ball vice
- Thread starter RustyD
- Start date
i suppose 25 to 30 pounds would be a good start for most work. for guns and such, i'd opt for the 30 or better.
Rusty,
If you put your general location in your Cafe bio there might be an engraver in your area that would invite you to try out their engraving vise for size.
If you put your general location in your Cafe bio there might be an engraver in your area that would invite you to try out their engraving vise for size.
tortlieb@verizon.net
Member
I have been thinking about this post for entirely too long and there lies my problem. I think too much and engrave to little lol but I am working on that finally. could you please elaborate a little more on this subject please? would this rule out the GRS standard vise/ positioning vise and some of the older vises namely the victor or echarco? what problems will I run into working with a 20–25-pound vise? thank you in advance of any insight you can provide
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I don't know what kind of problems you are going to make for yourself.
Or what type of items you intend to engrave.
But hundreds of engravers have used the GRS standard and positioning vises to successfully engrave thousands of firearms, jewelry and other items.
If you buy one of these vises and don't like it you can get most of your money returned on the used market.
tortlieb@verizon.net
Member
as always john b thanks for the reply. I hope to eventually be able to engrave firearms. the problems I will make for myself only God knows at this point lol. it was just a worry of mine because I have 2 of these and hoped I didn't make a bad choice in getting them. again, thank you
Best of luck with them and your engraving.
Hope you have time to post some results on the Cafe.
tortlieb@verizon.net
Member
thank you again john!!! my engraving lol??? I don't know if I would go as far as calling what I do as engraving. scratching metal might be a better way to describe what I do. Yeah, I have been a member for a lil while now, but I have been a fan for longer than a trying to get better member. when I first joined, I was helping my aging blind and bed ridden father. I was afraid to sit next to a compressor and not be able to here that he had needs that I wasn't attending to because I wanted to become an engraver. plus, the fact that this is an incredibly expensive and looong journey. it took me forever to be able to get some of these tools. usually on the used market and some of those purchases were not very smart. I'm not a rich man at all. that's why I was so concerned when I read this post the first thing that went thru my mind was omg, I have to get a different vise??? as I am saying this, I am banging my head off the wall. then I started looking at the bigger vises and the only thing out there that I know of is that monster at Steves place or the grs magna and I just don't have the funds to do that. then I slowed down and figured I would ask. and who knows maybe I'm not alone in this fear. it is due to the kindness of you and all the other truly kind members in here that ese someone like me that makes me a fan and a follower of your work and knowledge. that you share just for the asking. I am not just a fan of the people in here works. I am also equally a fan of the way you all conduct yourselves. heck I wish I lived near you!!! the number of times I have seen you say "if you just post your location on your bio maybe someone in here would let you try their equipment and learn. there are people in here I am sure that would love that option. you ask and I will show my embarrassing scratching. the first lol or second one isn't really mine. I started it at school and finished it at home, but it isn't like its mine??? it's a practice plate someone else drew. the second is something I am working on now. I cut a practice plate into the shape of a Glenfield model 60 receiver I someday hope to scratch on. I hope to put some German scroll in the middle of the boarder work. nice work lol no it's not that john, but I'm trying. I started in September and yes,
I am trying to spend more time practicing. there is always the thought that I just talk too much lol.tortlieb@verizon.net
Member
I am embarrassed that I just posted that, here, in God territory!!! please accept my apologies
Thank you for posting some pictures of your engraving work on the Cafe.
Looks like you are making some good progress.
Some very detailed and thoughtful borders and with nice cutting.
And a skillfully cut out and engraved floorplate.
Now, please take some time to study the details of scrollwork a little more.
You can improve yours by studying the work of Sam Alfano, Sam Welch, Marty Rabino, Lee Griffiths and others that are shown on the Cafe.
Study their backbones, spacing, leaves and shading. And the balance between background and foreground.
Like many things, the magic is in the details. Draw your own interpretation of these things.
With the responsibility of looking after your father, you may find it easier to practice drawing designs and scroll.
Post some pictures of your drawings on the Cafe.
Ask for critique, and maybe the great engravers mentioned above will offer their expert advise.
You are well on your way into your exciting engraving journey. Best of luck.
Looks like you are making some good progress.
Some very detailed and thoughtful borders and with nice cutting.
And a skillfully cut out and engraved floorplate.
Now, please take some time to study the details of scrollwork a little more.
