The Titan has arrived !!

[MikeDubber]

I've always been a big-vise engraver - that's why my old Ray LaTourneau Block has always occupied Engraving Bench #1.

Sorry old friend, I moved the 45lb LaTourneau to Bench #2 this afternoon shortly after my new 90 pound Lindsay Titan arrived.

This thing is massive, and unpacking and lifting it in place no easy task. It's also smooooooth, and it doesn't move - at all! For all the good things I can say about the LaTourneau, it's biggest downfall is that it still sits on one of those silly rubber tires, and it just feels spongy. I had gotten used to that, and it really didn't occur to me that the new Lindsay Titan would "work" so solidly. Seriously, the graver action is far more effective when the block (no matter what its weight) sits solidly on the bench, and without the rubber tire absorbing some of the impact of the graver strike. This big boy sits on a solid aluminum ring lined with hard leather - the leather provides enough "tac" to keep the ball tightly held in place. The tension between the block and the base is enough enough that works equally as well with the air graver and the hammer and chisel.

I had been working this Python for the past few weeks. When I placed it in the Titan and started to engraved new lines and scrolls I felt the subtle differences in the graver action immediately.


I have some major inlay and sculpting work to do on this gun, and I just know that all that heavy pounding is going to be so much more effective in this block.

Re: GRS Positioning Block - that used to be at bench #2...now it's in storage. I'm not much of a Microscope user anyway, and it was the heaviest non-LaTourneau available. It's for sale................

[Steve Lindsay]

Glad it arrived safe, Mike!.. And it is going right to work! As the Python projects moves along if time allows, please post more pictures of the project.

[Steve Lindsay]

Originally Posted by MikeDubber

I've always been a big-vise engraver - that's why my old Ray LaTourneau Block has always occupied Engraving Bench #1.

Sorry old friend, I moved the 45lb LaTourneau to Bench #2 this afternoon shortly after my new 90 pound Lindsay Titan arrived.

This thing is massive, and unpacking and lifting it in place no easy task. It's also smooooooth, and it doesn't move - at all! For all the good things I can say about the LaTourneau, it's biggest downfall is that it still sits on one of those silly rubber tires, and it just feels spongy. I had gotten used to that, and it really didn't occur to me that the new Lindsay Titan would "work" so solidly. Seriously, the graver action is far more effective when the block (no matter what its weight) sits solidly on the bench, and without the rubber tire absorbing some of the impact of the graver strike. This big boy sits on a solid aluminum ring lined with hard leather - the leather provides enough "tac" to keep the ball tightly held in place. The tension between the block and the base is enough enough that it works equally as well with the air graver and the hammer and chisel.

I had been working this Python for the past few weeks. When I placed it in the Titan and started to engraved new lines and scrolls I felt the subtle differences in the graver action immediately.


I have some major inlay and sculpting work to do on this gun, and I just know that all that heavy pounding is going to be so much more effective in this block.

OK, Steve asked that I post photos of work-in-progression on this Python - so let's walk though the process of inlaying the Colt Onion Dome on the left panel

In this photo I have started preparation by excavating the area of the onion-shaped dome
The 24K dome was sawed out and the relieved area is cross cut to raise burrs

Now the area where the columns are placed is excavated and the area is cross-cut with a "Detail" graver

The inlay is sawed from a 20 ga. piece of fine silver and the inlay cavity is burred up

Both pieces of metal are now hammered into place and smoothed

Now I can continue by designing and cutting the scroll work

The scroll work is completed and I'm ready to detail the inlay

The Colt Onion Dome is detailed - I'm ready to go to the opposite side of the gun to create another Colt inlay.
Notice too, that this left panel is a "cover plate." That is to say that it is placed into an opening that allows the inner working to be installed.
That means that if you are to do a inlaid border (this Python has a double border) you necessarily have to do it in broken sections that
align or register properly when the gun is reassembled.

Super Mike! Thank you for adding more photos of this Python project! Do you have some custom jaws bolted on to the vise? If so, is it using the large 3/8" bolt holes in the top of the jaws or the 1/4" bolt holes?

[Mark Diorio]

Great work, as usual, Mike. Your work is inspirational to us newbies. That is a huge vise. I'm going to be buying one of Steve's Goliath vises as soon as he has one that is ready to ship. I'm assuming that as a newbie (just under one year since starting engraving), that a Goliath should serve me well for quite some time?

[SEngraver]

Hi
Mike thank you for the work in progress pictures of the python revolver.
The pictures were interesting and intuitive.
Most Appreciated
SE

[Brian]

Steve is probably already working on a vise big enough for helicopter parts...

And perhaps an Airgraver big enough to work on stone monuments?

Brian

[Steve Lindsay]

Hi Mark, A guesstimate for when the updated stainless Goliaths are ready is mid to late January.

Originally Posted by Brian

Steve is probably already working on a vise big enough for helicopter parts...
And perhaps an Airgraver big enough to work on stone monuments?Brian

Brian! Only under 10' foot high monuments!

[CMan]

I loved always as a youth looking at that dome driving by in the family car. Later in years watching it being restored. Now to see it engraved on a gun. Thanks, Cliff

[Mark Diorio]

Originally Posted by Steve Lindsay

Hi Mark, A guesstimate for when the updated stainless Goliaths are ready is mid to late January.



Brian! Only under 10' foot high monuments!

Thanks, Steve.