Mike Cirelli
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
I gotta put some of these together. John Refresh my memory was a source found for square tube with 3/32 ID.
John B gravers without solder
- Thread starter Ray Cover
- Start date
Peter E, Sandy, Swede and DEGS
Peter, drill rod will work for cutting the softer metals.
It needs to be in a fairly hard state to make into a graver.
You can buy hardened and ground drill blanks and/or dowel pins.
They will work pretty well to cut even mild steel.
Or you can buy plain oil or water hardening rod and harden it yourself.
I personally don't use the air hardening stuff and much prefer the oil hardening.
Either way you must take care to keep the blade cool when soldering.
See Mike C's great idea above and my reply to it for more information, please.
Enco seems to be only stocking the 6 inch length at the moment.
MSC has both 6 & 12 inch long, but a a little higher price.
Our forum friend Degs sent me a very good source of both sizes. Maybe he might share it here????
They offered them in HS and cobalt. You would have to check the HS for shank hardness.
That's why I prefer the cobalt.
Sandy,
You have a great idea too.
A section of discarded shotgun rib would be another holder to get an indexable little graver.
Mr. L. Bull and the other folks at Trinidad would be proud of you.
Lord knows, there were plenty of discarded ribs laying around the scrap piles at the school.
Thanks for your ideas and support.
Swede,
You bring up a good point.
The shanks on most drills and SOME high speed steel drills are in the soft state.
That's why I use the cobalt aircraft length drills. Most brands are hard from end to end.
Always test the shank end with a file. A file should not cut it if it's hard enough for most graver use.
Hope this clear up some little housekeeping details on the small gravers.
Please be sure to see Mike C's post for a great idea.
John B.
Peter, drill rod will work for cutting the softer metals.
It needs to be in a fairly hard state to make into a graver.
You can buy hardened and ground drill blanks and/or dowel pins.
They will work pretty well to cut even mild steel.
Or you can buy plain oil or water hardening rod and harden it yourself.
I personally don't use the air hardening stuff and much prefer the oil hardening.
Either way you must take care to keep the blade cool when soldering.
See Mike C's great idea above and my reply to it for more information, please.
Enco seems to be only stocking the 6 inch length at the moment.
MSC has both 6 & 12 inch long, but a a little higher price.
Our forum friend Degs sent me a very good source of both sizes. Maybe he might share it here????
They offered them in HS and cobalt. You would have to check the HS for shank hardness.
That's why I prefer the cobalt.
Sandy,
You have a great idea too.
A section of discarded shotgun rib would be another holder to get an indexable little graver.
Mr. L. Bull and the other folks at Trinidad would be proud of you.
Lord knows, there were plenty of discarded ribs laying around the scrap piles at the school.
Thanks for your ideas and support.
Swede,
You bring up a good point.
The shanks on most drills and SOME high speed steel drills are in the soft state.
That's why I use the cobalt aircraft length drills. Most brands are hard from end to end.
Always test the shank end with a file. A file should not cut it if it's hard enough for most graver use.
Hope this clear up some little housekeeping details on the small gravers.
Please be sure to see Mike C's post for a great idea.
John B.
Mike, and thanks. Please see it on the Members Tips section on Sam's tutorial pages.
Tira or Sam have posted it there with links or you can do a search for the old post on the forum.
Sorry folks, I am feeling very guilty about taking all this space on the Cafe about this one subject and I'm sure most people are tired of it too.
John B.
dclevinger
Elite Cafe Member
Not at all John. We are very happy that you are sharing your wealth of knowledge with us. Thank you.
David
David
John B. - Thanks for the posts and soldering technique. I don't have much soldering experience and that cleared up any questions I had.
For the 3/32" square brass tubing, I found some sizes in a local hardware store but not 3/32". They could have ordered it but I then found it at Blicks Art Supply. They used to be Dick Blick's now just Blicks. They sell 12" sections, two in a clear plastic sleeve for $2.59 here in CT.
Peter
For the 3/32" square brass tubing, I found some sizes in a local hardware store but not 3/32". They could have ordered it but I then found it at Blicks Art Supply. They used to be Dick Blick's now just Blicks. They sell 12" sections, two in a clear plastic sleeve for $2.59 here in CT.
Peter
Degs
Elite Cafe Member
It was an excellent tip JohnB.....
Here's the link I found for the Aircraft drills......
http://www.icscuttingtools.com/Aircraft.htm
hope it's of some use.
Cheers
Degs
Tira
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
I copied the additional tips about the gravers into the thread "John Barraclough's Very Clever Gravers" in the member tips section. There were two threads already that each had partial information in them so I merged them all together so it won't be misplaced.
John B. - Please keep posting the information you have gathered over your long career. It is helping many of us.
John B. - Please keep posting the information you have gathered over your long career. It is helping many of us.
Without names.....thanks to all for the kind comments.
To Peter E.
Yes Peter, that's the right stuff. One pack of two pieces usually is good for about 24 gravers.
To Degs.
Thank you my friend. You're a gentleman for sharing your beautiful work and your computer searches.
Tira, thank you for adding Mike C's great idea and putting all the of Tips sections together.
Many thanks for all you do to help make this a wonderful, warm Cafe forum.
John B.
To Peter E.
Yes Peter, that's the right stuff. One pack of two pieces usually is good for about 24 gravers.
To Degs.
Thank you my friend. You're a gentleman for sharing your beautiful work and your computer searches.
Tira, thank you for adding Mike C's great idea and putting all the of Tips sections together.
Many thanks for all you do to help make this a wonderful, warm Cafe forum.
John B.
jlseymour
Elite Cafe Member
JohbB and Everyone
JohnB,
I apologize to you and all the members of Sam's Cafe for things I said.
I'm sorry and I hope to become an engraver who will learn to listen and respect the Masters and the ones that know.
I feel real bad for what I said.
So I say again I'm very sorry.
A little knowledge can be dangerous.
JL Seymour
JohnB,
I apologize to you and all the members of Sam's Cafe for things I said.
I'm sorry and I hope to become an engraver who will learn to listen and respect the Masters and the ones that know.
I feel real bad for what I said.
So I say again I'm very sorry.
A little knowledge can be dangerous.
JL Seymour
Hi JL Seymour.
Thank you very much. You're a big man.
I and others, I'm sure, greatly appreciate your kind thoughts.
More than anyone, I fly off the handle now and again.
Glad to have you as another friend on this wonderful forum.
Let's go forward from there.
I'm sure you will have a lot to contribute from your store of jewelry knowledge.
Glad to see you adding the art of engraving to it.
Best of luck on your engraving adventure,feel sure that Ray C. gave you some great help.
Again, thanks and best wishes. John B.
Thank you very much. You're a big man.
I and others, I'm sure, greatly appreciate your kind thoughts.
More than anyone, I fly off the handle now and again.
Glad to have you as another friend on this wonderful forum.
Let's go forward from there.
I'm sure you will have a lot to contribute from your store of jewelry knowledge.
Glad to see you adding the art of engraving to it.
Best of luck on your engraving adventure,feel sure that Ray C. gave you some great help.
Again, thanks and best wishes. John B.
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