For the common good of the engraving arts

[jimzim75]

What the forum has put together is a large body of knowledge that people would like to
know. This is worth something. The computer puts this out for all to share.
Yet there is still a vast untapped source of talent people that don't have computers
or simple don't know that resource exist.

I am for the expansion of the art and the raising of the arts profile in the Art World.
I want to be better paid for what I do because there is greater demand generally.

The public has be made more aware of what the engrave has to offer.
I think we could raise funds to do advertising program that would elevate the art form.
If we take the contents of the forum and put it into a book. The proceeds could be put
towards the goal of elevating the art. Add in Jeweler Circular Keystone, Canadian Jeweller,
or the other trades would improve our profile. Adds in the art magazine or Architecture Today.
Will make our art competitive with other art forms.Think the group should aggressively promote
the art as a whole. No one of us can do it on their own. The Cafe has as group has an opportunity to do something
dynamic.

What do you think?

Jim

 

[monk]

if yer lookin fer money, i aint rich. but i'd send a few bucks. i think this a quite noble idea.

 

[jlseymour]

Jim,
I think it's a great idea...
I would think some of the jewelry, sporting, art and Architecture Digest, Architecture today, would love to do a human interest story on engraving and its evolved from push, hammer and now air assist...
It's a matter of who has or would devote the time to drive this home...
A few Bucks pitched in to hire a professional that's into this type of pursuit would be one Idea...
Scott Pilkington or his family, I think has experence in promoting products or Ideas from his airsoft guns and his Olymplic involvement...
You may have started something...
Jerry

 

[Sam]

Interesting idea, Jim. It would be a big job, but certainly a possibility.

 

[webad2006]

We think this would be a great idea, as long as we as a group don't loose sight of what our goals are. Keep this as a non-profit group, with the proceeds going back into advertisement and education.

Would like to hear what others think?

 

[jimzim75]

Hi All,
Sorry for the delay, but it was Thanks Giving in Canada.

I personally would like to hear what other think. The success of the Cafe has be remarkable.
The efforts of engravers at the peak, to try an help the whole art is what has made the Cafe such a
success. Engravers from the different disciplines have pulled together to learn form each other.
This has made a healthier engraving body as a whole. All who are in the art may speak.
All have something to offer whether the know they do or not. I personally like that there are
a lot of people learning that have not said anything yet. They will eventually.

So, I'm open for anyone's input on this proposal. Such a venture is going to take co-operation
because we're all busy. One good thing is that it doesn't have to be done for Friday afternoon
before 5:00pm.

Jim

 

[Dave London]

Jim
Happy Thanksgiving I learn something new every day here I did not know our friends up north celebrated Thanksgiving.

 

[jimzim75]

Happy Thanks Giving form Canada

Hi Dave,

It's sort of a Canadian thing. Seems as though Martin Frobisher (like in Frobisher Bay) was trying
to become a fast track exporter from China, by discovering the Northwest Passage back in 1578.
He barely made it out alive. He was saying something about it being cold and there were a lot of big white
bears or something to that effect. Everyone thought he was a little tetched in the head.

So he had a big party and start to open a few kegs and the story became more believable all the time.
So after about the fifth year the government decided to make a legal holiday. Mostly so the MP's (Member of Parliament) could go back to there farms and supervise the harvest. Telling a good story like Frobisher folly, opening a keg and having a nice turkey dinner seemed like a real good Idea.
It's the second Monday of October because the Canadian growing season is shorter.

So Happy Thanks Giving from Canada.

Jim

ps, this isn't exactly how it happened but it sounding better all the time. "A"
Here's lookin at ya.

 

[Dave London]

Thanks Jim
"A" what a hoot I like the story any excuse for a good meal and drink is OK with me. Funny white Bears. I was stationed in Plattsburg NY 67-70 Meet a lot of your county men on lake champlain. Great people stay warm. Dave

 

[monk]

for the common good

i don't think the forum is a year old yet. and this great creation has already seen its' thousandth member. if all donated a dollar. what if we each donated 5 bucks. crap, i could sneak at least 20 or 30 bucks on grocery day! the point, collectively, painlessly, a venture like this could fly with the power of a thousand people !

 

[jimzim75]

Hi Monk,
I agree, it may just be the most direct solution. Get the adds in the works now. There are quite a few
of us with good photos of our work and the wording isn't going to be that hard. Getting a some
quotes on add space is easy enough. It might just generate an article or also which free advertising.

The group could do the book as a long term effort. With out the deadline and pressure that it
could entail. Making the whole process as stress free as possible is what I would suggest.

Jim

 

[pilkguns]

Pertinent to this discussion, GRS has been doing exactly the kindof promotion of engraving that you are talking about. Sourcing writers for articles in non-gun publications, creating awareness among museum curators and educators, helping create the Engraving Arts Degree at the local university*, and coincidentally enough, going on right now, the Grand Masters programs. My hat is truly off to Kim Pember, the General Manager for GRS, for all that she has done to promote our art.

* not only were they instrumental in helping to create the program, but a significant portion of the Don Glaser estate went to help fund the chairmanship. It should be noted also, that Don Glaser perhaps by some folks standard a wealthy man, got those funds when he sold his share of his printing machine manufacturing business, which he held numerous patents in, in the early 70s. It was those funds which were used to create Glendo as we know it today. Without an “angel investorâ€￾ of himself, its doubtful the business would have survived. The production of engraving supplies alone, then and now, is not enough to justify the machinery required to do it economically . It is for this reason that Glendo does a lot of outside custom machining work to keep those big machines running.

 

[jlseymour]

Here, Here, Scott, Thanks to Glendo we have the things for the engraving arts we do...
Think about it, All the companys we buy from has (GRS) their equiptment for sale, and I think all of us have some GRS equiptment...
It's made life so much easier for everyone that just started engraving without shaving our head or getting the new "Andrew Cream" for hair restoration or removal in one application...
Jerry
Everyone count their money you maybe called upon...

 

[Steve223]

It could work....Those beef adds you see on tv are done by the beef council and they take a buck from every head cattle sold by its members... this deal could work the same way. I think its a great idea!!

 

[leschowe]

Jim,
I think that this is a great idea.
I am new to engraving and, admittedly, have a lot more questions than answers but I am retired and have plenty of time, and would be willing to help with writing or compiling of information for a porject like this.
For what it is worth, I think that there is a great untapped group of people out there who are going to
retire in the very near future and who will be looking for new challages in their lives. I speak from my own experience. I don't think that the bulk of these people even know that the world of power assisted engraving exists.

Les Schowe

 

[jimzim75]

Hi Les,
Thank you!!!!!! I'm up to my eyeballs in jobs at the moment. Thanks Giving is over and the jewellers have
gone into overdrive with setting and engraving jobs. Any help that you or anyone on the forum can give
would be extremely appreciated. What you contribute will help all of us and engraving.

What I'm looking for in this is the same type of success that the Platinum guild had fifteen year ago.
When platinum was under $600.00/oz. Today quote for Platinum is $1415.00. This is not totally due to
the efforts for the guild, but it wouldn't have been possible without them.

Even with the new engravers coming on line there will still be a shortage of talent.
That makes us a Limited Quantity.

Jim