Learning aid for new engravers

Marcus Hunt

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I realize that this must sound like an ad for GRS equipment but it really isn't meant to be. From my contact with the folks at Glendo I have come to realize this, that they not only make fine engraving equipment but they share a vision of promoting engraving as an artform to the world at large.

To this end they not only provide excellent instruction to engravers who want to learn this art form but have also realized that not everyone has the means to do so and have to go the self taught route. One of the biggest obsticles to the new and rookie (and I dare say some more experienced ones) is design. Cutting a poor design poorly can be soul destroying but cutting a good design in a not so good fashion at least gives the novice a better feeling for the art and it gives encouragement. So GRS have got together with Ron Smith and produced a fantastic kit. It not only contains Ron's 2 books on scroll design but practice plates that have been lightly laser etched so that all you have to do is follow the lines. On the early plates even the shading lines are included. As the novice progresses these are removed and they have to fill them in themselves. Its like having training wheels on a bike. Then the scrolls start to get smaller until you finally get to grips with a real project - engraving a pocket knife.

Everything is included in this kit and it really is a great learning aid and from the price I was told I think it represents great value for money. I don't actually know whether it's in full production yet or not but whatever tools you decide to use it should, in my opinion, be in every new and novice engravers armoury.
 

dclevinger

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From my contact with the folks at Glendo I have come to realize this, that they not only make fine engraving equipment but they share a vision of promoting engraving as an artform to the world at large.

Marcus, you just hit the nail right on the head. While it is true that they are in business to make money, as we all are, I have seen the company and individuals within it go out of their way to help budding engravers on numerous occassions. They do much more to promote the engraving arts than many people realize.

And you're right about the kit. Anyone wanting to improve their design skills would be well advised to pick one up. David
 

Glenn

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Perhaps Sam or Chris could elaborate on the Fine Arts Degree that GRS has been instrumental in helping the local college develop which is based around the art of engraving. I think this goes a long way in credit to GRS. I would bet the tuition is not that high. So more people could partake of this curiculum.
 

Sam

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Ron Smith is one of the best designers in the business, and his books on scroll design have become the bible for many engravers learning to draw scrollwork. The last time I saw Ron he was planning to get a new computer and come online with the Cafe (actually this was before the Cafe went online, but I showed him the offline forum and he was very much interested). Maybe could start a petition and nudge him! He's a walking treasure trove of engraving experience and information.

Glenn: Chris is the one who can really explain the degree program, since he's the current professor at the college. He's in Munich right now, so when he gets back maybe we can get him to talk about it for those who are interested.
 

Peter E

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I did purchase the kit and it is everything Marcus said. I was planning on buying Ron Smith's books anyway, so I splurged and bought the kit. I am very satisfied with it, as design and drawing are skills I need a lot of improvement with.

Intersting you endorse it Marcus as I had seem some opinions likening the laser etched plates to "paint by numbers" and discounting them as a waste of time. I realize to be successful as an engraver design and layout skills are a must, but I consider the laser etched practice plates just that...good practice.

Peter
 

FANCYGUN

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When I was growing up and an art student in high school and college....the one thing the teachers always have you do is go down to the museum, usually the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and COPY a work of art. There is a wealth of skills to be learned when you copy a master. In time you can start to deviate from what you are copying as you will have subconciously aquired many of the basic skills you need to advance as a student and an artist. Hell.....we all still copy to some extent.
 

Big-Un

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This is a post I placed on FEGA about the knife in the kit mentioned here. I purchased the kit to practice my engraving technique and it has delivered exactly what I needed....and wanted.

I just finished engraving the Buck knife from GRS with Ron Smith's design on it. It was an interesting exercise, to say the least. While a fairly difficult (busy?) design, it taught me a lot about technique. I spent about twelve hours on it and learned a great deal about tool control and sharpening gravers for the desired effect. Not everyone will be pleased with such a project, but the results from tackling it will tell you a lot about yourself. At first I was intimidated because I had never undertaken anything so intricate before, but was totally relaxed when I attacked the other side. I had two slips per side, and both were caused by the compressor coming on when I didn't expect it to. I have one of the small air compressors for a nail gun, and it rattles the house when it comes on; I MUST get a quieter air supply! Nevertheless, I consider it a good investment to really see what you can do as far as technique goes. I would send a picture for your critique, but it is packaged up and ready for shipment to my brother-in-law, as he will be using it as an incentive for his customers to purchase tools. He is a Matco tool distributor and a ticket will be entered in the kitty to draw for the knife with every $50.00 worth of tools bought. I hope it works for him. All in all, I actually enjoyed the project.
 

