Brass Engraving

R

rchampagne

Well-known member
At some point I'd like to make a copy of a clock made by John Avery, a local to me (Preston, CT) clock maker and silver smith.  The majority of his clocks have an engraved brass face.  Has anyone had any experience with hand engraving brass?  I found some information in a quick google search, but thought I'd see if anyone could point me to an appropriate resource. 
Thanks,
Rob
 
Rob,

A few years ago (maybe 5 years) CW had a conference on clocks. One of the presenters was from PA (I think) who made and sold engraved brass clock faces.  Does anyone remember remember him and have his contact info?

Dennis Bork
 
I have looked for a long time to find someone to engrave brass dials on this side of the Atlantic. I have dials engraved by Goodacre in England.
http://www.goodacre.ndirect.co.uk/
He does a great job but you must be patient and it is not cheap. If you are looking to do it yourself there are several places on the internet offering instruction, mostly to do with guns.
Mike
 
Engraving was also used as a print making technique. Graphic Chemical and Ink sells tools. Try searching print making for books on engraving.
 
Mike,

At the 2004 CW conference David showed several engraved dial faces.  Either he engraved them or bought and sold them, I can't remember.

Dennis Bork
 
Thanks for the leads guys. I am wondering if any of the skills required for carving wood would transfer to engraving.  Seems it would be different but similar in a number of ways. 
 
Rob,

I've done metal engraving on patch boxes on flintlock rifles and a few brass face dials on bracket clocks.  (I'm far from being an expect.)  Hand metal engraving is much different from wood carving.  Different tools and different techniques.  But why not try it!  You may find it interesting and challenging and be good at it.

Dennis Bork
 
Dennis,
I would like to at some point.  My initial impression is that the materials are fairly expensive.  In terms of degrees of difficulty, how hard is it to engrave a clock face?
Merry Christmas,
Rob
 
I'm sure there are a lot of us out here with a clock fetish!  Maybe this could be a topic at a future summer conference.
 
Rob,

I am by no means an expert, but I did spend some time looking reasonably thoroughy into the feasability of doing some engraving, The real McCoy consists of "carving" grooves in the surface of a metal plate using specialized hand tools something like miniature wood carving chisels.

There are power tools available now, not cheap, and videos that show how to use them.

I think to ask the question "how hard is it " is reasonable, but the answer is not simple - how hard is it to cut a dovetail or pinstripe a fender ?  Recall that engravers are skilled artists who used to serve an apprenticeship like many trades, and so "how hard it is" depends on exactly how complex an engraving job, and how demanding you wish to be about the result.

Having said that, I am fairly sure a skilled and handy-with-tools person who wants to take the time and trouble and expense to learn the trade can probably do a credible job - but not in a few days. Think how long it took you to produce professional looking dovetails, cut  entirely by hand,  as an example.


Karl


 
There is a lady that frequents the WoodCentral forums that does beautiful engraving on just about anything.  I can't find her name, but you might check the hand tool forum there and either ask for her or search the archives.  She may even have an add there.

Tony
 
There is some nice work out there.  Do you guys that build clocks use engraved faces much, or do you opt mainly for painted faces?  It would seem that the engraved face would increase the cost a bit, though I have no idea what it costs to have a face painted.  Where do you guys get the brass plate, and what kind do you use?
Rob
 
For a reproduction clock you would want to put in the type of dial that is appropriate to the time frame of the case. Brass dials were in use earlier in the 18th century with painted dials coming in to their own at the end of the century. I order engraved dials and the engraver provides the plate. It cost about $400 on up to have a dial painted and a brass dial about 3 to 4 times that.
Mike
 
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