Intro and your opinion wanted.

[Jeff2t]

Hi guys, my name is Jeff, thanks for allowing me onto your great forum. On week days I'm a working jeweller here in the UK, but at the weekends I practice the "dark art" of Hobo Nickel carving.

Not being able to afford the relatively high prices of the equipment needed to pursue this engaging hobby I decided, after watching Shaun Hughes Youtube channel, to try to make most of it myself hoping I could use it to get good enough to make and sell enough Hobo Coins to afford the Lyndsey AirGraver and ball vice etc. It's going ok, but I've got a few more coins to sell if I want the Palm Control.

I've posted videos of my equipment builds on Youtube in order that other beginners could try to get into engraving without too much cost. I just wanted your opinion on whether I was stepping on anybody's toes by posting any of these videos. I don't try to sell any of this stuff, it's just there for people to view.
Thanks for any input.

Here's the my Youtube link:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkbnoDuOQym7DCe0T9Dl7TQ/video

 

[monk]

welcome. the hobo market will be a tough nut to crack as far as earning a lot of money. there's surely money there from those collectors seeking to add to their collection. to really earn money, one must become good. very good if you want top dollar. also the ability to be able to work fast would be a plus.
i made an air assist using info by mr. hughes. as long as you have the correct cutting tools, the deice should serve you well. make friends with a dentist. their old drills can be used very effectively doin such work. best of luck.

 

[monk]

after seeing the vid, i'd say you're in a good position to achieve your goal. practice, practice, and some more will get you there.

 

[Jeff2t]

after seeing the vid, i'd say you're in a good position to achieve your goal. practice, practice, and some more will get you there.

Thanks Monk,
I'm only a hobbyist , just carving coins at the weekend and putting them up on Ebay. My free time for practicing is a bit limited at the moment, I was hoping Hobo coin carving would be more forgiving as compared with gun engraving, I think you can get away with a lot more "artistic licence" on a coin compared with a gun. Also I don't think there's a big demand for gun engraving here in the UK.

 

[Daannyycc]

Look into an NgraveR setup.
I have one and it does work really well. You can get down to individual hits.
You have to buy the hand piece and a flex shaft machine to put it on. They Have Foredoms for sale also complete kits.
You also need a holding device.
You can make a device, buy a device (Lindsay has one specific for coins) but you need a ball vise to use it or you can make one.
OR you can use a bowl and pitch to hold it. A pitch pot has been used for hundreds of years so it is a viable option.

 

[Jeff2t]

Look into an NgraveR setup.
I have one and it does work really well. You can get down to individual hits.
You have to buy the hand piece and a flex shaft machine to put it on. They Have Foredoms for sale also complete kits.
You also need a holding device.
You can make a device, buy a device (Lindsay has one specific for coins) but you need a ball vise to use it or you can make one.
OR you can use a bowl and pitch to hold it. A pitch pot has been used for hundreds of years so it is a viable option.

Look into an NgraveR setup.
I have one and it does work really well. You can get down to individual hits.
You have to buy the hand piece and a flex shaft machine to put it on. They Have Foredoms for sale also complete kits.
You also need a holding device.
You can make a device, buy a device (Lindsay has one specific for coins) but you need a ball vise to use it or you can make one.
OR you can use a bowl and pitch to hold it. A pitch pot has been used for hundreds of years so it is a viable option.

I've actually made my own power graver and it works pretty well, also made a turntable from two car brake disks, one mounted on a bearing and the other placed on top with one of those small hand held engravers vices bolted to the top. So I'm good for equipment for now, but dream of owning the Lindsay set-up one day when I get good.

 

[tdelewis]

I have not made a power engraver but have watched many videos of people making them. In one case the rubber seal in the piston broke down after about 50 hours. They need to taken apart and checked and cleaned on a regular basis, from what I understand. I'd keep watching youtube. There are others doing it beside Shawn and you may pick up some other ideas that will be helpful.

 

[Jeff2t]

I have not made a power engraver but have watched many videos of people making them. In one case the rubber seal in the piston broke down after about 50 hours. They need to taken apart and checked and cleaned on a regular basis, from what I understand. I'd keep watching youtube. There are others doing it beside Shawn and you may pick up some other ideas that will be helpful.

The others making them on Youtube include me, I've made a few of them, not the pulsed air version that Shaun Hughes makes, but one that works directly from a compressor so no modified piston is needed and no maintenance is needed, they seem to run forever.
You can check it out on the Youtube link in the original post.