Manish YadavThere are different types of DIY metal engraving tools (manual and mechanical)
DIY metal engraving tools come in a wide range. They can be manual, machine, or laser engraving tools.
While laser engraving is expensive and used for businesses, manual or machine engraving tools are budget-friendly which can be used by anyone. These tools are even best suited for beginners.
This article is focused on DIY metal engraving tools, and you can find details related to manual or machine engraving tools.
I have not covered laser engraving because it’s expensive, and of course, it’s not DIY.
Machine engraving tool:-
If you’re looking to complete your work faster with fewer efforts, then machine engraving is your key.
Indeed the mechanical tools are comparatively expensive to manual ones and require electricity, but if your look forward to the ease of use and time-consumption, they’re worth it.
Electrical Carver:-
A Carver is made of metal with a sharp edge used to write and carve designs on metals. When we fit this on a rotatory machine, it becomes mechanical.
Have you ever seen a drill machine? We can change the metal tips of the machine to select the size of a hole we want to make in a wall.
An electrical carver is the same thing. We can change the metal tip to get our desired carving size.
Rotatory Burs and Bits:-
These are metal tips that come in various shapes like oval, round, flat, pointed, or more.
Just like we add different shapes of metal tips on a drill machine.
Rotatory Burs and Bits fit on an electrical carver that rotates, and we can use it accordingly to get the desired designs.
That’s is all you need for machine engraving. An electronic device that rotates and a few metal tips are used to carve designs.
There is always a risk of exposure when using mechanical products. So you’ll need a few types of safety equipment too.
Safety Equipment:-
1. Dust mask:-
You’ll notice a burning smell and dust while carving. It isn’t very pleasant and will disturb your work for sure.
It’s advisable to use a face mask while working. It doesn’t have to be a professional mask. Even a normal one will do. Just make sure it’s enough to solve the problem.
2. Antifog safety glasses:-
You don’t want those little pieces of metal hitting your eyes. Even the dust is enough to disturb your work.
The reason I’m suggesting antifog glasses is that the Fog will form on your glasses due to the evaporating vapors from your mask.
If you use normal glasses, you have to clean them regularly. That’s why antifog glasses are advisable.
That’s all you need for safety while carving on metals.
Manual engraving tools:-
Manual engraving tools are much cheaper and hardly need any safety equipment.
You need to give more effort, and it’s time-consuming as well, but still, a lot of people use these tools to carve amazing designs. That is impossible with mechanical tools, and even beginners can use them easily.
These are some of the best manual DIY metal engraving tools:-
1. Scraper:-
It’s an extremely pointed piece of metal used to scrape away the metal surface or clean it.
Most scrapers I had seen are like screwdrivers, they got a handle to hold, and an extremely pointed tip used to scratch metals.
You can use it to carve lines or scratch the metal. It works the best for those tiny spots.
2. Scorper:-
A scorper doesn’t have a pointed tip like a scraper. It’s a little wider and used to carve larger areas when engraving metal with hand.
It comes in multiple shapes, including flat, round edge, oval, onglette, and more.
3. Graver:-
A graver is a blunt object with a big round handle on the back so that you can hold it in your palm and use your finger to rub it across the metal to scrape it gently.
It’s used to engrave metal jewellery, mostly like rings holding stones in them.
Gravers come in multiple shapes, including round edge, flat edge, diamond, chisel, square, knife, round edge, oval or more.
4. Spit stick:-
A spit stick is like a needle, and it is used to cut fluid lines in metals.
These are some manual DIY metal engraving tools. They come in multiple shapes, sizes and may be known with different names at different places.
Conclusion:-
Most people searching for DIY metal engraving tools don’t have a hefty budget.
That’s why I focused on these two types and left the laser engraving because it’s expensive and requires a setup.
Most people like mechanical engraving tools over manual ones.
What kind of engraving tools do you prefer?
Are you just beginning or looking for a change? Would love to hear from you.
Please leave your comments.
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