Question: practice materials?

[percman48]

Ladies and Gentlemen: I am fairly new to engraving and spend many hours in practice. I have been using .058" free machining brass plates (soft), fastened to a wooden block in my makeshift ball. I seem to encounter soft spots in the metal, as my gravers will occasionally dive in much too deep. Your first thought is that my gravers are improperly sharpened. I don't think that is an issue. Is the recommendation to utilize "half hard" brass plates instead of the FM brass?

 

[monk]

brass of most specie can give one fits. if you ever try doing cast brass , such as found on diy bp guns, you'll soon learn to dislike the stuff. you may want to try some lube. i never had problem with the fm stuff. i have done so much work in brass, i just cuss at the stuff and then it cuts ok.

 

[KCSteve]

What kind of graver are you using? For most of us, when starting out, a 120 tends to do a lot of skipping and diving. If you're having trouble with a 120 you might try a 90 for a while. Actually, it may still be doing the up and down, but with the narrower graver it's a lot less noticeable.

 

[John P. Anderson]

Try some mild steel or copper and see if you have the same problems.

Are you using H&C, power or push?

I tended to dive starting out. It was a combination or things I'm sure. I didn't always choose the best materials, I hadn't learned the nuances of sharpening and I definitely hadn't learned the nuance of operating the tool.

John

 

[percman48]

OK. I have tried copper. It is very soft. I don't care for it as practice material. I have a wide array of gravers in both HSS and 5% cobalt. I am using 1/8" lathe tool steel that I have re-shaped. My tips range from 70 degree, 90 degree, and 116 degree. I sharpen with both GRS fixtures and the Lindsay templates. After dressing on 1200 diamond, I have a GRS ceramic for polishing. I use a short heel. Most of my practice work has been in FM (free machining) brass. It seems to produce a nice look - kind of instant gratification. I would like to graduate to the real stuff but am fearful of disappointing results - especially if it is someone else's item.

 

[monk]

uh-- if yer havin trouble with, or don't like working in copper, i'd guess yer problem may be a bit of lack in the practice arena. my faves-- silver/copper, mild steel, then brass. ss is at the bottom, followed by pewter. i won't do anything on pewter-- any more ! i once did a firemens' trumpet. a throwback to the old days. the thing was over 20" in length, and cut like grape jelly. spent more time in repair, than actual engraving.