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Old 11-10-2008, 11:11 PM
airamp airamp is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Scottsdale, Az.
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Default Re: AirAmp’s Submission: A Beginners Progress Plans, Tutors Tips, and Informational link

Well I finally got a chance to cut the English scroll see in the scope from last time.

Here it is under the scope and a couple without the scope view.

I am still making dog legs, I did increase the airgraver to 30 lbs and mid range stroke. I think there is improvement from the last English scroll with 10 lbs pressure and light stroke. It was easier to control with a little more practice. It didn’t seem to get away from me too much. Depth is still variable but generally deeper cuts. Some too deep or many not deep enough? Your input would be appreciated.








I had to make some stippling tools so I used #30 hardened drill blanks (that fit the airgraver nicely) and a #26 for hammer. Both were ground by using a foredom # 30 hand piece on a 600 then a 1200 and the tip finished with a 3000 grit.

They cannot be sharp or they will stick so you have to grind them a little blunt, and polish them if you want them to make a nice stipple.






It is nice to have both options both Airgraver and hammer for stippling. Learning from Bryan Bridges you learn both ways which I feel is great.

Bryan mainly uses hammer and Chisel and the Airgraver for removal of the parts close to the cut scroll.

The Flat chisels used to remove the bulk of the material which gives a nice flat bottom to the removal area for stippling.

I didn’t get a chance to set up the Ney hurricane rotary tool to give it a try for back round removal but I will use what I learned for now.

I did spend a day grinding after a class on back round removal and inlaying and decided to grind some flat chisels for the airgraver. I used a jewelers wire gage to get the right sizes for inlaying wire. Here is a wire gage and the 1/8 inch carbide chisel that I ground. They are wire gages number’s 12, 14, 16, 18,and 20 for now. These are, from what I remember, are very common in jewelry silver and gold wire from jewelers supply company’s and have the added benefit of being electrical copper wire sizes for practicing without the cost.






I wanted to do some boarders and decided to experiment a little with the airgraver.

I though it would be cool to be able to make a beginners wiggle boarder using the airgraver so I gave it a try with a M42 and a hss.

I used a M42 115 lindsay point and a HSS 115 to try a wiggle border. I rolled the graver side to side.

Well it worked but broke the point even cutting brass on both the HSS.

That wasn’t too bright.

I did like the way it looked and how brilliant the cut looked. It catches a lot of light.

I then ground a 90 and a 120 with a third heel and relief on a Lindsay point grind with the faceting machine hoping not to break the point on next trial. I also took Steve’s recommendation to use carbide or carbalt since it leaves a bright cut on non ferrous metals and the metal will not plate on the tip.

It seemed to work fine.

Here is a modified Lindsay point.




I used one of my old practice plate to test the flat chisel’s, stipple point’s and my airgraver wiggle point border.

Not the best pictures but you can see the carbide flats cuts very bright, the testing of the stippling points had to be done when grinding them to be sure they worked right and a few bad (broken point wiggles) and some good ones with the modified 3 heel gravers. The thin wiggles were with the 90 and the wider ones are with a 120.










Now that I have more sharpened gravers and stippling points I think I will attempt a Airgraver wiggle border on the English scroll plate I just cut before I move on to the laser transfer plate in the previous post.

Suggestions are welcome and thanks for viewing.
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