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The tools involved in engraving:
Engravers use special cutting tools to create a pattern on hard materials, such as plastic, glass, wood or metal.
There are many different methods that engravers can use to finish a job, including hand engraving, power-assisted hand engraving, chasing hammer engraving, and laser engraving. Many different cutters can also be used depending on the type of material and intricacy of style needed.
The most common engraving tool is a diamond graver, which is a diamond-tipped cutter mainly used for scribing names onto trophies. The diamond graver is non-rotating and actually scratches its way through the metal, usually brass or aluminium, by the application of downwards pressure from the user. Diamond graving is for fine work as the tip only comes in one size (about 10 thou) and therefore is limiting and time consuming if a broad stroke is required. To achieve a broader stroke, the letters can be traced a number of times.
Another very common and more precise engraving tool than diamond gravers is the rotary cutter (similar to a router bit). Chiefly used on metals and plastics, rotary cutters have one cutting edge and are fed into a motorized spindle to allow accurate cutting to width and depth.
A cross between the diamond graver and rotary cutter is the burnisher, which works much the same as the rotary cutter, on a motor-driven spindle, yet doesn't actually cut into the metal. Producing wider strokes than the diamond graver, the burnisher basically marks the surface of the metal - usually on coated metals to expose the bare metal - for decorative effects on trophies and plaques. The burnisher is constructed of carbide into four facets to create a smooth cutting/rubbing head. |
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