[Jewelry making - Article 00769] - Re: [Orchid] GraverMeister, Pneumatic Stone Setting

[Melissa Veres]

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>       At my place of employment we are looking for means of bright cut
>     and bead set that is not so "tendon intensive" as total handwork.
>     GraverMeister appears a good option 

    I would recommend the GraverMax over the Gravermeister.  The
    settings on the Gravermax have a much wider range,  and while it
    needs a separate compressor, you can use that compressor for
    bead-blasting finishes, wax injecting or any other number of uses. 
    Although I use my Gravermax primarily for hand-engraving, I wouldn't
    be without it for doing bead-setting and bright-cutting.  It has
    reduced the stress and strain in my wrist, elbow and shoulder, and
    allowed me to get more work done over a longer time each day than
    was possible when I was just pushing by hand.  An extra added
    advantage is that  your control over the whole  setting process is
    greatly enhanced, since your focus is on control, and not on
    powering through the metal.  Its easier to push up the bead, and
    stop exactly where you want to, and no more cut-off the beads !  GRS
    has some tapes available which demonstrate both their techniques for
    sharpening the bright-cutting flat gravers, and the bright-cut
    technique. 

    Additionally, I have used the Gravermax in place of my hammer
    handpiece, and found that it is easier and more controllable when
    setting heavy bezels and channel-sets.  It does a nice job on
    cutting florentine finishes quickly and evenly, too.  I have both
    the jewelers handpiece, and the 901 handpiece.  The jewelers
    handpiece is probably a good choice for most jewelry applications. 
    The quick change tips are well worth the investment in time, and you
    can quickly change from a planishing punch to a flat graver without
    any trouble.  I have an assortment ready on my bench for any type of
    job that comes up. 

    The people at GRS are really helpful.  They can discuss what your
    shop needs are and be able to advise you on the best set-up for your
    situation.  They offer classes in setting as well as engraving as
    well as a series of tapes. I bought a used model that was available
    from their engraving classes, and have found them to be very
    helpful, for all technical questions. When service was needed, it 
    was done quickly and efficiently.  I have had my machine for 10
    years, and never looked back.  The only downside I can see is that
    since the machine is so powerful, it does require a little practice
    to get the feel of it.  You can remove alot of metal very quickly
    without meaning to!  The compressor can be noisy too, so you may
    need to take that into consideration.  I am not affiliated with the
    company, but I am a very satisfied customer. 


Melissa Veres, Engraver
mveres AT fast.net

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