Search results

  1. billyProps

    Engraving brass after practicing on steel

    Hello, I’ve been practicing and engraving on steel for a year or so now and have gotten pretty comfortable (unless there’s text lol). I just had to engrave on a brass sheet, and it did not go well. The brass sheet was good quality .125” rolled stock (not sure of the grade. it was left over...
  2. billyProps

    First Henry Rifle project

    Hello, I’m starting my first Henry Rifle project and I’m wondering what the best ways to finish whatever metal this is. I would just call it pot metal but I’m sure it’s not technically…it’s white and non ferrous and customer service couldn’t tell me either. It has black enamel which I probably...
  3. billyProps

    Dumb question: backhand vs forehand

    Watching Sam’s flare cut videos and I don’t understand what distinguishes forehand and backhand cuts. At first I thought it was based on which side of your hand would be exposed when you roll the graver, but he labels the inside turn of the cuts forehand for both left and right curves. Is the...
  4. billyProps

    Work Station Organization

    I decided to model my workstation in CAD to make a tool holder for 3D printing. It holds two hand pieces and 9 QC holders. There‘s also space underneath to glue in two magnets, but it clips in securely without them. I’ll Upload an STL to Thingiverse if anyone‘s interested, but it’s pretty...
  5. billyProps

    901 and Graversmith question

    Hi, I’m using a 901 handpiece with a Graversmith and it seems like I might need to adjust something. Doing fairly consistent lines (for me) and then I go deep and power through it. After that, on the next line, the handpiece will be very slow to start and then “pop the clutch” and take off with...
  6. billyProps

    First scroll design

    Here’s my first attempt at drawing scrolls more seriously than a doodle. I used Sam’s German example as a reference. Feel free to point out problems. One I see is that the vines don’t taper the way I’d like them to. Next, tracing it in Illustrator.
  7. billyProps

    Magnum vs 901 hand piece face off

    The lady at GRS had a handy metric for comparing the two hand pieces: the Magnum would be in a range of 15-7 or so, and the 901 would cover 10-5ish. The Monarch would cover below that. She Suggested I go with the 901. When I ordered the Graversmith, the 901s were on back order so I got the...
  8. billyProps

    Graver sharpening question

    If my index finger that wraps around the underside of the graver is getting jammed up when making shallow cuts, that means I need to change the angle of the heel so the handle is higher, right? Right now I’m using a 120° bevel and sharpening the heel at 22.5° with the Apex 120 disk set to the...
  9. billyProps

    Dealing with wrist pain

    Due to dumb decisions made when I was young, my wrists are rekt. I can’t make the movement used to rev a motorcycle throttle without occasional searing pain. I’m really new to hand engraving and am trying to find ways to work around it. I hold the graver left handed and turn the vise with my...
  10. billyProps

    Question: How to center work under the microscope

    Hello, I‘m kind of new to hand engraving. I worked next to a hand engraver (all pushing) when I was a bench jeweler and have always had an appreciation for it, but never had the patience to do it. Long story short, just had an excuse to buy every engraving tool I ever wanted and now I have a...

Latest posts

Sponsors

Top