For me, it's time!

[KurtB]

Hello everyone. It's time for me to "tool-up" and begin to engrave, something I've wanted to do for years. My background: I am a machinist with a well-equipped shop, and an interest in all things mechanical. I've machined, sand-casted, engineered everything from flintlock rifles to small turbojets.



Like many of you I'm sure, I want to do everything, rather than farm out tasks to others. I've got a modest collection of gravers and a hammer, and with them I've dressed some of my work up a bit. Fortunately, crude engraving is appropriate on a ca. 1800 flintlock, but I want to take my work to the next level. To do this, I need the equipment.

I am familiar with (but have never used) GRS equipment, and assumed that's what I'd buy. Then I came across Steve's tools, which appeal to me strongly for a number of reasons, the primary one being that the tools themselves are art, and that says a lot about the design and the care that went into them.

Price-wise, Steve's classic handpiece w/footpedal is about the same as a GRS Gravermach and a handpiece. I am leaning strongly towards the classic, mainly because the palm control is more than 2X the cost, and I can upgrade the tool at some future date, if needed. My primary question today, besides the introduction, is this - is the palm control worth the extra $$? Can I get started with the classic, or would I be a fool not to immediately press forward with the palm control unit? Or, dare I say it, GRS? Everything I've read so far from ALL sites other than pure GRS-sponsored pages says that Steve's system is simply hard to beat.

I've broken my acquisitions down to enraving tool(s), sharpening, workholding, and optics. The workholding will probably be GRS. As for sharpening, I've really got a problem paying what GRS asks for a device that does nothing more than turn a platter at a modest RPM - THAT I can machine or engineer in my own shop. Optics - I need more research.

Anyway, I'd like to solicit adivice... "If you were to start over..." that sort of thing. I'm sure dozens of noobs have shown up with the same questions, and for that I apologize. I always appreciate expertise from forums like these. Thanks! I'm very excited to embark on a new skill. :D

Kurt

[Steve Ellsworth]

check you private mail

[Ray Cover]

Kurt,

Where are you located? If you are anywhere close to me you can come and try it all out one evening or Saturday. I have it all here, everything on the market.

That being said, I have it all here and the Lindsay Plam control is what sits on my bench for daily use. I personally do feel it is worth the extra cost to have the palm control. My students in general find it easier, or intuitive and more comfortable to use than the foot pedal models of any brand.

Ray

[Dave London]

Welcome Kurt B
Off to a new adventure boy can I relate to that,either of Steve's tools are fantastic. But I am biased I started out with the 3/8 classic and then got a 5/16 classic before PC then upgraged to the PC wow. You can do any thing with the regular units but the PC is fantastic did I say I am biased. Help me I am a tool junkey:willy_nilly:

[Ken Hurst]

Kurt, I have been engraving firearms for 48 years and in that time have owned GRS equipment. I'm here to tell you the Lindsat tool/handpiece is the finest you can buy. If I had to choose between the two, I wouldn't even consider GRS when I could have a Lindsay. Welcome aboard. Ken

[Tom White]

Hi,
I have used both the GRS and Lindsay tools and can tell you that in my opinion the Lindsay tools are the easiest to set-up and use they are more responsive and your learning curve will be reduced. I personally think both the foot control and the PalmControl are unparalled in the engraving market.
The PalmControl would be my tool of choice but I actually have one of each the PC is just easier and more comfortable for me to use.

Tom White

[KurtB]

Thanks everyone, there's a lot to think about here. Again, I haven't heard anyone who dislikes their Lindsay tool. The last thing I want to do is gather up a big engraving tool system, and ultimately regret not getting the best. Budget is always an issue, and right now I'm leaning towards the foot... with the money saved, I can put that into some excellent optics and other goodies to make life easier. So, for the engraver itself, I think it's going to be a classic.

GRS makes what appears to be some excellent blocks. Do you guys recommend the "positioning" blocks for use under a scope, allowing quick centering? Is this a big deal? Again, I'm faced with an unknown, and given the cost of a good block/vise system, I'd like to get it right.

I'm sorely tempted as a machinist to produce my own power hone. A geared or belted DC drive system, mounted under a good MiC-6 jig and fixture plate, and able to accept some GRS wheels, would allow me to economize slightly in this area.

I'm really enjoying this forum so far - some BEAUTIFUL work is on display. My hat's off to all of you!

Edit: I want to apologize for asking a question that's already there, right above this thread, as a sticky. I'll lurk more, and type less.


Kurt

[Tom McArdle]

Kurt,

Don't get the positioning vise. Get the regular heavy block, or the low profile, and then buy or make the turntable. Much more flexible. The positioning vise is pretty limited, unless you engrave in one plane only most of the time.

