[Jewelry making - Article 00921] - Re: [Orchid] Freehand engraving using flat engraving machine

[kisnerfc]

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Andy,

    I have been doing this on a hermes pantograph for years. Line
    drawings are, after all, just lines. Any line I trace will be
    reproduced smaller on the metal. I have found that it is best to
    have a drawing at least 3 times as large as the desired finished
    size. 5 times is better if it can be made to fit on the type table.
    The larger size minimizes the natural shake of my hand trying to
    follow the lines. 

    Just over 100 years ago, there was an engraving machine that
    featured a way of doing this. They included a clear plastic piece
    that you could put over the picture so you didn't cut into the paper
    with the tracer. When you were done with all the outlines, you could
    flip over the plastic. The back had a pattern of parallel grooves.
    You place the grooves in an appropriate direction and slide the
    tracer along grooves over parts of the picture to produce even
    shading. For deeper shading, you could reposition the plastic to
    another direction and engrave again for a cross-hatched effect. 

    Lately, I've been trying to learn hand engraving. Using a light
    touch, I engrave the pattern, lettering, picture on the metal using
    the pantograph. Then I mount it on the hand-graver's ball and start
    on the cutting. 

Francis
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