Marcus Hunt

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Thanks for that Big Un. I'm glad someone who's actually used the kit has replied to the posting. Some may liken it to 'painting by numbers' and that is exactly what it would be if all you do is cut the plates without a thought as to what you're doing or setting out to achieve. If it teaches the student all the things you say it does then Ron and GRS have done a superb job in bringing out this learning aid. Also, when starting out the element of good design is very important and in someways it's better to cut a good design not so well than a bad design well.

When you say your compressor coming on caused you to slip I'm wondering what equipment are you using. On my old Max when a power station kicked in or out of the grid it'd cause a surge in the graver (you don't get this with the Mach) but I never experience this with the compressor coming on. Perhaps there's something wrong with your regulator? Has anyone else experienced this phenomonon?
 
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Sam

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I respectufully disagree with the 'paint by numbers' commnet someone made. IMO there's nothing wrong with following a pattern laid out by someone else. It's good practice, and it doesn't mean that you must continue to do it for the rest of your life. As I've said before, an engraver is missing out on a very satisifying and rewarding part of engraving if he/she doesn't learn to draw. Use patterns and etched plates for their intended purpose which is to help you learn.
 

Andrew Biggs

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Hi Marcus

Oh Yeah........I've had the big slip happen when the compressor comes on. I've got a Jun-air silent compressor, which is Swedish I think. Anyway, it's placed about one meter away from my work bench and hums away quite merrily with not much more noise than a small fridge. When I first got my microscope I was quite happy engraving away with my air tool....... Then the compressor kicked in.....well, it shook the workbench which under the microscope looked like the San Fransisco earthquake. I damn near #$%^^&% myself as the graver went one way and I went the other. Unfortunatley it's the only place the compressor can go at the moment.............. The good side of the story is that it only took three more times before I got used to it but my wife, Mary, did refuse to wash my trousers out!!!!!

Cheers :D
Andrew
 

Marcus Hunt

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Very well put Sam, I totally agree. As a suppliment to this my father almost beat it into me to observe other engravings done by other engravers. There will always be something to gain, and even a bad example of engraving will help you learn what not to do. Keep a pencil and sketch pad by the phone and doodle scrolls when you're using it. It's amazing what you can come up with when the subconcious takes over for a while.

Thanks for the laugh Andrew!
 

PS_Bond

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Has anyone else experienced this phenomonon?

Yes... I used to do a moderate amount of airbrushing, but started out using a large piston compressor with a 40l air tank. Lovely to use - until the pressure in the tank dropped below the threshold for the compressor to start up, making me jump a mile. Not quite what was wanted when trying to spray a .5mm line *without* speedbumps.

Now I use a silent compressor for that side of things, and only use the piston compressor with airtools for the Land Rover.
 

Peter E

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I have a Gravermax with the SilentAire compressor. The compressor coming on can not possibly cause a surge. My setup was purchased from GRS along with the "remote air regulator". There is 50' of hose coiled around the compressor prior to the connection to the regulator. It is very smooth. I would suggest calling JB at GRS if you have any setup or equipment questions. He was VERY helpful when I was setting up mine.

IHSFAB - The Ron Smith kit was not in the original GRS catalog which I have, but it was on their website. It was $199 if I recall. As I mentioned, I am very happy with it.

The small scrolls on some of the plates are by far the tightest cuts i've made. Had to use the zoom on my scope just to see them and sharpen my gravers to have very small faces on them.

The Ron Smith books are excellent. I just need to spend a LOT more time drawing and practicing!

Peter
 

fegarex

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I think what Big Un was referring to was the "flinch" of a noisy compressor kicking on. If you have the air regulated near the machine, you should not have a problem. I've used an 80 gallon compressor far from the machine for years with no problem. I doesn't hurt to have the pressure regulated down near the machine however for either the Max or Mach. I can tell you from personal experience that when GRS says 125 PSI max into the Mach, they mean it. You think you jump when a compressor kicks in, try having a line blow inside the machine at 160 PSI...
It sounds like a rifle shot! I now have it regulated down to 50 PSI near the machine as per JB at GRS now
 

Bob Bullard

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Marcus
Thank you for the information about the learning aids . I just got off the phone with the people at G R S
they have 2 different pkgs one with Rons books and one without, the plates have the patterns on both sides one side has the full pattern on it and the reverse has only backbone on it if I understood them correctly also the Buck knives they have come with patterns for the knives. This should be a big help to someone like myself especially in understanding the art of scrolls and the cutting of them
The kits are not in their catalog yet
Bob
 

CUTTING METAL

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;) I purchased the kit and have completed all the practice plates and am presently working on the knife. The layouts are wonderful and varied on the plates and engraving them is a great learning experience. Ron is a super engraver and a really nice fellow, if you have never met him. I really enjoyed his scroll class at GRS and we also shared some hunting stories. He is a regular fellow and just plain down to earth and very helpful. So, there you go, Ron - we are all looking forward to and waiting to hear from you on this forum.
My best to you and yours, Dick Sheehan
 

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