A Noob's review of my new Palm Control Airgraver

[ResaJo]

I finally got my new Palm Control Airgraver all set up! YAAY!
I have had the air compressor for a month now, still in it's box while I rearrange my jeweler's bench. I always felt a tingle of anticipation every time I looked at it. My Goliath Graver's block was teasing me from where it sat on a corner of the bench. The Palm Control unit itself, in it's sleek little pouch, was stored safely inside a drawer and cried out to be used. As busy as I have been on commission works lately, I finally just had to stop all my other work yesterday to answer that call. I cannot be happier that I did!
This tool is a miracle of modern engineering!
Mind you, I am no engraving expert. FAR from it! I am an artist who specializes in jewelry making, small sculpture, and glass blowing. All my previous experience with engraving has been done by hand using a "lazy susan" type apparatus and a pitch bowl to hold the work. So just having an actual block to work on is quite a treat. And this block is AMAZING! It's action is so smooth and it allows for complete control of the resistance in it's turning action. (I am not even sure if this is the proper way to describe it, I am that much of a noob to this.)
Now on to the graver itself. And OH MY GOD I am in heaven! I have SO much to learn about engraving, and many hours of practice will ensue to be able to just call myself a novice. I am very aware of how much of a newbie I am. But I do know that this tool is a real "Gem". (It even LOOKS like a real work of art, all by itself) If I were to grade the Palm Control as one would grade a finely cut stone, I personally would say that it is priceless!
This graver is completely intuitive to every movement of my hand, and it almost engraves everything itself. It took me a few minutes to get the perfect grip figured out. Hand engraving is a lot different than using a powered tool, so adjusting my grip and completely changing where my fingers are placed is all new. But once I got that figured out, "cutting" through copper was like flowing through butter. I am in awe of this tool!
When deciding what equipment to get for my engraving, I made the decision to go for the best. I am so glad I did! I figured if I am going to be going through the processes of learning to engrave with a power tool, I wanted one that I would not also have to struggle through a learning curve just to properly run the tool itself, such as with a foot controlled unit. I cannot say enough good things about how well the Palm Control responds.
I have a disability that was starting to make any kind of hand engraving extremely difficult. Eventually it would become an impossibility for me. With the Palm Control unit I can once again do some of the stone setting procedures that require engraving, and now I am also very excited to be able to once gain start engraving embellishments onto all of my work.
The Palm Control unit has opened up a new dimension in my artistic world and has vastly increased the potential of what can be accomplished. My mind is now swimming with design ideas and the possibilities for creativity is endless.
I have attached a photo of my first "practice plate", which was basically a quickly scribbled flower onto copper. Just something to use to figure out my grip and how to actually use the graver. I had a few slips coming out of the cut, but it didn't take me long to figure that out either. By the last petal, I was in complete control of the graver.
I just wanted to share my joy at having this new "toy" to use in my work, and say: THANK YOU Steve Linsay! You are a genius in tool engineering, crafting and manufacture.

[JRon]

Just wait until it gets comfortable, it will amaze you with what you can accomplish. The Lindsay tools are the absolute best in the world! The nice part is they require little maintenance and seem to last forever_JR

[Steve Lindsay]

Hi Teresa, Thank you for the great PC review. I am glad you're liking it!

Hope you had a happy thanksgiving today! Thanks again, Steve