difference betwween this 2 kinds of handpiece

[bigaustin]

Can anybody tell me the main difference between the lindsay's handpiece and the System 3 Handpiece, the system3 handpiece is more cheaper than Lindsay's ,I think I can afford the cheaper one .

I want to get a instruction of the #004-781 System 3 Deluxe Package (in grstools.com).Possiblely,I can only buy a handpiece , I can find The Foot Control, Air Filter-Regulator in china ,it is more cheaper .

[JJ Roberts]

Big Austin....As for System 3..it works good with rotary handpieces if you are going to do craving in jade or any other stone. If you are on a budget I would suggest the MagnaGraver II with Vari-Pact from NgraverR the NgraverR company in Bozrah, CT, ..........email them at www.ngraver.com
This is a inexpensive and effective engraving tool. I wouldn't recommend it for ladies with small hands. I have it at my school here in Virginia. One of my students who does resoration work on firearms purchased one for his use. Another one of my students purchased a Gravermate and a 901 handpiece from GRS. He builds Muzzle Loading rifles and will be using the tool for cutting brass, German silver, and doing lock plates and hammers. Too bad you don't live closer I would invite you over to chat and try these tools, I have all GRS power assist tools, Ngravers handpiece..plus Linday's Classic handpiece. Good luck on your choice.

Yours truly,
JJ Roberts-Manassas, VA

[John B.]

Mr. Roberts is right on.
I have all the types of power equipment too, for student use.
Where budget and quality are a consideration, you can't go wrong with an Ngraver outfit.
It is important to get a high quality foot control with the set you elect to buy.
Best wishes and good luck, I wish we were closer so that I could be more help.

JohnB.

[Julie Coffey]

The NGraver site has been down since I first started posting here a few months back. Anyone have direct contact information.

Thanks in advance.

Julie

[JJ Roberts]

Julie...Ray Phillips has been working on a new site..he may be out of town at a show right now..you can call him at 1-860-823-5033..he also has a fax 1-860-887-6252..You can call him Mon-Fri 9-5 est. If you can send me your address I can send you one of his flyers. I saw the Hobby site..I love your Viking tent, and your leather work. I believe you will be very good at engraving. Keep up the good work.

Yours truly,
JJ Roberts

[bigaustin]

I want to do some engraving work on my custom knife,I need a handpiece work with IMPACT.

I can buy the air compressor ,air Filter-Regulator in China, buy the handpiece and foot controller in USA. Can this handpiece be driven by connecting to the air filter-reculator directly ?
I know Lindsay's handpiece can do this ,but it is too expensive(it will spend my 6 monthes salary ) .I want to buy a cheaper one.

[fitzo]

bigaustin, you will probably need the foot contol if you buy the handpiece. Otherwise, it would be "impacting" constantly, and you would have no control. With those two pieces you could attach it to a regulator and compressor you buy in China. I would recommend against trying it without the foot control.

[Shakudo]

Austin, you should stop listening to 90% of what has been said to you here on these forums. you have built a sharpening fixture, i'm sure a pitch bowl and a cheap ball bearing swivel base can act as your engraver's block. you can make your own engravers and use a chasing hammer to engrave your knives. seems like the professional engravers here don't get the idea you have very limited funds and resources that they consider every day options. if you need help ,i will help as i can . maybe some of the other people from the forum will help also once they actually think what your position is.

[fitzo]

bigaustin, you should modify your profile to include your location as China. Your English writing is so good is it not really obvious you are not necessarily in the US.

I had considered recommending hand chasing engravers but thought you had made up your mind on a power impacter. I apologize if I overlooked that. I am a novice at engraving also.

Good luck with your decisions.....

[John B.]

Big Austin,
I, like Fitzo, assumed that you were ONLY interested in power engraving.
All my students start with a hammer and chisel, unless they have a physical handicap. Many continue throughout their career to use this method. It is a fast, cheap and traditional way of engraving. Many earn their living this way.
With a hammer and chisel excelent engraving can be produced. Look at the work of the European engravers. Nearly all of this is done with a hammer and chisel with some push engraving used for bulino scenes. Most of the European engravers are very fast. It takes a little practice. Many of them think that the machines are fun BUT TOO SLOW! Do not feel handicaped using hand methods. With a simple vise mounted on a post that you can walk 360 degrees around, you can get excelent results.
If you mount your gravers in wooden handles try using a small, light rawhide mallet to drive your graver instead of a steel hammer. This gives good results.
It costs almost nothing to build a couple of tools for hammer and/or push engraving. I would advise you to try this method first, before you spend a lot of money buying power equipment, compressors and filters.
Please give it some consideration. Best wishes to you.
JohnB.

[gravertom]

I certainly would recommend learning to use the hammer and chisel/ push gravers too. I am glad I started that way. I had to leave work in a hurry on Friday, and left my handpiece there. I had some outside work that needed doing before noon on saturday. I just sat down under the scope at home, and got going with the hammer and chisel.

I do find some things still faster/ easier with the hammer and chisel, but some things are faster/ easier with the powered graver too.

I have found that it is easier for me to cut nicer scrolls sitting down, but with care, they can be cut well standing up too. I think the more continuous motion of holding the graver with one hand and turning the vice with the other helps me keep the curve smoother. Of course, you can get that result hand pushing scrolls too.

take care,

Tom

[bigaustin]

I can only find some video in the internet about engraving with a power engraver.I don't know what it would be look like work with the hammer and chisel/ push gravers tool. can anybody give some explain or some photo on how to do this,I always think that I have not had enough hand to do this.

PS. I think if I use a hammer and chisel .I would make a new type of vise ,drive is go round and round by my feet.set free my hand ,

[Tom White]

bigaustin,

There are several engravers who do use their feet to turn the vise it is mounted on a device similar to a potters wheel and it really works well. you can eliminate the stop and go when cutting continuous scrolls.

Tom White

[John B.]

Bigaustin,
There is an inexpensive book that will answer most of your questions about gravers, hammers, push gravers, vises, engraving posts and sit-down potters wheel type benches!
This book is "The Basics of Firearms Engraving" by Neil Hartliep. It is available from Brownell's, 200 South Front St, Montezuma, IA 50171. USA. Catalog #108-200-000
$19.95 US plus shipping. Brownell's....www.brownells.com FAX 641-623-3896.
The book is in English, but with your great command of language and the many pictures I think you will do just fine with it. Even though it has "firearms" in the title, the information is applicable to all forms of engraving
Neil was a good friend of mine and also a friend of Scot Pilkington, the man that talked about visiting you in China. Niel was strictly a hammer and chisel engraver and mostly used the foot turned engraving bench. There are good, clear photographs of this and most other tools in the book. Neil passed away several years ago, but he is still missed by his many friends.
Bigaustin, this is the best help I can give you with the distance that seperates us.
My best wishes.
JohnB.

[JJ Roberts]

Big Austin..I like a few of the members thought you were real serious about power tools. Since you are on a limited budget I have an over abundance of hand tools, and information on the art of engraving which I will be more then glad to send you. Please send me your address. Stay in touch with this forum for there are a lot of talented people who will share their knowledge with you. Think of us as being the wind beneath your wings.

Yours truly...JJ Roberts-Manassas, VA