daveq Posted January 1, 2004 Report Share Posted January 1, 2004 I have not been able to find much information on the web concerning tips / techniques on engraving inlay. Thanks to Clavin, I have the right tools and a basic understanding from his tutorial. I was hoping to find things like: methods of transferring the image to the inlay (when you have one to copy) how to hold the graver which direction to push/pull how to do curved lines how deep to engrave on first, second pass how to do large indentations (like a filled in circle) I'm sure some of this is just "whatever works for you" but I wanted to make sure I started out doing things right instead of developing bad habits. Does anyone know where I can find info on these questions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clavin Posted January 1, 2004 Report Share Posted January 1, 2004 I myself have been looking for a very long time. There is just nothing there on the topic. I read the book "Art of Engraving" by MEEKS, which is really the "bible" on the topic, but it is really for metals. Almost nothing solid, save more than a few paragraphs exists for engraving pearl. Q) methods of transferring the image to the inlay (when you have one to copy) A) I draw it on by hand using a led pencil, hardness #8 to get good lines. If you sand out the inlay to anything higher than 400 grit the pencil lead won't stick well. It's too smooth. Polish out your inlays to no higher than 300-350, very very well, to get all the scrathches out, then draw/engrave. You can go over it a little afterwards with a slightly higher grit, but no more than 400, and for very very little, or you'll sand away all your work. Q) how to hold the graver? 1) The graver is sharp when you can place the point it on a fingernail and it doesn't move. It grips. Good even sharpness is the key, as any odd areas on the graver will make for messy lines, and not track properly. I hold the graver wooden base in the palm of my hand, and keep the point at about a 25-45 degree angle when pushing through the shell. My fingers are wrapped around it on both sides My second hand index finger as a "backer" to make it track under control. The higher the angle, the deeper the initial cut, so it's best to keep the angle real slight (= lower angle) until you get a good single cut to start on. Q) which direction to push/pull? A) You never pull. It's only push, and very light pushing at that. The graver should slowly glide across the pearl surface as you carefully an precisely guid it. This goes for any parts of your inlay- curves, etc.. you may have to reposition yourself to get curves clean, etc.. but it's all straight push, to varying depth, etc.. Q) how to do curved lines A) see above- no special hints/tricks here. Sorry. It takes ALOT of time, and patience. Q) how deep to engrave on first, second pass A) Shallow enough to make a line accurate to your image the first pass, then depending on how bold the line needs to be, slightly deeper the next. Each pass deepens the cut, therefore widening the lines. If your first cut is a little sloppy, you can even it out on the next pass, but remember there is no going back and starting over. Diligence is the key here. Q) how to do large indentations (like a filled in circle) A) Literally scratch away the entire area, and fill with your filler. Be careful to make your outer pattern exactly the way you want it. The inside dark areas aren't as important, but for solid black you'll need to get every little bit below the surface level of the outside surrounding pearl, otherwise white will show through. More on engraving soon. I may post pics from a current non-completed project which is in the final engraving stages. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveq Posted January 1, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2004 Thanks Craig - that's good info. I guess there just isn't any info available on the web. Maybe the experts don't want to give any info out? Seems wierd since having the info is only part of the issue - having the talent, time put in, ... are the others. Maybe that's not it though - maybe the experts just don't have the time or inclination to publish their knowledge. Anyway - you have once again been very helpful. Thank you very much. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtis P Posted January 3, 2004 Report Share Posted January 3, 2004 kinda a little off topic, but still about engraving, when i go to build a custom case, if i engraved it, i was planning on just painting the case black, over the engraving and everything, will it show up then? if not, i was going to get a peice of 4 x 4 inch brass (left over from a guitar project) and get my neame engraved into it and screw it onto the top right corner, that way might look really proffesional, maybe or maybe not?? Curtis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clavin Posted March 26, 2004 Report Share Posted March 26, 2004 Here it is. I bumped it up, I think. Check out the blue shark tutorial as well on the inlays pages, it shows the tools. Craig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Headen Posted March 28, 2004 Report Share Posted March 28, 2004 Clavin...Did you ever consider writing a book? It could cover all aspects of inlaying...it'd be really long, but I'd definitely buy it. Just a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clavin Posted March 28, 2004 Report Share Posted March 28, 2004 No time. Too busy trying to become more known as an inlay artist first. I do appreciate the coments. Stew Mac sells a few good books. Art of Inlay, by Larry Robinson (THE best/most incredibly prolific inlay artist in the US, maybe the world) is one of them. You should check out. