Vise for hammer & chisel engraving

[Robby]

This is my set up. I am showing it for those that may not want to go to the expense of real engraving equipment at this time. My skills are no where near those of Dave and others, but my mantra in all things is 'do the best you can with what you got'.

Robby

 

[jerrywh]

You might consider a turntable instead of a ball vise.

 

[Josh Sawyer]

Does anyone have any thoughts on something like this? It intrigues me but only if it will work.

GRS Tools 004-628 Multi-Purpose Vise https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VQUKMKG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_i_zs4.Fb8ZEF4AG

Best Regards,

Josh Sawyer

 

[Onojutta]

Does anyone have any thoughts on something like this? It intrigues me but only if it will work.

GRS Tools 004-628 Multi-Purpose Vise https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VQUKMKG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_i_zs4.Fb8ZEF4AG

Best Regards,

Josh Sawyer

That’s not a whole lot different from the vise I mentioned in my original post. The biggest drawback was having to loosen and tighten the thumb screws every time I repositioned the work. That one above would be too low on most workbenches.

 

[toot]

is plenty of ambient light also needed?

 

[Onojutta]

is plenty of ambient light also needed?

I use an adjustable lamp clamped to the workbench with a blue-white LED light bulb. Light with a higher temperature spectrum (5000K+) is closer to natural light and said to be better for detailed work.

But then again, maybe using a candle would be more PC.

 

[Scota@4570]

I cast about 40# of alloy lead in a round salad bowl. That sits in a wooden ring. The wooden ring is attached to a hardware store ball bearing lazy susan. The work holder is a small drill press vice screwed to the lead block. All of my work gets attached to wood blocks with bondo. A fancy vice with pins would not help me. The rig spins smooth. The weight of the lead had enough inertia to resist moving under air graver forces. I spin the work to make scrolls. I do zero engraving with hammer and chisel.

For point source light I use Edison base LED bulbs with the globe removed. The globe is plastic, use a hack saw or bandsaw.