What to learn ..But where to start?

[Donny]

Hello,

I'm a 43 year old Air Traffic Controller who can retire in 7 yrs. I would like to learn to engrave so as to suppliment my retirement. I have a pretty good idea of the type of items I wish to engrave and feel I could make a decent dollar or two. I am also a OK artist with pencil and paper. Can't do faces overly well but wildlife and landscape stuff is do-able.

BUT I don't know how to really get started.
Books? Videos ? Classes?
Equipment? New/used?
Manuel or powered?

True newbie needing some pointers.

And in my ignorance I have no idea how much I should allow for getting started.


Any Help would be great.

Donny

[Roger Bleile]

Donny,

Most of us "self taught" folks will tell you to start out with a class. Find an instructor who can expose you to all of the various brands of engraving systems and tools so that you can pick what feels best to you with the guidance of the instructor. Click on ENGRAVING CLASSES at the top of this page for a good list.

This is not the cheap way but the best way. Too many people buy all kinds of tools thinking they can teach themselves and because they want to spend their money on something tangable rather than paying for something intangable like knowledge. Too often these are the same people we see advertising all their tools for sale because they could never seem to get off square one.

I don't teach formal engraving classes but I wish there was the depth and variety of instructors 40 years ago that there are today.

Good luck,

CRB

[SpiderCurt]

Hi Donny and welcome to the forum

Roger isn't steering you wrong on taking classes! If money were no object I would sign up for classes in a heart beat.

If you would like to try engraving before investing a serious amount of money read this thread: An Inexpensive Way To Give It A Try and this thread http://handengravingforum.com/showthread.php?t=2365, which gives a beginners view of starting out.

Hope that helps

[jetta77]

eat it, sleep it and drink it..... That's what Ive tried to do and I think is slowly paying off, I'll be posting some pics of recent work ive been doing and I've been engraving for about 6 months..

Good luck

Jeff

[diandwill]

In dollars and cents, a quality, power assist engraving setup will run around $1000. You need a good, heavy engravers ball, a power hone and a good microscope and these will run another $2000. All the books and doodads that you can (and probably will) buy can run another thousand easily. The cost of courses runs from $750, up to $3995 with Barry Lee Hands, in Montana. His includes room and board, but I would allow another $2000 for most week long courses including affordable (read CHEAP) accomodations, airfare and tuition. Remember to allow some pocket money for going out with classmates. You can learn some great stuff socializing.
All in all I would say allow $5000-$6000 for a really good start. It would be best to go to an "engrave-in" and see whether this is even something you would care to do.
Each year, new books and new tools are available, new systems produced and other reasons to expand your horizons become available. It is an on-going commitment to continually improve, explore new horizons, that may or may not be able to provide you with much monetary reward. If you are able to pursue engraving, and are financially successful, that is great. Most, like myself, are able to get by and do it for the love of what we do.
Good luck, Will

[Steve Lindsay]

For a less expensive setup you may consider the Artisan hand piece with foot control with dual regulator setup. It is $844. This is the least expensive AirGraver setup but frankly, comparison-wise it is more versatile in power and speed than my competitor's top-end product. There is a three week trial time on the tools.

You will still need an air compressor, though. However, because the AirGravers do not require very much air volume, the smaller inexpensive compressors work fine. Ace hardware and Wal-Mart used to carry a $59 compressor as well as a $99 one.

Below is a chart from the AirGraver.com website. It shows the various impact speeds at different stroke adjustments of the Classic handpiece. The Artisan doesn't have this stroke adjustment but is fixed at the mid stroke length. Follow the "Medium Stroke" speeds on the chart to see the speed ranges for the Artisan. The tungsten piston also works in the Artisan and there is a column for that. Follow the meduim stroke column there too. For both the Artisan and the Classic the psi ranges are adjusted with the foot control or the PalmControl handle.





As Roger mentioned for classes consider one of the schools or instructors from the engraving classes page: http://www.engravingclasses.com/ These schools and instructors have all brands of equipment including the PalmControl so that students can determine and decided what tools work best for them.

Here is a list of links to online-books and videos
Techniques and Resources

[monk]

self taught is the greatest way to save money. it's also the very best way to learn all the very worst things and worst ways to engrave. and , when you're turning out way less than quality work, you can say with pride, "i taught myself how to cut this mess " ! i know this first hand, i didn't have to read it anywhere.
look at the student practice plates after a few days instruction. those plates say it all.

[SVD]

One thing Steve didn't mention is that his tools use so little air that you can run them off of CO2 or HPA (High Pressure Air) tanks. If you or a friend are a scuba diver then I think HPA is the easier way to go, otherwise CO2.

Not that you can't use a compressor, just that using a tank is an additional option.

[Dragonslayer]

Welcome Donny
I am a newbie and have been learning only for a few months. But this is what I found. Going to a school is great, it will allow you to progress faster. Teaching one self can be done but if you can afford it school is great. Why not learn from others that have gone there and done that. I do not know where you are at but if you look on this forum in Airgraver Network you will see alot of members that are willing to let you try out different models.

