[attachment 10902 C519C38B-3DCB

When striking relief images into materials, the Dies and the method of driving those dies; must be matched to the base material. You must decide many factors. Take a “Leaf” image. You can produce a Steel Die in the shape of a leaf - and the die will press down all of the material under the die “Face”. The result will be a depression in the base material, in the shape of a leaf. You can make the same “Die in the shape of a Leaf”, AND remove all of the area inside the “Face” of the die - right up to a narrow band of steel that you leave behind. Now a strike of the Die, will produce an incised leaf shape. The leaf will appear to “stand proud” of the base material. The leaf will be solid.

Now, to add dimension to the leaf, you need interior detail. You do this by “leaving behind”, certain sections of steel. You can’t “Clear” the whole interior and then put in detail. You need some of that steel to produce the detail. Here’s where it starts playing with your head. If you’d want a leaf with a simple vein down the center ... you’d have to remove everything inside the leaf area EXCEPT for that Vein. The steel in the shape of the thin vein, must remain behind. Now Strike the image and the outline band of steel you left behind, produces a leaf shape ... AND the interior Vein of steel; produces a line/vein through the center of the length of the leaf.

More detail? Sure. Just remember what to leave behind and what to remove. It gets busy in there. Want the leaf curled? Ok, when you remove the interior metal within the leaf outline, alter the depth of the steel removed from shallow to deep. It will press backwards. The deep cut “depth areas” will produce the “top of the curl” and the shallow cut areas will produce the depth areas.

Now start really carving. Make a whole image of curled and detailed steel. Make it all work together so that when Struck; you get the entire image in relief detail. That would be Dies like these ....

Gary
Those are amazing you forget to mention that all has to be created in .001-?? Of an inch too right ? Those images look a mile deep that your showing or a mile high !
You can see the acorn pops up and the inside of the leaves curl down . I can’t even wrap my brain around it . I read your words 3 times too !
Thanks
I’m excited like a

Thanks
Kurt

Saw your comment on the other thread. I’ll finish the First Oak Case for you.

You are correct Kurt. The Engraver has to know how to create the illusion of greater Animation then can really be taking place. The base material is about 30 thousandth of an inch thick. Nickel Silver is hard and Tough. You really have to learn how to work with it. It “work hardens” quickly, so it requires frequent annealing or you will shatter your work with the monster pressure being used.
When you get done ... everything must look and feel both “relaxed, and flowing”. It must be smooth and polished. Appealing to the touch. Until then, it’s fire and red heat. It’s Hammers, Punches, Heavy Hydraulic Presses and Tool Steel Dies. It’s like producing a Silk Gown with a Wood Chipper!

Gary