Advice regarding air power gravers

[Edward Soye]

I am about to purchase the GRS system and have not used air power tools yet I was thinking about buying the graver Mach, the airtact 901, the airtact monarch and the airtact magnum.

Who has used these and what are they like? Is is worth the money?
Is it easy to figure out?

I plan to figure things out this year and then as needed next year go to GRS for classes to improve technique.

 

[mrthe]

What are you going to engrave? depending what type of work will be better one or other, i have the 901 SS and is a very complete handpiece fron fine to heav works, considere this handpiece too to start maybe is better than the Magnum if you don't need super power

 

[sam]

I agree, the Magnum probably isn't necessary unless you plan on doing really heavy work. The 901 does 99% of everything I need to do.

 

[Haraga.com]

Edward, where are you from? I think I know you.

 

[Haraga.com]

If this is the Edward that I know then this guy has produced some beautiful high end jewelry. He is very talented.

 

[Edward Soye]

Thanks Haraga I truly appreciate that.
I am buying these for all purposes so I am not familiar enough with the limits and I work in a higher nickel white gold so I figured the magnum might be needed to move some thicker parts in settings. I have only been using push gravers and foredom hammers and the claw hammer when those don't work. I want to take my setting and finishing to the next level. Refine it and improve speed etc.

 

[Riflesmith]

I have all three hand pieces and agree with Sam as I use my 901 most of the time. I use my Monarch on delicate pieces and extremely hard pieces and I use my Magnum for heavy cutting and also to hammer inlays. My Monarch and 901 are hooked up to my Graver Mach AT and my Magnum is hooked up to my GraverSmith with an attached AirTach and a manual valve to switch between AT and the foot pedal. I really enjoy working with my setup as it's very flexible as I engrave many different metals.

 

[Haraga.com]

Ok Edward. Since I know the work that you have done for me and since I know your shop, the Enset tool is made for you. Guaranteed.

 

[Edward Soye]

I had a brief look at the enset but without someone to refer it I was not going to entertain it

 

[KCSteve]

I have the Monarch and the Magnum and have used the 901. The best I can describe it, the Monarch is the low end, the Magnum is the high end, and the 901 is the middle with a lot of overlap between the 901 and the other two. If you're going to have one handpiece (and aren't a ham handed gorilla like me) get the 901. I started with the Magnum at GRS's recommendation. Lynda looked at my hands and figured I'd have better luck holding on to the bigger lump. Later I added the Monarch for shading.

If I had to give them numerical ranges I'd say the Monarch is 0 - 60, the Magnum is 30 - 100, and the 901 is about 20 - 80.

You can actually get by with any one of the three. Takes a little practice to do fine shading with the Magnum, and you'll have to do heavy work in multiple passes with the Monarch.

I also have the Lindsay Classic and by swapping in the Tungsten piston I can do some pretty heavy hitting with it. If you get a chance to handle both systems give them both a try. There's really no difference in what you can do with them (in terms of the engraving itself air assist doesn't make any difference). The difference is in how they feel in your hand. I love having both.

If I had the money I'd have an Enset to play with too. Not having had a chance to handle one I just have to go with my impression and that is that the Enset is actually significantly better if you do a lot of stone setting. Chris did a lot of things in the Enset to make stone setting easier.

 

[Brian Marshall]

I've got all 3 brands here... and each has it's own merits.

Not many (any) other places I know of where you can go - to try all 3 in various permutations - side by side?


Brian

 

[Haraga.com]

Edward, every day that you don't own the Enset is a day that you are behind and you will never catch up.

 

[Brian Marshall]

Hey Leonard,


It might be more useful to spend some time helpin' him figure out where he can go try them all out (even separately) - up in your part of the world...

I can't think of anybody at the moment.

Hands on is ALWAYS best.


Brian

 

[K Frei]

En set!!! I've used all three and love them all for various reasons. The En Set is the most versatile... Without investing a ton more money into different hand pieces and things

 

[Gemsetterchris]

Any system will be an improvement over handpushing for any cutting work.
I can`t see why you`ll need more than one handpiece for any reason.

Personally I have a lyndsay palm control, I`ve not tried anything else but no doubt they do the same job & maybe more.

As for hammering, you already use a foredom hammer (as I use also), I don`t think you`ll find a handpiece any better than that & you should not need to set with metal requiring more power.

I only use air power for cutting, aside from occasional hammering everything else I find it`s still easier to do by hand.

 

[BrianPowley]

I have just the 901 and the Maestro hooked up.
The Magnum is holding down the benchtop at the moment.

 

[Edward Soye]

My main focus for the grs system is stone setting and ring detailing, if I buy the three hand pieces and I am only going to begin training to engrave will I be wasting money? Do I add a removable chamber to the laser welder or buy a magnum hand piece?

Leonard,
I have only been looking at GRS and I am not familiar with the en set system nor the company behind it. I am nervous to buy and the have issues with support and long term supply. GRS is a big company and will still be here in ten years...

In 2008 I bought a ModelMaster mill and a few months later model master disappeared leaving me with a mill which I could not use and not sell. It is a good machine and capable of doing so much more than my Revo but without the support and parts etc it is too much time to bother.

Thank you all for the info and I will hopefully make a decision soon

 

[Haraga.com]

Well you can lead a horse to water but...

I'm sure whatever you buy will work. The big advantage of the Enset for setting is the one hit function. If they go out of business you could sell it to me.

 

[LVVP]

The 901 does for me 95%

 

[LVVP]

I agreed with Brian Marshall - Hands on is ALWAYS best. Thanks