I purchased the Classic with air and CO2 attachments becasue I also make jewelry, so I had allot of the other items you may need. I love my classic.

This forum and the individuals that you see on it have place a wealth of knowledge at you finger tip. Before I jumped into the engraving part I spent hours reading threads and look at example, everything from a first practice plate, to tutorials and examples from masters of the art.

You can not go wrong by asking question of the individuals on this forum or reading the wealth of information found here.

Best of luck in your quest and welcome.

[carl bleile]

AS most of you know I try to give all the information I can and this fourm is a great place to do it, but there is a limit, things I can tell and show a student in 10 or 15 minutes would take 5 pages of text and then I couldn't be sure every one got it. Think about what it would be like to write instructions on how to tie your shoe laces, then how many questions you would get to clarify details, how many people would get it wrong and not know it, but in a few minutes you could show them and they have it for a life time.
Carl Bleile
southwest, Ohio

[Ken Hurst]

Amen Carl ..........

[paulcdfoss]

Donny.

Learned the basics in jewelry, then started to understand or "feel" the Heel...
If in any way possible get your graver geometry consistent. Try pushing and then try power assist. You'll see the different aspects and advantages of each.
BE safe pushin.

Paul

[Tim Wells]

Donny,
Where are you located, city and state? This info would be helpful in guiding you to an instructor. Like a lot of folks have already said, if I had it to do over I would take a basic class and there are far more instructors/schools now than there were just a few years ago when I started fooling around with this metal scratchin' stuff.

Art is the key to good design which is the key to good engraving. The mechanical aspect of using the tools is a lot easier on most to learn than the art ability aspect. If you draw well, you have a huge head start.

I'd take a class before I bought any book, you can get those later. BUT... if I were to buy one book it would be Ron Smith's scroll design, if that's what you are wanting to cut. Understanding how to build scrolls properly is vital and the quicker you internalize that the better.

[Donny]

First off let me say.....Thank All of you very much for your time and information.

Second....I'd like to say that I had NO IDEA how much there is to learn!!! BUT I can say that I have been bitttttten by the bug.

Third...To the individual who PM'd me blasting me for not "responding to the information given by the others" all I can say is "You are absolutely RIGHT and I was remisssss in not thanking everyone to include youself". "I am sorry and do apologize to those who felt I did not appriciate the help."

Fourth.... I have got to find a class or two in the PHX area but the school listed in Tempe does not respond to phone or email messages.

Fifth...I have decided to sell my guitar and amp to fund this endevour which will get about 1600.00 working capital....

So what can I do with 1600.00 ?


Donny

[airamp]

Hi Donny,

Bryan Bridges is in Tempe. His new phone number is 480-345-7424.

I have taken classes with him and they are great one on one classes.

The engraving classes phone number was updated but the detail information phone number for Bryan still is out of date, so use the above number to make arrangements with Bryan for classes.

Here is a link that I wrote about Bryan.

http://www.handengravingforum.com/sh...=bryan+bridges

Here is a tutor about beginning engraving, tools and transfer methods.


http://www.handengravingforum.com/sh...=bryan+bridges


If you need more information or would like to stop by and play with some tools I am in Scottsdale so PM me.

Also take a look at steves artisan. You can test out my classic and a few other tools if you like.

http://www.handgravers.com/Artisan-AirGraver.htm

AirAmp

[Dave London]

Donny
I would thke up Aipramp on his offer and then get wuth Brian B, Cant go wrong. Dave

[Donny]

I CALLED Bryan Classes begin this week!

Donny

[Roger Bleile]

Good news, Donny. Brian is a master of the highest order and has been for over 30 years. One of the benefits of studying with him is that he can work in all aspects of engraving from dies to guns so your horizons are less limited than with someone who can only work in one aspect of the trade. The down side is there is that much more to learn.

Good luck,

Roger Bleile

[airamp]

Hi Donny,

That is great.

Roger is right there is so much to learn.

It is hard for any teacher to transfer (actually 40 years die making and engraving for Bryan) his extensive knowledge, in a few classes but it gives you a fantastic jump start and you really learn to appreciate others work, techniques, tricks, and tools.

Take a close look at the sharpening system Steve has made and the contributions of members in sharing there favorite engraving tools through the template system.

Carl, Rogers Brother, Has some great templates for Steve’s system and is teaching a tutor on how to do sculpting with them and there use. (very advanced work but great to know it is being given to you by a master and it is on this forum when you are ready to give it a try).

Thanks Carl very interesting tutor and Great shotgun on the Cover of the FEGA Mag.

Here is the Tutor link.


http://www.handengravingforum.com/showthread.php?t=3341

Here is the link for the template sharpening system you will be using at Bryan Bridges Class this week.


http://www.handgravers.com/sharpening.htm

Enjoy your class. You will not be disappointed.

AirAmp