You can improve yours by studying the work of Sam Alfano, Sam Welch, Marty Rabino, Lee Griffiths and others that are shown on the Cafe.
Study their backbones, spacing, leaves and shading. And the balance between background and foreground.
Like many things, the magic is in the details. Draw your own interpretation of these things.
With the responsibility of looking after your father, you may find it easier to practice drawing designs and scroll.
Post some pictures of your drawings on the Cafe.
Ask for critique, and maybe the great engravers mentioned above will offer their expert advise.
You are well on your way into your exciting engraving journey. Best of luck.
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tortlieb@verizon.net
Member
omg john you are waaaay to kind. I am working on scrolls also but those are even scarier than my cutting. I have been thinking about that procreate thingy out there. it just seems to be so much quicker and easier than my pencil erasing's lol. I call them erasing's because I spend more time erasing than drawing lol. thank you for your to kind words and I think I have said this in the past. I expected nothing less from you guys and all the others listed and more. now you understand why I don't post pics of my scratching's lol. I would rather suffer in silence lol. I don't know if the smile on my face comes thru on the few messages I wright but just because you can't feel or see them, don't mean they are not there. thank you. I find immense satisfaction in cutting, now drawing eeeeee lol. I'm trying? I think I once read??? in here as a matter of fact. it is better to have tried and failed than to never try at all. oh, and those boarders that isn't me. Sam made the bottom part years ago and all these years later I still can't remove them from my memory the flowers are his also
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Thank you tortlieb.
Keep your pencil and gravers sharp, and the chips flying.
Keep your pencil and gravers sharp, and the chips flying.
On your floorplate design...while you are learning layout...that is fine for a left handed bolt gun as the owner would be holding the grip in the left hand and the forearm in the right. For a right handed rifle, the eagle design would be flipped 180 degrees so that it looks right holding the grip in the right hand and the forearm in the left. And preferably the eagle facing towards the muzzle.
See tortlieb, you are already getting feedback and advice from one of America's prime engravers.
Keep drawing. designing and posting on the Cafe and you will get the encouragement and help you need.
A big Thank you to T.O. Sam !
aka The Other Sam.
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tortlieb@verizon.net
Member
yikes I just noticed that my first recent inquiry on this vise subject that went in another pleasant direction totally lol. I noted that I asked about a vigor vise??? I don't know a thing about those at all or much of anything else just to be honest here. it was supposed to say victor and I have made the correction for that mistake. my apologies for anyone that is considering anything vigor.
tortlieb@verizon.net
Member
thank you soooo very much Sam and John. that never even crossed my mind and just for the record that long mistake looking piece of #$%& isn't even close to done. it's a work in progress. john just ask me to post a pic and I felt like it was time to show something that said I am trying. I intend to put some English not German scroll in the middle of that piece today or tomorrow but maybe the next lol. I am disabled and have to pick my battle days wisely. the best part of that practice plate is there is another side and another plate. if needed I will make another. I eventually want to put something remotely like that on this. I have spent a lot if my life fixing old broken, scratched, or abused old firearms. one day I thought maybe I can make them look better than they were originally designed to look and here I am enjoying the heck out of doing just that. the biggest problem I am having right now is coming up with a design for something so long and thin other than some long repetitive scroll running the length of it. I understand that this is my problem alone, but if you guys have some suggestions? lol I am sure I probably can't do it anyway, but I will have fun trying. I can't thank you guys/gales enough. lol that and I talk too much lol. oh, and by the way guys and this is waaay off the vise subject lol but why stop now lol. I found an old cheap hand piece for that old gravermeister I found in my basement, and I think it arrives today but that is another story for another day. maybe it will live again and help someone. who knows what the future holds for it or us? hope you have a great day and every day ahead. again, from the bottom of my heart
thank you all so very muchI see some very nice metal work in your latest post.
And pleased to see that. And the pencil, ruler, dividers and paper.
Most of the tools you need to develop your engraving skill.
But sharpen that pencil point so that you can draw very light lines.
Hint! Lightly drawn lines are much easier to erase 'till you get the image you want.
And pleased to see that. And the pencil, ruler, dividers and paper.
Most of the tools you need to develop your engraving skill.
But sharpen that pencil point so that you can draw very light lines.
Hint! Lightly drawn lines are much easier to erase 'till you get the image you want.
tortlieb@verizon.net
Member
omg john I didn't even know that was part of the pic lol, but excellent points. as always thank your kind and helpful thoughts
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