Hi Rick. I am happy you back. I built my first engraving machine following your steps. I keep engraving since then. Chinese handles use 6mm collets while GRS stuff is 6.35mm(1/4'). Someone did analysis of this Chinese handle and found it is poorly plated inside which means chrome will pill of in the future. I think with all modifications building one from scratch is more efficient way especially when you have a lathe and a milling machine. After bein introduced to engraving for 5 years I learned some things I want to share. The machine you built is good as a start and for stone setting. I was able to make something with it(when I look on my work today it looks terrible). The goal is not to cut big chunks of metal. Usually engravers do it in several passes (you have better control if you not take much). The important thing is shading. Where you start from invisible line and slowly deepen the tool widening the cut. This type of machine will not make it. This is mainly why hi-end machines are so expensive. I played with springs making it very weak, made pistons from Teflon with steel core in order to reduce weight, but even 5 gram piston hit too hard. Finally I purchased a handle from someone who is engraver and knows what he is building. Thank you for sharing your experience. Watching you many people will start interesting in getting into engraving What can be better?.

@ralex397

Ай бұрын

Thats all this is, a starter kit. Im not an engraver and only needed it to do a few projects and didn't want to spend a grand or more on something I would only use a few times. Im sure if I engraved for a living I would have both GRS and Lindsay. Im glad you liked the videos.

@hisnameisiam808

21 күн бұрын

​@@ralex397agreed! How much did you spend and how much to build your engraving machine?

@ralex397

21 күн бұрын

@@hisnameisiam808 The first machine I built was a little over $100, now it costs a more to build one, but still should be under $200.

@hisnameisiam808

21 күн бұрын

@@ralex397 awesome! I'm watching how you did it right now. I'm a novice as well to this whole engraving thing but I need to be able to do it and on the cheap! Now I'm hoping the Chinese knock off handheld isn't too expensive either!

hi Rick God bless your retorn,bacuse your teaching l made my handpiece,your teaching very simple and wonderfull,thank you Rick 😃 l am very happy with your retorn,with your videos and teaching to us, God bless you more and more Sr.Rick and your family.

Bought one from you several years ago. Still working like it should. Very pleased to see another video from you. Like to see more from you.

@ralex397

11 ай бұрын

Thanks! Good to hear your hand-piece is still working!

Hello Rick! I have a handmade engraving machine with car air pump. I use a chinese clone handpiece for 3 years now and works like a charm. I did different modofications that i would like to share with you so you can give a try. First i sanded the piston, because it was too snug and didn't move freely. I didnt cut it down,but i used a more light spring, shorter but i pulled it from both sides so it was more elongated,i dont know if it sound right. When the chamber of the piston is very screwed it has a light touch,and the more you unscrew it has significantly more impact. Almost fully unscrewd it has alot of power,i use it as a hammer for stone Setting. When i first started i also made a lighter piston that i use with a longer spring,wich has a light touch. But honestly reducing the chamber lenght allows me to have variations on impact that suits me for different type o work. I hope my comment is helpful and keep uo the good work

@ralex397

11 ай бұрын

Thats what this video was all about, to show that the Chinese Clone HP's can be used with this system. I think too many people give up them because they don't run right out of the box, and just replacing the spring is not enough to get it to run right. Feel free to post all your mods and upgrades, it may help someone get their HP working. Thanks for the comment!

@OroaMano

11 ай бұрын

No pain no gain.... :D

@TheRavensEyes

6 ай бұрын

Question. What did you do for the air pump? I just got the cheap handpiece shown in the video and not sure if I should bother connecting it to my giant air compressor especially if it needs to be oscillating air bursts. What kind of set up did you hook it up to?

@OroaMano

6 ай бұрын

Look for older videos of Rick,there is a tutorial

I'm a starter and I appreciate this video i do jewelry and my engraver is not giving me what I expected but first thing tomorrow I will try that with my Chinese gravers thanks a lot 👏

@ralex397

2 ай бұрын

Please note that the modified Chinese hand-piece only works with the Home Made Hand Engraving Machine, it wont work with a GRS clone, or regular compressed air.

Thanks.

awesome, i'm predicting if you cut leaving just 2 sections of the piston, it will wack harder

@ralex397

11 ай бұрын

It''s real close, it wont take much to get it going good. Taking some out of the inside would also help to lighten it up.

@ralex397

11 ай бұрын

Yep, machined the piston to weigh 3.85 grams, WOW, now it "wack's hard"! another video coming soon...

Good

Sounds like the clone graver holder is 6mm instead of 1/4 inch. By the way I’m guessing you play classical or bluegrass guitar. Some type of finger-picking anyway.

@ralex397

11 ай бұрын

Good eye, built in guitar picks, love my nylon string Taylor!

I'm confused about what you did my spring is the first piece I put in and the piston after and it didn't work 😞

@ralex397

2 ай бұрын

With the Home-Made Hand Engraving Machine the spring goes in after the piston, it acts as a shock absorber and help regulate and tune the hand piece. It will not run on a GRS type system or on regular compressed air. See this video; kzread.info/dash/bejne/eGV6usyOddWpYbw.html

I think you need to cut the spring to shorten it.

Further to my previous comment, Rick manages to prove what I said by lightening the piston to suit his lighter spring

I have this Chinese one after modify chamber and piston it work

@laurentwaldie194

4 ай бұрын

What did you have to do?

Sir one question. Will the homemade engraving machine, engrave steel ? Thanks for the video.

@ralex397

6 ай бұрын

Yes, kzread.info/dash/bejne/fpikkrmyl8bPcbw.html

great job I leave subscriptions, also I sent you an email, best regards David

@ralex397

7 ай бұрын

Thanks!

Hello, I would like to have one of them. Can you write me the address and the price?

@ralex397

11 ай бұрын

www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832734041196.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt email me at; ralex397@hotmail.com for free blueprints and drawings.

It sucks to be the first viewer just after a video is uploaded because there is no closed captioning yet...

@ralex397

11 ай бұрын

Thank for commenting!

It’s not engraving because your attach angle is way to high. You need to be way down almost parallel with your fingertips on the graver. You’re holding it like an old GRS pencil style hand piece. They cut way better at a low angle but you gotta match your heels to that

@ralex397

2 ай бұрын

I'm not here to show how to engrave, I'm here to show how I built my machine. There are many excellent engravers on YT for learning how to engrave. kzread.info?search_query=shaun+hughes+engraving

@Laheyfinegoods

2 ай бұрын

@@ralex397 was t trying to be judgy! Things just get over looked sometimes and sometimes that takes a second eye!. I’ve altered my hand piece like you did to optimize! Even a Lindsey has its pros and cons

Why would you put a lighter spring than the one supplied and then say it not working well. Surely the spring to piston weight ratio is a design factor. We didn't see the machine as designed. we didn't see it run as it was supplied

@ralex397

11 ай бұрын

The spring that comes with the Chinese hand piece is way to heavy. Watch my other videos they show exactly how this machine works.