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Headen Posted April 7, 2004 Report Share Posted April 7, 2004 I have it, but he leaves out a few things in the book. He doesn't give any detail about engraving, and that's what I'm interested in...I'm doing other work, but I've never tried engraving for fear of screwing up a lot of work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clavin Posted April 8, 2004 Report Share Posted April 8, 2004 He (Larry) recommends the Meek book. I guess you can start there, I learned a lot more by just doing it alot, and asking others how they engrave. Be afraid to ruin pieces. It makes you go slow and do things right. It's a healthy anxiety. That's part of it. I have engraved on almost every piece you have ever seen from me, and almost every piece on my site has some. You need to do it to get better, just like everyting else. Start out simple, go gently/lightly, and take hours to do it depending on the complexity. I think people tend to rush engraving, which is why there are so few masters. I am far, far from a master engraver. I am still very much a beginner. Master engravers do things like monetary patterns for the mint. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imunwell2 Posted April 8, 2004 Report Share Posted April 8, 2004 I have not been able to find much information on the web concerning tips / techniques on engraving inlay. Thanks to Clavin, I have the right tools and a basic understanding from his tutorial. I was hoping to find things like: methods of transferring the image to the inlay (when you have one to copy) how to hold the graver which direction to push/pull how to do curved lines how deep to engrave on first, second pass how to do large indentations (like a filled in circle) I'm sure some of this is just "whatever works for you" but I wanted to make sure I started out doing things right instead of developing bad habits. Does anyone know where I can find info on these questions? I've looked all over for that tutorial. Can you hook me up with a link? Or, email it to me? PLEASE? harrybrown43@hotmail.com Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clavin Posted April 8, 2004 Report Share Posted April 8, 2004 http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/cinlay.htm Is the link. Really what you need is the graver, the graver handles ( I have since started using them again) and a good filler material. Either inks, or wax type paste. I saw that Luthier's Mercantile offers an engraving guide recently, although I have not had a chance to read it yet. I am pretty confident in my technique, but I will read it. You can go to their site and look up engraving tools. It's in that area. Here is the shark after even more inlay was added, and I did some more engraving, added the gills, etc.. The luthier put a big scratch down the blue material with a fretsaw, and I had to repair it. I did that by using liquid CA, and adding the little silver dust "plankton" and a few fish to add to the scene over the damaged area. You can't notice it now. . I added the gills (don't know how I forgot THAT the first time!! and some nose detail. I also added some chimera shaped fret markers out of gold and black pearl to "join" the one up top to the blue shark at the fingerboard end. It makes everything look more cohesive. The gold edging is counter-positioned to the black, as far as refractivity goes, so they have a ton of flash as the fingerboard moves. Here is the upper chimaera again as well... All the whit spots are engraved, as is each individual piece to add contrast. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imunwell2 Posted April 8, 2004 Report Share Posted April 8, 2004 http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/cinlay.htm Is the link. Really what you need is the graver, the graver handles ( I have since started using them again) and a good filler material. Either inks, or wax type paste. I saw that Luthier's Mercantile offers an engraving guide recently, although I have not had a chance to read it yet. I am pretty confident in my technique, but I will read it. You can go to their site and look up engraving tools. It's in that area. Here is the shark after even more inlay was added, and I did some more engraving, added the gills, etc.. The luthier put a big scratch down the blue material with a fretsaw, and I had to repair it. I did that by using liquid CA, and adding the little silver dust "plankton" and a few fish to add to the scene over the damaged area. You can't notice it now. . I added the gills (don't know how I forgot THAT the first time!! and some nose detail. I also added some chimera shaped fret markers out of gold and black pearl to "join" the one up top to the blue shark at the fingerboard end. It makes everything look more cohesive. The gold edging is counter-positioned to the black, as far as refractivity goes, so they have a ton of flash as the fingerboard moves. Here is the upper chimaera again as well... All the whit spots are engraved, as is each individual piece to add contrast. Craig Now that is good stuff. YOU ARE THE MAN! Oh, thanks for the link!! I'll look into the tools after I read the tutorial about 10 times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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