Jura Artgraver engraving machine?

[mitch]

anybody know anything about these?: http://www.ottofrei.com/Jura-Artgraver

and the companion sharpening system?: http://www.ottofrei.com/New-JURA-EQ-SS-Graver-Sharpening-System

 

[Mike Dubber]

Hi Mitch - the Jura-Artgraver looks interesting. From the description I would assume it has some kind of electro-impact generator in the handpiece - as well as having foot control, and adjustable power and adjustable rate of impact.

All of this sounds great for various applications. For $3,200 I would have to spend some time with it in my hand to be convinced!

 

[monk]

e gads. major bucks there. the bay is loaded with "vibro gravers". none of which are probably adaptable to be used at the bench. but for the price, i'd want to see a few videos of the thing in use. i noticed on the sharpening video, there were sparks created. not sure i'd want that on such a narrow tool

 

[dogcatcher]

The system looks like a commercial version of Shaun Hughes's homemade version. The engraving handpiece looks like the Chinese one that Shaun reworked to work off the 12v compressor. I bet the case has a reworked 12v compressor inside of it. Notice that the handpiece also has a hose connection.

The sharpening system is a another system that I have seen somewhere, but I cannot remember where I saw it at. But if I remember correctly it is a lot more complicated than the Lindsay template system. It is like sharpening by hand with the angle pre set. The sparks, I think the bits were HSS steel, if they were there would not be a problem with getting them too hot. I would like to see an instruction booklet for the sharpening system

 

[Mike Dubber]

The fact is that my cryptic comments about the jura were not serious. Perhaps I should have said what I had to say, huh? OK, hear is what I should have said in the first place.

If, over the past 55 years, I had wasted my valuable bench time on contraptions, chinese knock-offs and other such home-made silliness I would have been better off just staying with my original engraving equipment - the hammer and chisel!

Luckily, I found GRS early on; I've stayed with it, and although my hammer and chisels garner a few good hours of work every week, I don't have to worry about the quality equipment I trust to do my work every day - it's solid, and anything else is a compromise.

 

[WSammut]

I tried it out for a few minutes at the JCK show. Didn’t fully get into it but nothing really stood out to me over the other machines other then the fact that it didn’t need a compressor which wasn’t worth the extra money for me. Didn’t look at all at the sharpening system. One thing I do remember is the ring holding kit looked overly complicated and I was getting the same feeling about the engraving machine

 

[dogcatcher]

If, over the past 55 years, I had wasted my valuable bench time on contraptions, chinese knock-offs and other such home-made silliness I would have been better off just staying with my original engraving equipment - the hammer and chisel!

That is fine for the professional, but for some like myself, the retired hobbyist the cost of the professional systems are mostly out of reach. We also do not need the professional equipment, most of us like to tinker with the equipment, creating in our own mind a better system for ourselves. Like the Shaun Hughes system, his system works, can cost less than $100, and the hobbyist has a pneumatic engraver to play with. The 12V compressor is $30, the multi screwdriver another $10, the misc. parts, $20 and then spend some time tinkering with the parts to get it working.

There are a lot more hobbyists than professionals, some will spend thousands of dollars on top of the line equipment. Some will build their own, some will play with the hammer and chisel. But out of the first group, the road to success is filled with sales of used equipment that was expensive for pennies on the dollar, because their pocketbook overtook their artistic aspirations.

 

[Mike Dubber]

Retired Hobbyist?? - I'm 75 years old and I work every day with this equipment - and I've taught engraving for the past 30 years to over 500 students. Used equipment is great, and as I find good stuff around my shop that I'm not using I do sell it, and for preferred prices at that.

I still stand with my previous/stubborn opinion that knock-off and inferior Chinese engraving equipment will never perform in the long term. It is a compromise, and it will compromise your ability to engrave efficiently and effectively.

 

[Martin Strolz]

Come on, Mike. No need to explain..., dogcatcher referred to himself.

Jura is the founder and owner of an enterprise, based in Utrecht in the Netherlands. He offers this machine. In my eyes he truly is an excellent setter. His vast experience is combined with a very creative mind in developing tools for that trade.
Please look up his website, shop and videos and see for yourself. His work always amazed me, his skills are most incredible!! Maybe you have met the man with the Jimi Hendrix T-shirt already in Emporia...
http://www.juratools.com/

 

[Mike Dubber]

I agree, Jura is a refined Master of the Art of Stone setting - and a gentleman at that. Fortunately for all of us Jura does not produce knockoff Chinese equipment.........

 

[Takoyaki]

Hi there,

I don t know how it is! I never tried it!

My personal feeling is, prices for Jura equipment are VERY steed!
Tools are made for his kind of Diamond setting, a very narrow niche.
He is a very good setter, but his field of working is limited to certain things.
The tools are made to fit that!
Engraving is not the main task of these tools.


I would look for approved equipment, like GRS or Lindsay.
GRS is so long in the market for great tool, so many top engraver as well as hobiist are using it. The tools are running 30yrs or more, if you get a problem with the tools, help and parts are available, almost everywhere.
Lindsays airgravers, are less in the market, but the tools are great and Steve offers service and help/parts, even sometimes on a sunday evening!
GRS as well as Lindsay are producing the tools (in the US) they sell!

I dont know about Jura!
Jura is at Belgium! I don t think he is producing the tools by himself!

I would stick to technique, I can trust on, I can finish my work.
Fancy, blinky tools are nice to play with, but if my Customer is waiting ...

just my thoughts.

