home and bring that with me is out of the question so what are the best metals to learn this with and what tools should I bring that are going to be easily pack able and do i need my vice. Thanks for any help


Tom Kelch

 

[Beathard]

You can use normal practice plates. Use a small 1x4 board and hot glue to hold the piece. Use a c clamp to connect the board to the desk. Then all you need is a graver, handle and a whetstone (or something to sharpen).

 

[Marrinan]

KCSTEVE, you better chime in here. Steve set up a small tool box and used his Palm Control on CO2 on his lunch hour in the park. Pretty dedicated. Fred

 

[Donny]

When I travel for business I practice Bulino...All needed items fit in a shaving kit bag..

Donny

 

[tkelch]

That would be cool t have not tried bolino yet and would like to what gravers do you use


Tom Kelch

 

[mtgraver]

A 6" leather sand bag, a block of wood say 1 1/2" square with the corners knocked off on the side that you determine to be the bottom, pitch or hot glue to adhere your work piece. Now you can practice with a burin and be able to turn the work piece, just be sure to keep the turning hand below the surface you are cutting, I started with a 90 degree and a small flat. I started out with hammer/chisel so a push graver was a bit foreign but a good intro to air assist. Look at a painting of Paul Revere as a young man, burin in one hand and a canne or tankard, I believe, in the other on a sandbag. Can't get much simpler than that.
Best wishes in your endeavor,
Mark

 

[Donny]

I use a template that creates the same geometry as Phil Coggan uses...its around a 70-80 degree V. My handle is a custom made one by Ray Letourneau...the vise was made by him as well..There is a cool fixture you can buy called a Brady Block i think that would be great to hold Bulino pieces on the road...

Donny

 

[tkelch]

Thanks for the advice I started making the leather sand bag tonight out of scrap tooling leather and I saw in a old post that I can fill it with lead shot that I have. Now I just need to figure out the graver handle I saw some on Grs and airgraver.com for around 40 bucks are they worth it or would I be better making them.


Tom Kelch

 

[monk]

i'd say a "v" shaped graver of your choice, maybe different geometries. if your gravers have been rough ground & then final finished on some sort of sharpening system, you can get rather small, graded, bonded diamond pocket sharpeners at any of the larger sporting goods stores.they last a long time and are not expensive. if you want to get a real good polish, get some fine red rouge paper & cut it into a few small strips. i'd suggest 2 or 3 flats- starting with a # 36. also for practice metals- nothing beats copper, brass and steel. cold rolled steel is better, as it has a more uniform grain structure than hot rolled. an easy way for the steel-- large, thin fender washers are usually fair to use without a lot of surface prep-- rather low priced as well. this entire batch of goodies can easily fit in a small pouch. get some poly tubing to slip over the front of your gravers. this keeps the points from getting abused whilst being moved about.

 

[Marcus Hunt]

What are you intending to engrave? If you are even contemplating steel I'd forget the sand bag and take a small vice. If you've not really hand pushed before you've got to build up a whole new set of muscles; one that not only turns your work but keeps the graver moving and resists the graver slipping and stabbing you. It's an oxymoron for the body! If your concentrating on trying to keep your work piece still you'll find it difficult to concentrate on graver control. You might just get away with a sandbag for soft metals like gold, sliver and copper but steel is a very different beast. Get a small vice if you can (not a micro block) and it will pay dividends.

 

[KCSteve]

As mentioned, The Box O' Happiness
Right now I'm having an SQL server error so all of my galleries are down - looking into what's going on and getting it back up.
Basically it's a Lindsay system set to run off of 20oz CO2 cylinders with everything needed to do basic engraving that fits into a modestly sized toolbox.

 

[tkelch]

Thank you everyone this Good info. Marcus I have some mild steel and some copper at the moment I was thinking of taking some 2"x2" plates of each and I do have a vice that I could take if that would be better i was wanting to try bulino out while there and some scroll.
Steve that is a cool setup I have looked at the co2 conversion for my classic but it is a little more than I can swing at the moment but really appreciate you showing me.
Monk the flat sizes that you said what would that be in millimeters or in inches
Thanks again everyone.


Tom Kelch

 

[KCSteve]

One thing that's perfect for on the road work - hobo nickels. Get the micro-block vise if you can (and one of the various nickel holders makes it even better). Modern nickels are ok for carving but some old buffalo nickels are ideal - nice soft metal and lots of relief to work with.

I hate to suggest spending too much money, but the Lindsay template based sharpening system, a GRS micro-block, a nickel holder, and a few gravers would be a pretty small setup. Magnification is always good if you can swing it. Add in some gravers and a handle or two and you're all set.

 

[leo]

ok I am a newby but the handle you saw in airgraver is steve Lindsay and I don't know how it works but he got a pakage that come with everything the handle a pre sharpen carbaltxd42 and you can buy two graver blanks you get to shoes between the sharpening template also bring the sharpening stone you get to shoes your grit when you are ready to check out good luck in your trip

 

[tkelch]

Steve I don't mind spending the money for tools. I know that I will use them I think I should have maybe asked this a little sooner though I am not sure they would be here in time.
thanks Leo for info but I have everything that comes with that except the handle.