Greg B Posted September 1, 2017 Report Share Posted September 1, 2017 Wassail! Thank you for approving my request to join the forum. I am Torc (preferred name but I'll respond to either) and I am a fledgeling stone scratcher. I picked up this hobby out of a necessity for something I could not find anywhere else. I had been searching the internet for someone to make a small custom runestone with no success. I had looked into various mediums but the purpose of the runestone warranted the material be something that will last and be handed down. I have some background in acid etching, my folks having a business in it when I was a youth. I was going to try my hand at etching stone in the same fashion as we did glass and this led me to the local granite countertop company to buy some scrap pieces to work with, this having a mixed result. I found out that the acid etching idea would not work on the black granite as I was intending, but I could have as much of the scrap that I wanted for free. This lead me to purchase a Dremel engraver and back to the net to find others to learn from. I reside in the Cincinnati area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessica Posted September 1, 2017 Report Share Posted September 1, 2017 Hi Greg, A Dremel engraver is without a flex cable, right? Did the shop where you got it say that it's suited for stone carving? I'm not all that experienced in stone work but for engraving I'd suggest diamond burrs and wet carving. But I would advise against it if you don't use a flex shaft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim K Jordan Posted September 1, 2017 Report Share Posted September 1, 2017 Welcome Torc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg B Posted September 1, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2017 Yes. It's commonly used for putting names on tools but I seen quite a few people use them. They are impact driven and work pretty well so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg B Posted September 2, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2017 5 hours ago, Jessica said: Thank you for the welcome. Here is the piece I just turned out this evening. Looks like it would wear out a non-diamond bit in a piece or two. https://photos.app.goo.gl/THencHu1XZVgHtMn1 ========== Hi Greg, A Dremel engraver is without a flex cable, right? Did the shop where you got it say that it's suited for stone carving? I'm not all that experienced in stone work but for engraving I'd suggest diamond burrs and wet carving. But I would advise against it if you don't use a flex shaft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim K Jordan Posted September 4, 2017 Report Share Posted September 4, 2017 So if I understand you correctly, the Dremel tool you are using is the vibratory kind? Buzzes and impacts the surface with a non rotating point, right? I think if you want to actually carve the runes deeper you might try a pencil grinder with diamond bits. HARBOR freight has a decent air grinder for around $30, a set of 50 diamond plated bits sells for under $20. Of course, you would need an air compressor too. But that way you could safely cut with a water spray to keep the dust down. You don't want to breath rock dust... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg B Posted September 4, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2017 Jim, Yes, it's the non-rotary engraver. Was a quicker/cheaper route to start out with. Doesn't do too bad for doing the outline work. Thank you for the recommendations on equipment. Here is the first runestone practice. Took about two hours from drawing to done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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