I have often wondered....

[sam]

...where would hand engraving be today if Don Glaser hadn't invented his pneumatic handpiece in the 1960s? Would we still be using hammer & chisel? Interesting to think about. :thinking:

 

[SamW]

I doubt it but don't leave John Rohner out of the equation.

 

[sam]

I doubt it but don't leave John Rohner out of the equation.

Yes of course, it was John who got the creative juices flowing in Don if I understand it correctly. Wasn't Don the engineering genius behind it?

 

[Brian Marshall]

Based on the thread that has been running on the homemade versions - I am willing to bet that someone would have come up with something similar.

Might have taken longer, but humans seem to be pretty damn creative when it comes to tools - if there is a need, it gets filled eventually...


Brian

 

[jerrywh]

In the age of cell phones it wouldn't have take long for somebody to come up with a system like the Gravermax. Their new machines are smooth as silk.

 

[John B.]

Lets not forget that Ray Phillips came up with the Ngraver also. He did this while employed as an inventor for the US Navy.
In-fact the first patents had to be assigned to the Navy by law as they owned the rights to anything he invented. Later reassigned to Ray.
A practical, low cost engraving machine driven by a flex shaft that was already in most jewelers and craft workshops.
It remains an inexpensive and powerful engraving system.

 

[Christian DeCamillis]

There is nothing new under the sun as they say. The dental Plugger was invented in the 1800's It's the same thing as the home made engraving tools shown on the forum. Only it uses a small air compressor diaphragm pump instead of the foot powered one shown here.

I am sure Don used these patents for ideas and designs .

 

[Chujybear]

There is nothing new under the sun as they say. The dental Plugger was invented in the 1800's It's the same thing as the home made engraving tools shown on the forum. Only it uses a small air compressor diaphragm pump instead of the foot powered one shown here.

I am sure Don used these patents for ideas and designs .

i have one of those.. terrifying to imagine it coming near your mouth

 

[SamW]

Yes, Don was an engineer, hydraulic engineer is what I remember Don telling me. One of his big successes was he designed equipment for printing presses that allowed insertions. I know that is vague but about all I can remember of our conversation of so many years ago. He and John (Don's brother-in-law) collaborated on the gravermeister.

 

[mitch]

I've often wondered if I would have had the 'stick-to-it-iveness' to learn hand pushing and H&C rather than the almost immediate attainment of some minimal success with a Gravermeister. Over time I did learn the purely 'by hand' techniques to a passably competent level, but starting out with a machine (pretty much a given with John Rohner as my initial instructor in 1981) and being able to enjoy making something at least kinda pretty right off the bat was a huge motivator. Not sure I could have endured the learning curve of the traditional ways....

 

[SamW]

I bet you would have Mitch. H & C has a mystique to it that I do not notice with pneumatic. I started with H & C and though it was much fun, the gravermeister sure sped things up as you say.

 

[mvangle]

I personally can say that had I not found my way to the GRS website, I would not have met some of the best people in the world both at GRS and thanks to Rex in FEGA.
I cannot say that I am an Engraver in practice but I will claim to know some of the greatest Engraving Artists in history.
I am so thankful for the opportunity to no each and everyone​ from master to beginner. From author to supplier. From teacher to "litter mate" as my classmates call us.
I missed my first trip to the annual show, I will not go into the reason, but after my second attempt I swore I would never miss another. So far so good.
I look forward to Future classes at GRS and any other way to spend with my friends.
Thanks Don and John! For the opportunity.

 

[AliAtiyabi]

A very challenged question. As a matter of fact regarding the types and styles of engraving in US it goes without saying it had much effects on US engraving but if we look the art of engraving from above and expand our views overseas and outside US you can see there needs much to do for a revolutionary movements through which you can say " a complete package of engraving styles in USA". For example how is it possible to work out styles like the followings with pneumatic headpiece? It is clear that they can just be done by hammer and chisel. To me the instruments are not so much important but the work. On the whole I think there is a long way in US engraving art to be named completed. ( not all the works are mine).

 

[Victorvile]

As your art is not engraving,but repousse and chasing ,is of course done with hammer and punches.However some chasers use pneumatic tools in the first stages of Work.

 

[SamW]

We must be coming up on the 50th anniversary of the Gravermeister. Anyone remember the introduction date?

 

[SamW]

Some of the history is in Bleile's write-up on John Rohner in his second book, 21st Century.

 

[pilkguns]

John Rohner was writing how to engrave articles in 1955 and 56 in major gun magazines. His brother in law, Don Glaser, was in the printing industry with a number of patents related to paper handling using vacuum. Don started tinkering with a vacuum machine to become the hammer and John was the beta tester. John was the famous name that brought it to market in a world of engravers who hated the concept of machine engraving of any sort. John ran the GRS company out of his home in Boulder, Colorado for 12 years, doing virtually all the work.

To mention the invention of the Gravermeister without mentioning both names does a grave misjustice to both parties in my opinion.

 

[sam]

No injustice intended!

 

[monk]

i probably would never have become serious about engraving without getting a gravermeister. which thanks goes to james b. meeks. he was my first intro into the mechanics of the art, as well as showing the gravermeister.

 

[SamW]

Same here Monk. Ordered mine through Brownells December '74 for the princely sum of $470 plus $30 shipping.