As I mentioned in a previous reply, I was at the doctor today for a surgery follow up. So drove 1.5 hours, waited 10 minutes, saw the doctor. He asked if it hurt, looked at it, then said you free to go! 5 minutes! So we visited my parents, and had a good supper. Arrived home 20 minutes ago. Thought I would post a little before I get busy again.

After a few very busy evenings and parts of days cleaning up the yard, I was able to work further with my engraving. Made a new piston, 2 actually, one heavy, one light. I also got some used punches from my old work, 1/8" diam. high speed steel (HSS) to use for the engraving tip. I fumbled through the correct grinding of the engraver. Final reaching a point where I could get the nice flow of metal and the bright shine associated with it.



Back when I was working at my previous job, I had long thought about what I could use 2" long, 1/8 Diam. HSS shanks for. They throw them away by the thousands per year. Well perhaps now I have found a use. I realize most engravers are square, but that can be ground.

Now starts the practice. Practice, practice, practice. "Practice only makes improvement", " You can always better your best" are words I have heard from motivational speakers. So now starts the task of learning to engrave. I have tried steel and aluminum. Getting a feel for both, and now enjoying aluminum as I have discovered the proper working angles and not gouging the part as often.

Here are some snap shots of practice. Top is steel, bottom aluminum. Aluminum 1" X 1.25".



I like the acorn and leafage. I will try again later this week to try more detail. I bought a cheap 2.2 X magnify glass and it really helps to see the curl start when engraving. Keeps from gouging so deep.

Thanks for reading.

Pedro

Nice posting, thanks for sharing it. I'm glad that you've discovered a way to recycle those old drillbits, I always feel guilty about throwing them away when they can't be sharpened.

Very nice Pedro.

I'm intrigued by your graver. Interesting. I haven't spent any time studying those - so I don't have a image of how that's working. You clearly have control of it. Good job.

Gary

Wow that's some kinda talent there ! You either got it or you don't ( artistic flair) plus you made your own tools . That's a great job Pedro ! I carved my name in a picnic table once. Haha so do you sketch it out first free hand or trace or .... Just wing it ? Also your engraver doesn't spin it just reciprocates? I always thought they spun . Thanks for sharing and keep up the good work . Glad your mending up well from your surgery .

Thanks Gents!

I did a little more Wednesday night but it didn't turn out nicely. My mind wasn't on it and I was rushing. Made a few mistakes but it was practice none the less.

The engraver is very simple in operation, only the barrel and piston, no other parts. The piston has a hole on the end and the side, and the barrel has a boss on the inside. Once the piston enters the boss the small hole bleeds air, but the boss seals the piston causing it to shoot back up. So the cycle continues.

Right now everything is just freehand. Next step will be to draw and engrave scrolls and see how it turns out.

Engravers typically refer to the scraping type tools (I believe). perhaps called gravers. Rotart engravers exist and some use those for the relief type work we often see. But the scroll work is generally with a graver. There are a lot of vidoes on youtube and Steve Lindsays website. He is a master engraver.

Thanks for reading.

Pedro

Thanks for posting your progress, it's very interesting!