Welcome!

Tom

[KurtB]

I did it!

:D

Just sent in the order form for a PC airgraver + goodies. Yay! Time to begin this new journey. I feel a real need to escape the machinist's world of +/- 0.0002" tolerances, fits/finishes, and let some artistry flow a bit!

[Danny C]

TOO LATE! Your going to regret getting "the whole thing"! Warning Warning!

Why? Its very simple, you as a machinest, are going to take a good long look-see at the PC (and reading the specs), fit it into your hand, get the feel of it, take it apart to see the piston, look at the engraving on it, hook it up to a regulator, start cutting, adjusting, cutting and about 3 days latter look up and say WOW! Where did the time go! Then your'e going to say something like "Am I glad I did it right the first time!" (like the rest of us PC users). You'll be making stuff to make your PC use easier and better, and time will fly out the window.

Welcome aboard!! :thumbsup:

[Ken Hurst]

Kurt, I just received a full set of diamond wheels from Steve L. and at a considerable saving over the GRS equivilent. Try ordering same from Steve. Ken

[monk]

i've been engraving for over 30 years. if you thumb thru this wonderful collection and others, you'll find me asking questions. no matter how much you know, there's always someone out there that knows something that you might not know. i never went back to the porn sites after finding these ones!
i never heard of a hobo nickel. now i've ruined about $3.00 worth of pocket change ! what could be better ? and you can still spend them !

[Steve Ellsworth]

well now you have done it
there goes the end of your income - you r an engraver
where are you located
if you ae close to denver stop in and vist

[Dave London]

Kurt
For a turn table I went to the local steel provider and had 2 -12 in dia pieces water jet cut out of 1/4 in steel plate for 50 bucks with enough left over to make another . Woodcraft had lazysusan bearing for 6 bucks put togerther with JB weld voila a $200 turn table for 56 bucks.

[Steve Ellsworth]

Ill take the second one and you can have my old one

[KurtB]

Again, thank you all for sharing your hard-earned knowledge with a noob... it is really appreciated and helps us avoid mistakes.

I've been researching scopes now for three days, and my brain is in meltdown.:willy_nilly: There is so much conflicting evidence on Chinese scopes. If you read the feedback on eBay of the Chinese scope dealers, there are plenty of "Great Microscope!" comments, but also some "It's like a toy; not what I expected" comments.

I'm looking at a couple of Meijis. Worst case is perhaps a new set of eyepieces and maybe a 0.5 objective lens. Omano is high on the list as well if the used Meiji deals go down the drain. Without the excellent advise from the forum members here, I wouldn't know what to look for.

[Steve Ellsworth]

I've been researching scopes now for three days, and my brain is in meltdown.:willy_nilly: There is so much conflicting evidence on Chinese scopes.

Take a look at the scope on Steves page. I have it although i did not get it from him i did set him up with the source. It is Chinese and the optics are damn good. I sit at the darn thing 8 hrs a day plus and never have had eye strain. Strongly suggest with this scope for universal use you get .5 and .3 diopters i have 10 15 and 20x oculars to round it out
flexible arm and clamp base rather than fixed base so i can move it anywhere. Scope head mount leaves a little to be desired but with an extra shim works fine (adds to stability)

I'm looking at a couple of Meijis.
nice but pricey.

the story goes like this
i was looking at the chines scopes - had them drop ship to Lindsay to check out. He blessed them and now carries them. You decide.

[Tim C]

You'll love it, the PC makes it even easier to learn.
I have both the Classic and the Chasing (Classic body) which has the PC handle on it. I love them both and wouldn't trade either tool for anything.
The package with the PC handle is the perfect tool for the beginner, and at the same time, it is also the perfect tool for the proffessional.
You will never have to up-grade to a better tool in the future, you already have the best. It's perfect !!!
Good luck and enjoy.
Tim

[KurtB]

To Everyone, thank you. I have coming from a Magnablock.

Scopes - I meant it when I said I was going nuts! :willy_nilly: Have you ever over-researched something so intensely that you start to lose perspective, and really wander off onto tangents? I was thinking of things like - photography / can my kids use it? / Will my wife beat me? - stuff like that. I was literally moments away from buying a complete and new Omano system... I had my CC out and phone in hand, and I did one last eBay search for Meiji. I stumbled across a smoking good deal, so a clean Meiji is on the way. Worst case, I believe, is that it'll need a reducing Barlow. Some lighting, too.

I've got a homebrew stand in the works, and my station is coming along. It's going to be like Christmas here for the next couple of weeks!

Kurt

[Tim C]

Yep, your hooked!!!
Tim