Greetings,
Tako

 

[monk]

mikiedu: i do agree with you in one way-- no compromise for the best tools when they earn you bucks ! i have a gravermeister that's still good to this day. and the lindsay. both sharpening systems. but--- there are those, me for ex., tht get their jollies making things.. i now have 2 versions of the homemade air assist tools. they work, i don't use them, i make stuff instead of watching the crt. being a reformed alcoholic, it's more fun, far safer and way cheaper than a night out on the local village.

 

[ClarkAndAddison]

That is fine for the professional, but for some like myself, the retired hobbyist the cost of the professional systems are mostly out of reach. We also do not need the professional equipment, most of us like to tinker with the equipment, creating in our own mind a better system for ourselves. Like the Shaun Hughes system, his system works, can cost less than $100, and the hobbyist has a pneumatic engraver to play with. The 12V compressor is $30, the multi screwdriver another $10, the misc. parts, $20 and then spend some time tinkering with the parts to get it working.

There are a lot more hobbyists than professionals, some will spend thousands of dollars on top of the line equipment. Some will build their own, some will play with the hammer and chisel. But out of the first group, the road to success is filled with sales of used equipment that was expensive for pennies on the dollar, because their pocketbook overtook their artistic aspirations.

That is fine for the professional, but for some like myself, the retired hobbyist the cost of the professional systems are mostly out of reach. We also do not need the professional equipment, most of us like to tinker with the equipment, creating in our own mind a better system for ourselves. Like the Shaun Hughes system, his system works, can cost less than $100, and the hobbyist has a pneumatic engraver to play with. The 12V compressor is $30, the multi screwdriver another $10, the misc. parts, $20 and then spend some time tinkering with the parts to get it working.

There are a lot more hobbyists than professionals, some will spend thousands of dollars on top of the line equipment. Some will build their own, some will play with the hammer and chisel. But out of the first group, the road to success is filled with sales of used equipment that was expensive for pennies on the dollar, because their pocketbook overtook their artistic aspirations.

In my opinion REAL DEAL used engraving equipment holds it value amazingly well! Good luck finding even a used GRS or Lindsay system for maybe a couple hundred less than new and they sell immediately. But there is so much Chinese knock off junk out there which is a huge problem for those who buy it. The best option is building a shaun hughes machine if you just want to get into it. I use a Lindsay Classic but started a few years back with my Shaun Hughes machine and still use it to set all my inlays, for any sculpting work and for heavy cutting. There's nothing I can't do with it and all for about 175 bucks and 2 hours of my time. Hard to beat. I enjoy engraving and won't be giving it up anytime soon, my background is in jewelry but my new found love of engraving led me to invest in a Lindsay handpiece and it purs like it's ultra sonic.

 

[ClarkAndAddison]

In my opinion real used engraving equipment holds it value amazingly well! Good luck finding even a used GRS or Lindsay system for maybe a couple hundred less than new and they sell immediately. But there is so much Chinese knock off junk out there which is a huge problem for those who buy it. The best option is building a shaun hughes machine if you just want to get into it. I use a Lindsay Classic but started a few years back with my Shaun Hughes machine and still use it to set all my inlays, for any sculpting work and for heavy cutting. There's nothing I can't do with it and all for about 175 bucks and 2 hours of my time. Hard to beat. I enjoy engraving and won't be giving it up anytime soon, my background is in jewelry but my new found love of engraving led me to invest in a Lindsay handpiece and it purs like it's ultra sonic.

Another interesting note, a good friend of mine and retired bench jeweler recently dug out his old gravermeister and asked me if I'd look it over and give it a tune up. It gave me the chance to compare the gravermeister to my Shaun Hughes Home Made machine and the results were mind blowing. The power I can produce with the SH machine is equal to the gravermeisters original impact handpiece. But the SH machine has way more range of control over speed and strokes per min. If anyone ever wants me to I'll post a video of the comparison.

 

[ClarkAndAddison]

Another interesting note, a good friend of mine and retired bench jeweler recently dug out his old gravermeister and asked me if I'd look it over and give it a tune up. It gave me the chance to compare the gravermeister to my Shaun Hughes Home Made machine and the results were mind blowing. The power I can produce with the SH machine is equal to the gravermeisters original impact handpiece. But the SH machine has way more range of control over speed and stores per min. If anyone ever wants me to I'll post a video of the comparison.

Another interesting note, a good friend of mine and retired bench jeweler recently dug out his old gravermeister and asked me if I'd look it over and give it a tune up. It gave me the chance to compare the gravermeister to my Shaun Hughes Home Made machine and the results were mind blowing. The power I can produce with the SH machine is equal to the gravermeisters original impact handpiece. But the SH machine has way more range of control over speed and stores per min. If anyone ever wants me to I'll post a video of the comparison.

And last thing to add, I have never used a newer version of the GRS line. This gravermeister is my only experience with GRS equipment with the exception of my apex sharpening fixture I use but I'd still love to have a gravermax down the road. They each seem to have their own pros and cons whether it be price or action of the tool.

 

[Memorymaker]

Seems like the theme is if it ain’t GRS or Lindsay it ain’t no use. Well ..... what about the PULSEGRAVER ....... I have all three and I like it better than the other 2. All 3 are quality. My point is that just because it isn’t GRS or Lindsay doesn’t mean it isn’t quality. It also doesn’t mean it is quality too. I am only an occasional amateur and not a professional So my experience is limited.

 

[papart1]

I still see a hose.................................electricity doesn't flow through it...

 

[papart1]

here....here Monk...........me second.

 

[Christian DeCamillis]

papart1

The hose you see is not a hose it's an electrical cord and yes electricity does flow through it.

 

[ClarkAndAddison]

here....here Monk...........me second.

I still see a hose.................................electricity doesn't flow through it...

It's actually not an air hose but a cord or cable kind of like a micromotor handpiece. The pedal also is very reminiscent of a micro motor pedal.