Critique Request Hay buddy you got a dime?

[Jim Sackett]

This is a practice piece for some Christmas work coming my way. Customer wants ten 1850s silver dimes with this inscription engraved on them. This needs to be cleaned up a bit any suggestions are appreciatet.

Jim Sackett

 

[Roger Bleile]

Jim,

Your circular border is not perfectly concentric. In spite of the quality of the inscription, people will tend to focus on the border because everyone knows what a perfect circle looks like. My suggestion is that if your skill level prevents you from making such a small perfect circle and you feel that it is an important part of the design then do the circle with your pantograph.

To do this, make a plastic template of a perfect circle by using a compass with two sharply pointed legs. Spike the one leg in the center of your template plastic then use the other leg to scratch the stylus groove into the plastic. You will have to keep going around several times until you get a good groove. Once you have the largest circle grooved keep the leg in the center in the same place and make several smaller circles inside each other. That way you can use the template for different sized circles without changing the ratios on the arms. You can also make a nice double line circle border this way.

Roger

 

[airamp]

Roger,

That is a great help..

Making a template for getting a perfect circle for a layout and using a pantagraph is just something that I didn't even think of..

I guess it could be done for ovals, and a few other shapes.

Thanks for the great suggestion..

AirAmp

 

[monk]

jim: i cant tell from the foto. maybe you're too heavy handed here. maybe you're trying to go too deep. your graver doesn't appear polished enough, for one thing. another- it looks as though your hand is not maintaing a steady stroke. like maybe your hand is wavering or jerking a bit as you're executing the cut. when pushing thru the metal, your hand must not deviate from the intended path. if it does, and you make the tinest correction during the cut, this will show. it will show as chatter or an uneven width of cut.you may also want to try using a millgrain tool around the edge. it will improve the appearance a bit. roger is right on the $ here. that's very valuable advice. you have a panto, use it to your advantage !

 

[Jim Sackett]

Thanks Monk

 

[Marcus Hunt]

Hi Jim, just to add to the advice given; I think you are using a flat that is much too wide for you broad strokes. This is adding to the cramped look of the lettering.

Also, to add to Roger's advice; sometimes you might work on something that isn't quite the perfect circle or it might have a slight convex/concave radius. In this case you can use your dividers to give yourself an even border by running them around the edge of the piece.

 

[Jim Sackett]

Thanks Marcus

Yes the flat was to wide, I tryed to compensate for it by not laying the graver all the way up. Should have set up another graver or re-shaped the one I was using. But the faster I go the behinder I get.

Am starting over from the beginning as soon as I get my machine set up in my new shop. It just don't pay to skip ahead.

Jim

 

[Jim Sackett]

Thanks Roger

For the good advice. I posted an answer to you yesterday but it didn't get there. Ditto what AirAmp says.

Am setting up machine in my new shop this afternoon, right after my nap.

Jim

 

[monk]

jim: without that nap, you'll find nothing usefull will ever get done. at least that's how it is here.

 

[Jim Sackett]

Ya your absultly right monk, they are sideing my house and it sounds like they are pounding inside. It sure plays hell with my nap schedual which is 1 hour sleep 3 hrs up etc.etc.etc.

On the good side one of the guys lifted my drill press and engraving machine up on the benches where I can use them.

You were right on in your qretique of my latest dime. I learn hard I gotta quit doing that. When a problem comes up instead of fixing it I fight it and get poor results. Example flat is too wide. Salution re-shape graver or set up new one the right size. Naa i'll just not cut with the whole width of the wide graver. Results disaster.

Jim