Help, please: G'day from Australia but help needed

[Krash_titles]

Hi all !!

My name is Jayson ,

I found this forum through google searches to be honest and it seems like there are some very nice and knowledgable people on here

Like everyone I come to you with a newly found hobby and project .

I am hoping to acid etch or engrave a wrestling belt .

I have asked a few people and they have said engraving or etching

Not to sure if this is the best idea or not but any help would be great

The ideally needs to be 4 mm think and I need a nice deep engrave

I've attached a picture of what I'm trying to achieve any help would be awesome !!!

 

[Roger B]

Hi Jayson,

I didn't see the picture you supplied but I have an idea of what you are talking about. Not saying it can't be
done but you are going to have your work cut out for you. Have you experience in engraving?

What metal are you planning to use? I ask this because of the waste factor - I am assuming brass to be plated later
especially at 4mm thick.

My thoughts would lean toward making the plate in wax for a start and casting if the design had deep relief - finishing off with
engraving etc. If not, then engraving will work for you.


Roger

BTW - Where are you based - there could be someone close to you to talk things over with.

 

[Krash_titles]

Thanks for your reply roger ,

I have no engraving experience sadly but would love to learn . I have made and designed the leather strap from scratch and that was my first try so hopefully this works .

I am based in Melbourne Australia .

I'm hoping to use stainless or aluminum steel depending what's better . Then I will gold plate it . Or gold leaf it .

I've never casted anything before so I have no idea where to even start with that .

Thanks again

 

[scott99]

Hi, welcome to the Forum. Thats quite a lot of work to just jump into, what you are suggesting requires a lot of practice in a few different professions. But then one has to start with something. I think you need to provide a bit more information to get real help. Do you want to engrave the whole thing or cast it? Do you want hand push, use a hammer and chisel, or are you going to get into a pneumatic system? Here is the big question, are you totally new to all this or do you have experience in a related field?

scott99

 

[Marrinan]

Your best bet is going to find a silversmith and have the design cut from plate and overlayed onto a base. Without a picture it is hard to determine the best method but my guess would be to approach the project like any western style buckle. We have a member who made one the size of a dinner plate. Fred

 

[silverchip]

Well this might be my lucky day, I think I might be able to help. Actually I have been over twice to teach up in Qland. 2 of the guys were from your area. If you want I can pm you with a couple names or you could get me to make what you want.

 

[Krash_titles]

Thank you to everyone that replied .
I sadly have no experience in any field . I was just going to buy a cordless engraver and go for it.

I was thinking acid etching it as we'll but we will see

I seem to be struggling adding a pic I will try again

 

[Krash_titles]

Thank you for all your replies what equipment do I need and would engraving be the way to go ? What style should I research ? http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh221/united_keeper/imagejpg1-3.jpg

 

[RDP]

Hi and welcome to the forum Jayson, there are a lot of You tube videos about etching, and the actual etching is very easy to achieve, the design and the application of the resist however for such a complex design is what is going to take time to make it look professionally done, if you want to engrave it, that's a different ball game altogether, as Scott99 said, first you will have to research what the basic but proper tools you will need, you will have to learn to transfer or draw the design, then you will need to practice cutting for a while, also learn stone setting by the look of it, and after a couple of years you should have a similar looking buckle, I am not trying to be a smart @#$s or discourage you and I hope you follow this wonderful art, but is going to take a bit more experience and tools to achieve this than a cordless engraver, there is a lot of information on this forum make good use of it, it will help you get started, and if you believe you can accomplish this with the cordless engraver go for it, who am I to tell you other wise, good luck mate,

cheers,

Richard.

 

[Krash_titles]

Thanks all means a lot :$

 

[monk]

if you're thinking of doing a full size buckle that covers a guys' abdominal region- that's one monster task. in the first place, the amount of work involved is probably far more than you realize. i'd feel remiss to advise any newbie to hold off awhile-- but that's exactly what i'm doing here. i feel confident in your stated lack of skills. without a hell of a lot of practice in the variety of disciplines needed, i'd say that you have possibly failed before you got out of the gate. be good to yourself, learn to crawl before you try running a marathon. if you avail yourself of the information available here, in time you could develop enough skill(s) to do such a project. there will always be work available for engravers. spend some time here and become one of us !! please do, "become one of us".

 

[Krash_titles]

Thanks heaps guy ok what skills and areas should I look into

 

[monk]

tool sharpening, layout, perhaps heat treating. pattern transfer ( perhaps the easiest to master), learning to draw well ( the most difficult for many),use of optical aid, h&c techniques, stippling, saw cutting metals, polishing techniques, material preparation, oxidizing or coloring metals, etching by chemical or electrical means, stone setting, removing burrs, and anything else i forgot to mention-- is what you should be "looking into". take your time learn to engrave, you'll find very few if any shortcuts to achieve success in this art, only dedication will get you there. nobody, no forum, no pile of tools will give this to you.

 

[Andrew Biggs]

I am hoping to acid etch or engrave a wrestling belt .

Don't even go there. You are just going to end up with a butchers mess. After months/years of full on practice and money spent, you may, just may, be able to make a semi decent job of it. Even acid etching requires knowledge and skill which take time and effort (and money) to acquire.

Pay someone to do it for you and save yourself the grief.

Unless of course you intend to actually take the art of engraving up as a serious hobby. If you are then you will have to start at the beginning with a few basic tools, some metal practice plates, pencil and paper and a bucket load of time

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Krash_titles]

Thank you all very much