Small Engraving by Hand

[Brian Hutchings]

I'm building a 1 1/2 inch to the foot model of an 1858 Burrell-Boydell traction engine and need a pair of small nameplates. I asked a commercial shop for a price and they quoted £125.00 each ($165.00USD) so I abandoned that idea.
Then an Alexander 3A engraving and diesinking machine came up for sale near me so I bought it.
I made a paper drawing 6 times larger than the nameplates needed to be and covered it in adhesive film. I then followed the drawing with a hand guided stylus.
The trial plate isn't acceptable but showed that it can be done.
The stylus dug into the adhesive film, probably because England is very hot at the moment and the engraving depth is not quite right but I now know why so I shall try again shortly.
The attachment gives some idea of the project.
Brian

 

[T Bredehoft]

Isn't is grand when we discover new ways to accomplish success! Keep at it you'll get it done. Perhpas try doubling your source drawing, cutting errors in half.

 

[brino]

The first one is always just practice, right?

I did a search on "Alexander 3A engraving" over at lathes.co.uk and found nothing useful.
Could you post a picture of the machine?
Thanks,
-brino

 

[chips&more]

I have done your challenge many times before. I have a Gorton pantograph. Maybe try and make a plastic not brass at 3 times the ratio. The plastic will give less resistance to the cutter making its passes in the plastic. And hence give you a better chance to guide the stylus. Then you will have a template in plastic that can be easily touched up if needed for the really thing in brass @ 3 to 1. Good Luck!...Dave

Also, maybe, try and glue down your copy on plastic, then go over the paths carefully with a Dremel fitted with a small ball burr making a path for the stylus.

 

[Brian Hutchings]

Hello Brino, Lathes do the manual for my machine but it is a copy of a Deckel (GK 21 I believe). With luck here is a picture of mine. You can see my drawing on one table and in the background is the other table with a cutter above it. Not visible in the picture is the mechanism for rocking the whole top end of the machine to provide the Z axis. This can be locked when only 2D is required.

 

[Brian Hutchings]

Thanks for the suggestions Chips & More, I'll keep that in mind. For now, I've enlarged the drawing to 10X which means I can use a plastic letter template with 1/2" letters that should reduce down to 0.050" on the actual job.
I'm using a scratchproof cover for a mobile 'phone to cover the parts of the drawing I'm working on. This is just to do another test while I try tp get hold of something similar but bigger, Maybe a cover for a tablet or laptop.
I'll let you know how I get on.
Brian

 

[brino]

You can see my drawing on one table and in the background is the other table with a cutter above it.

Thanks!
I saw a Gorton one recently at my local used tool place it sold pretty quick.
I have never used one but am fascinated with them and would like to try one.

Then you will have a template in plastic that can be easily touched up if needed for the really thing in brass @ 3 to 1. Good Luck!...Dave

That's a neat idea.......I wonder if a 3D printed template would work........hmmm.....

-brino

 

[Brian Hutchings]

Brino, no reason why a 3D printed template shouldn't work, in fact you could use a 3D model to make a metal one on these machines. Unfortunately most do not do 1 to 1 but if you made the printed model bigger, then you could reduce down to make a metal one.
Not obvious from the pictures, is the fact that these are 3D machines and, just like a printed model is built up in layers so can one of these machines be used to machine in layers.
I should point out that I am no expert, in fact just a few months ago I didn't even know they existed but the engraved nameplates that I am working on were the original reason for buying one.
They have been superceded by CNC machines and are often sold off cheap as being obsolete for industry.
Brian

 

[phill05]

They have been superceded by CNC machines and are often sold off cheap as being obsolete for industry.

Brian, I can cut you a master in plastic if you want one only cost you the plastic sheet plus postage, I used to use a machine same as yours and now it stands collecting dust in the corner of the workshop, I built a CNC and use this now.

Phill

 

[Brian Hutchings]

Many thanks for that reply Phil, I may just take you up on that, but for now I'm having a play with the 'follow the drawing ouline' method.
Brian