Thread: Engraving - decent looking stuff

Does anyone do engraving on metal. I have a ongoing need for engraving on small metal plates. I guess what I'm after is closest to one of those engraved plaques on a sports trophy, or maybe engraving on a gift pen etc. I'm talking hand engraving, not computer or etched etc. I want it to look hand-engraved, but I want it to look quality.

Currently I'm betting mediocre results with a dremel and engraving bits, but I really dont think a rotary tool is going to give me the results I want. I've been doing research on the web, but the knowledge is coming slowly.

Just like to hear what others have done.

ps. I have seen Grazianos posts from 2010. I'm after something, quicker, simpler and more hand-done looking.

cheers
Arron

Hi Aaron,

Have a talk to Peter McBride, he posts on the forum as Lightwood, he does beautiful engraving.

Peter McBride Goldsmith Jeweller

Regards
Ray

Hi Arron,
A friend of mine owns a shoe repair place and also does engraving. Its the best hand done stuff i have ever seen.
He uses a rotary tool and pair of magnifying glasses. His big trick though is he rolls blue tack on the job first, then dusts this with talc. He then uses a bamboo skewer made into a sort of marking gauge to mark lines to engrave between, and then marks out all of his writing. Just guessing each letter would take him 5-10 seconds to engrave. The tips he uses are pretty small, and i imagine the the rpm pretty high.
Hope that helps,
Good luck
Ewan

Haha, just remembered, my letter opener is engraved by him....On first glance there is no chatter at all, but looking closely you can see a bit here and there, but i'm guessing its pretty soft whatever its made from (probably cucumber alloy) The heaviest cuts would be about .5mm wide. I'd say the tip would be not much more.

Originally Posted by Ueee

Hi Arron,
A friend of mine owns a shoe repair place and also does engraving. Its the best hand done stuff i have ever seen.
He uses a rotary tool ...

thanks. I was very curious about whether the smaller guys (ie the kiosks) use rotary tools or reciprocating engravers.

cheers
Arron

When I was a kid, my old dentist used to engrave with one of his old dental drills. I'm not sure, but it may have been the type which used steel belts like that curtain spring material that they use with sheer curtains - not the modern turbine powered variety. As I recall he said that the cutters (dental drills) were diamond tools. He did a good job doing stuff for himself, but you would need to get a quote first, in case your dentist charges the same as when he's fixing your teeth.
Rob.

Originally Posted by Ueee

He uses a rotary tool and pair of magnifying glasses. His big trick though is he rolls blue tack on the job first, then dusts this with talc.
Ewan

Did he indicate why he does this. Is it just for the purposes of marking it out, or does the bluetack residue stop the engraving bit from sliding across the surface or something ???

cheers
Arron

Originally Posted by Arron

Did he indicate why he does this. Is it just for the purposes of marking it out, or does the bluetack residue stop the engraving bit from sliding across the surface or something ???

cheers
Arron

No, i think its just for marking out. You could just use blue but i guess its just the way he does it. Thinking about it and what Rob said, i think he must use diamond as he does alot of glass, he is the only guy i have ever heard of that will engrave unopened champagne bottles. Now thats working on the edge.....

Ewan