What's the best forum tip of 2015?

sam

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What have you learned in the Cafe in 2015 that's helped you the most? It might be hard to pick just one, so do 2 or 3 if you like :D
 

Brian Marshall

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How long do we have to figure out an answer to that?

There's been tons of them over the years, and figuring out which ones happened just THIS year is gonna take some serious thought.


Brian


Personally, though I never have the time to do one myself - the illustrated step by step posts are most interesting to me.

This is a visual biz, after all...
 
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monk

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there have been a couple that were really "dumb". i did them anyway-- hmmm, not so dumb after all. names withheld to protect the guilty. as brian said-- just too many. i'm sure every tip or trick has proven of value to at least 1 engraver.
ok- i thought this out. the most useful to me was the info on doing transfers with inkjet. backed up with mike cirellis' magic transfer "sauce"
 
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SalihKara

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I learnt how to engrave this type of engraving from scratch, when I started to learn engraving I knew nothing but thanks to forum and its members I reached this level from scratch in just one year ( actually in 8 months )

12359825_1520447474919088_4653849030567120538_n.jpg
 

Dani Girl

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Keep your floor clean of Dust Bunnies.

Don't let the things you're trying to cut move around (should have let that one sink in a while ago)

When to use squares and when to use flats inlaying.... lots about inlaying

It's been a great year full of extremely friendly and helpful awesome people. Thanks
 

RDP

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What have you learned in the Cafe in 2015 that's helped you the most? It might be hard to pick just one, so do 2 or 3 if you like :D

I can't say what would have helped me the most, but I doubt that there has been a day this year( or any other year) on this forum that I have not learned something new, or been reminded of something I had already learned and forgotten about, so, I guess the short answer is I learned at least 365 things in 2015, thank you all for your help. :tiphat:

Richard.
 

sam

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I guess limiting it to 2015 makes it kind of difficult. I've picked up so many tips I don't know where to start, but I will say that perhaps my all-time best tip was Arnaud's suggestion to use dry diamond powder in place of diamond spray. Once I tried it, the spray went into the cabinet and it hasn't seen the light of day since. I use the powder on a cast iron lap and also on a piece of leather which stays nearby for quick repolishes.
 

Riflesmith

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There are so many posts here on the cafe that are valuable! There are tips and tricks on cutting all different types of metals, cutting lines, curves, graver selection, graver geometry, opinions on styles of scrollwork and which looks best by each individual engraver. It can be information overload. The best posts, in my opinion, are those that help the beginning engraver, those that encourage that beginning engraver to understand the whys and how's of engraving and to be able to watch their development and to know engraving isn't going to be a dying art in a long long time.
 

monk

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I guess limiting it to 2015 makes it kind of difficult. I've picked up so many tips I don't know where to start, but I will say that perhaps my all-time best tip was Arnaud's suggestion to use dry diamond powder in place of diamond spray. Once I tried it, the spray went into the cabinet and it hasn't seen the light of day since. I use the powder on a cast iron lap and also on a piece of leather which stays nearby for quick repolishes.
not sure who got me started on the diamond powder. i made a couple small leather wheels for my proxon. a tiny bit of oil, charge the disk with the powder-- perfect for a real polish. never tried the spray-- no need to.
 

Brian Marshall

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Same here... used the ceramic (and a dozen other wheels) for lapidary work for years before they were "discovered" to be an engravers method for polishing carbide.

The diamond powder, paste, spray, the discs (including iron) and the motorized lapping equipment all came from the lapidary trade - originally...


Brian
 

take-down

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For a person such as myself who doesn't get a lot of time top practice at this stage
There is not 1 single tip that stands out but the combination of the years posts, tips & instructional videos
That together still keep me motivated & inspired for the future
Thanks all
Merry Xmas & Happy New Year
 

dlilazteca

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The potato method for gravers, love that by morning there so sharp they slice paper!

GunEngraver.com Guns, Knives & More
 

Andrew Biggs

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It's hard to say what the best tip would be. There have been so many of them.

What's always interesting is the way different people approach the work either technically or artistically...........and of course there are the ever increasing gadgets and excuses to buy and try something old or new :)

Cheers
Andrew
 

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