Rotary tool engraving

[Kipper4]

So I ordered a kit of diamond burrs and another of High speed steel burrs.

I'm thinking of doing an engine type tuning finish on the box with some engraving.

I have plenty of spare boxs. I'll practice on the inside of box lids for now.

Looking for advice.
What to do.
What not to do.

Please share your experiences with dremel engraving.
Thanks
Rich

[R.G.]

Engine turning is a simple, if time consuming step.
(1) make up an engine turning tool. This is a flat ended cylinder chucked into a drill press (for example). The cylinder has some kind of pad on its end that holds abrasive grit. You put your surface to be "turned" under the tool, lower the tool and make one abraded "spin" mark. Raise tool, move the surface about half a tool diameter,  then run another spin, overlapping the first. Raise tool, move part, another 'spin". When you reach the end of this line of spins, start another overlapping row.

It help tremendously if you are using a drill press and not a mill if you set up a fence so you can slide the work in a straight line for each spin, then move the fence to make another straight-line rows. Originally, machine turning was done on a real mill, so making even, consistent overlaps and rows was easy. Machine turning was an attempt to get surfaces to hold more oil film.

A small CNC engraver/mill would make this very simple to do, except on rounded corners.

It's possible to make the tool from something like a pencil with eraser for small diameter "spins", or a wooden dowel with cork glued on for larger diameters. You'll want to use some kind of lubricant (oil is traditional, but water might work) on the surface to be turned, to keep from loading up your tool with metal shavings. You'll have to re-up the tool with abrasive from time to time, or maybe spread a lubricant/abrasive paste in an even coating over the surface. the paste would auto-re-charge the tool's pad.

When done, clean all the lubricant/abrasive up very thoroughly.

[davent]

Joe Gagan used to have some demos up of using a Dremel and bit to carve into, engrave aluminum boxes.
dave

[anotherjim]

I worked with someone once who liked to finish metalwork with circular patterns made by hand using a glass fibre stick. Same idea as the little burnishing brushes but thicker bundles of fibres held in a sleeve.
https://www.eraser.com/products/fiberglass-brushes-erasers/br2f-eraser-fine-stick-brush-2/

[PRR]

You are planning "spotting". Engine turning involves an "engine" which cuts arithmetic patterns with a single-point tool.

https://www.circuitousroot.com/artifice/machine-shop/surface-finishing/engine-turning-vs-spotting/index.html

[Myampgoesto12]

First off, always wear PPE, metal shavings can get everywhere when engraving. As far as engraving like letters or specific shapes or even simple pictures, its best to use use a fine, but round ended diamond coated taper bit. I've found that its worth replacing a bit a couple of times over having a blade bit dig too deep or walk. Light and repetive passes to avoid bit walk. There's definitely a feel involved, and with aluminium enclosures it'll require a lighter touch than with steel. Use a vice for stability and to keep noise down. I've used gun oil with success, but anything that's clear enough to see what your doing through should work fine.

I've seen some cool pitted textures within engraved images done with a small drill bit in a drill press with a depth stopper set,  takes time but its a cool mini ball hammered look. You dont have to use the depth stopper, that can add to realy good looking texture, its just difficult to control i feel. Some people do one pass with randomly placed pits, not covering the space entirely, at one depth, then do a another pass at another depth, etc. You can even change bit diameters for a more organic result.

[DIY Bass]

If you have a pattern that you want to do, then using the photocopier transfer trick to lay the pattern on to the surface can give you a really good idea of what you intended to do.  Also, hanging the tool body above the work and using a flex shaft (so that the flex shaft is at nearly full stretch) seems to give a lot more ease/freedom to the work.

[Kipper4]

Thanks guys.
Just taking it all in.

Great stuff R.G. as always.
PPR you are spot on. (Did you see what I did there?)
In the past Ive done this with my pillar drill with a mandrel whos end is covered in a jiffy (green kitchen abrasive pad) It worked well on mild steel.

Some good pointers there though. Thanks guys.

[Kipper4]

Not related but I'm sure it's of intrest to some of you.
From my days as a wood turner. A couple of chinese balls.



Not carved turned from a single pieces of wood.

[Kipper4]

Have you all seen such a thing as this before?

http://youtu.be/xtsbspW73uc

[EBK]

Have you all seen such a thing as this before?

http://youtu.be/xtsbspW73uc

I couldn't get past the collectible coin (buffalo nickel) he was about to deface, whether permanently or not.

[PRR]

> I couldn't get past the collectible coin (buffalo nickel) he was about to deface, whether permanently or not.

Peers to be a deep permanent defacement.

But that slug is not even close to "good", and >1934 is worth less than $1. If I deface a $1 box, nobody cries.

Yes, a 1915 S is $50-$500; '21 S more. But I remember 1930s Buffalos still in everyday circulation.

[EBK]

> I couldn't get past the collectible coin (buffalo nickel) he was about to deface, whether permanently or not.

Peers to be a deep permanent defacement.

But that slug is not even close to "good", and >1934 is worth less than $1. If I deface a $1 box, nobody cries.

Yes, a 1915 S is $50-$500; '21 S more. But I remember 1930s Buffalos still in everyday circulation.

Plenty of 5¢ nickels available, and a $1 box is not a collectible.  While it is not on par with a tragedy, it doesn't have to be "valuable" to be an unnecessary waste.

[Kipper4]

Anybody tried the parchment paper trick? 

[hoi]

Never knew what this type of finish was called. Very cool! I've got a cnc machine that I can try it on.
I like this guy's setup: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqCr3U8meSY