Pantograph Engravers?

HMF

HMF

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I've become fascinated by these machines- many wetre made by Gorton.

What would a home shop guy do with one of these?

Should a HSM shop have one?



Nelson
 
They are fairly large and very specialized machines and about all you can do is engrave text with them, very well I might add. In my opinion the floor space one would occupy would be much better served by a piece of machinery more versatile and productive. Unless of course floor space is no object. BTW, there are a lot of those engravers on the market now because they've been rendered obsolete by small computer controlled engravers.

Tom
 
Bill over at the Torchmate company sells a copy of his original pantograph for Oxy /Acetylene torches. The company is Torchmate.com and has been bought by Lincoln recently. Bill still owns Applied Robotics I think, but the plans are still available through them. Hope this helps or at least gives you an alternative.
Bob
 
TLGriff said:
They are fairly large and very specialized machines and about all you can do is engrave text with them, very well I might add. In my opinion the floor space one would occupy would be much better served by a piece of machinery more versatile and productive. Unless of course floor space is no object. BTW, there are a lot of those engravers on the market now because they've been rendered obsolete by small computer controlled engravers.

Tom
Click to expand...

Not quite.
2D models are suitable for engraving, 3D models were used extensively for modeling by the use of endmills. I used to run one years ago and built cavity's for tons of injection molds from pot handles (wearever pots and pans), to engraved text and pockets and curved surfaces that were way to complex for early CNC's. I made the mold for the Colt Delta elite pistol grips years ago on a Gorton.
We would typically make a template (2-10X finished size) of the part using step methods and then use riffler files to smooth and blend the levels together. We would then mount the template on the template table of the machine, affix the proper sized stylus in the tracer head and the proper size cutter in the other, free up the 2D/3D lock and start cutting the cavity or core that we wanted that was mounted on the cutting side table. To leave finish stock you calculate the finish stock of say .005 per side then multiply it by the cutting ratio say 3X size (.015 x2) and you make the roughing stylus that much bigger which in effect moves the cutter .005 away from the finished wall, you then change stylus back to the original size and trim only the outer sides and bottom. When your template is 3X times the final size then your error is reduced also. If the part comes out small simply change the tracing stylus accordingly. The secret to buying a pantograph is to make sure the spindle bearings and the graduations on the arms are perfect, if the graduations for sizing are wore off, the machine is basically useless.
 
Last edited:
McRuff said:
Not quite.
2D models are suitable for engraving, 3D models were used extensively for modeling by the use of endmills. I used to run one years ago and built cavity's for tons of injection molds from pot handles (wearever pots and pans), to engraved text and pockets and curved surfaces that were way to complex for early CNC's. I made the mold for the Colt Delta elite pistol grips years ago on a Gorton.
We would typically make a template (2-10X finished size) of the part using step methods and then use riffler files to smooth and blend the levels together. We would then mount the template on the template table of the machine, affix the proper sized stylus in the tracer head and the proper size cutter in the other, free up the 2D/3D lock and start cutting the cavity or core that we wanted that was mounted on the cutting side table. To leave finish stock you calculate the finish stock of say .005 per side then multiply it by the cutting ratio say 3X size (.015 x2) and you make the roughing stylus that much bigger which in effect moves the cutter .005 away from the finished wall, you then change stylus back to the original size and trim only the outer sides and bottom. When your template is 3X times the final size then your error is reduced also. If the part comes out small simply change the tracing stylus accordingly. The secret to buying a pantograph is to make sure the spindle bearings and the graduations on the arms are perfect, if the graduations for sizing are wore off, the machine is basically useless.
Click to expand...

I was actually referring to the 2D models since that's what's commonly available, although I did build a 3D pantograph of my own recently to make a set of grips for my 45. Not sure if I'll have the opportunity to use it for another project or not, but at least it's small and easily stored so it won't take much room in my shop.

Tom
 
I have a tabletop Green about 40 years old, that I have used for engraving Bakelite panels for 1920s radios. It does best in brittle materials, not so well in tough ones.
 
Modern CNC's have the advantage hands down. No template required. If you have a use for much engraving, or 3D, which is really more carving than engraving, then CNC is the way to go. Of course, as mentioned, if space is no object, and you don't mind making templates, then go for it. Nothing wrong with old school in the hobby shop.
 
I have it on good authority that they make decent vertical milling machines.
 
Part of our manufacturing business is engraving. I have set up engravers for light milling operations several times. One such time was to cut double D holes in a plastic box for a heyco strain relief, until a production die could be produced.
 
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