Did quite a variety of tasks today.

First, I fired up my CAD program and worked on some DIY templates for graver grinding/ sharpening. Once done, I went online and looked for people who can cut acrylic to the specifics for me. Went to the online shop which I had dealt with before. After inputting the measurements, I got a shock by the exorbitant price stated on the screen. That made me decide I don’t really need it after all.

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*UPDATE @ 09:23PM*

I went back to the website again and realised that I have mixed up the measuring unit. I input my measurements in MM while the website is using CM. No wonder the price was so ridiculously high this morning.

I will work on a few more templates before sending all of them over to be laser cut.

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Heel Assist!

With my CAD program, I made a little holder to easily put a 15 degree or a 20 degree heel for my 90 degree square graver and round graver. Because the heel needed on a graver is a mere fraction of a millimetre, this simple holder works wonderfully.

With it, I put a 15 degree heel on my 90 degree square graver, which wasn’t cutting quite nicely previously because I kind of messed up with the heel. With a new heel, my graver now cuts a lot better than before! Nice.

Round Graver Sharpening Holder

The final part of my 2mm round graver sharpening holder finally arrived this evening; a 10mm hollow tube with thread. While it fits nicely into the back of the holder, its threading is way too narrow for the nuts I have bought. Doesn’t matter. I can still fasten the nut at the very beginning of the tube. That means after I glued the tube into the holder, I will shorten it leaving only the tiniest bit just enough to secure the holder to the template with the nut.

First “Hobo Nickel”

One of the main reasons why I’ve decided to pick up engraving is so that I can do some engraving on coins aka “hobo nickels”. This afternoon, I’ve finally managed to produce my first engraved coin.

The subject is a pair of calla lilies. Didn’t really plan anything too crazy because I came up with the subject very much on the spot. In fact, it was because I was trying out the rotating sander bit when I saw the coin that was on my table all these while. After sanding off the details on the coin, I was eager to just engrave something on it.

When I am done with it, although it is still nothing but a practice, somehow engraving done on the coin felt a lot more like a “complete work” than just engraving on copper plates. I think I’m going to just engrave on coins from now on.

I should also prepare the coin better by sanding the surface up properly before I start.