Thanks guys. I got my stock of brass name plates in a while back and they
all have a paper coating on the finished side. I was wondering if I would
get a better looking result if I engraving it first peel and then peel the
paper or if I peel it first. I am using a spring loaded drag engraver in my
mini mill to do the engraving. Figured I would mill a tight pocket in a
block of wood and just drop the plates in it to do the work. Then there is
no messy fidgeting around with placement.

On Dec 16, 3:49*pm, "Bob La Londe" wrote:
Thanks guys. *I got my stock of brass name plates in a while back and they
all have a paper coating on the finished side. *I was wondering if I would
get a better looking result if I engraving it first peel and then peel the
paper or if I peel it first. *I am using a spring loaded drag engraver in my
mini mill to do the engraving. *Figured I would mill a tight pocket in a
block of wood and just drop the plates in it to do the work. *Then there is
no messy fidgeting around with placement.

Regardless of how many answers you get here, I would try both.
Engraving it first might be better because you do not get scratches on
the smooth surface. Or it might be worse because it is a pain to peel
the paper off after engraving.

One experiment is worth ten theories. Please let us know what you
find out.

Dan

Best bet is with a D point engraving point that is turning fast.
If you are mechanically dragging take the paper off! More force in reverse.

Martin

wrote:
On Dec 16, 3:49 pm, "Bob La Londe" wrote:
Thanks guys. I got my stock of brass name plates in a while back and they
all have a paper coating on the finished side. I was wondering if I would
get a better looking result if I engraving it first peel and then peel the
paper or if I peel it first. I am using a spring loaded drag engraver in my
mini mill to do the engraving. Figured I would mill a tight pocket in a
block of wood and just drop the plates in it to do the work. Then there is
no messy fidgeting around with placement.

Regardless of how many answers you get here, I would try both.
Engraving it first might be better because you do not get scratches on
the smooth surface. Or it might be worse because it is a pain to peel
the paper off after engraving.

One experiment is worth ten theories. Please let us know what you
find out.

Dan

"Martin H. Eastburn" wrote in message
...
Best bet is with a D point engraving point that is turning fast.
If you are mechanically dragging take the paper off! More force in
reverse.

Martin

wrote:
On Dec 16, 3:49 pm, "Bob La Londe" wrote:
Thanks guys. I got my stock of brass name plates in a while back and
they
all have a paper coating on the finished side. I was wondering if I
would
get a better looking result if I engraving it first peel and then peel
the
paper or if I peel it first. I am using a spring loaded drag engraver
in my
mini mill to do the engraving. Figured I would mill a tight pocket in a
block of wood and just drop the plates in it to do the work. Then there
is
no messy fidgeting around with placement.

Regardless of how many answers you get here, I would try both.
Engraving it first might be better because you do not get scratches on
the smooth surface. Or it might be worse because it is a pain to peel
the paper off after engraving.

One experiment is worth ten theories. Please let us know what you
find out.

Well, I have the same old hassles all over again.

I cut a beautiful pocket in a block of wood. Measured it. Yep. Just
right. I tried to drop my first brass plate in to engrave it and
discovered... they vary in height and width by up 1/16 inch. Most over
sized. Sigh. Time to over cut my pocket and rig up some kind of narrow
clamp for them at each edge.

On Sun, 20 Dec 2009 15:56:14 -0700, "Bob La Londe"
wrote:

"Martin H. Eastburn" wrote in message
...
Best bet is with a D point engraving point that is turning fast.
If you are mechanically dragging take the paper off! More force in
reverse.

Martin

wrote:
On Dec 16, 3:49 pm, "Bob La Londe" wrote:
Thanks guys. I got my stock of brass name plates in a while back and
they
all have a paper coating on the finished side. I was wondering if I
would
get a better looking result if I engraving it first peel and then peel
the
paper or if I peel it first. I am using a spring loaded drag engraver
in my
mini mill to do the engraving. Figured I would mill a tight pocket in a
block of wood and just drop the plates in it to do the work. Then there
is
no messy fidgeting around with placement.

Regardless of how many answers you get here, I would try both.
Engraving it first might be better because you do not get scratches on
the smooth surface. Or it might be worse because it is a pain to peel
the paper off after engraving.

One experiment is worth ten theories. Please let us know what you
find out.

Well, I have the same old hassles all over again.

I cut a beautiful pocket in a block of wood. Measured it. Yep. Just
right. I tried to drop my first brass plate in to engrave it and
discovered... they vary in height and width by up 1/16 inch. Most over
sized. Sigh. Time to over cut my pocket and rig up some kind of narrow
clamp for them at each edge.

I'm not sure about your nameplates but we machined damaged portions of
Boeing 707 trim tabs by sticking them to a vertical milling machine
table with double back tape. Of course the "tabs" were as long as the
table but the idea might apply.

Or you might use a similar system as an engraving vise, movable jaws
with pins which hold the work piece. Try
http://www.progresstool.com/pd_grs_e...h_4_pins. cfm
It should be easy to modify a conventional milling vise to add the
pins.

Regards,

J.B.

wrote in message
...
On Sun, 20 Dec 2009 15:56:14 -0700, "Bob La Londe"
wrote:

"Martin H. Eastburn" wrote in message
...
Best bet is with a D point engraving point that is turning fast.
If you are mechanically dragging take the paper off! More force in
reverse.

Martin

wrote:
On Dec 16, 3:49 pm, "Bob La Londe" wrote:
Thanks guys. I got my stock of brass name plates in a while back and
they
all have a paper coating on the finished side. I was wondering if I
would
get a better looking result if I engraving it first peel and then peel
the
paper or if I peel it first. I am using a spring loaded drag engraver
in my
mini mill to do the engraving. Figured I would mill a tight pocket in
a
block of wood and just drop the plates in it to do the work. Then
there
is
no messy fidgeting around with placement.

Regardless of how many answers you get here, I would try both.
Engraving it first might be better because you do not get scratches on
the smooth surface. Or it might be worse because it is a pain to peel
the paper off after engraving.

One experiment is worth ten theories. Please let us know what you
find out.

Well, I have the same old hassles all over again.

I cut a beautiful pocket in a block of wood. Measured it. Yep. Just
right. I tried to drop my first brass plate in to engrave it and
discovered... they vary in height and width by up 1/16 inch. Most over
sized. Sigh. Time to over cut my pocket and rig up some kind of narrow
clamp for them at each edge.

I'm not sure about your nameplates but we machined damaged portions of
Boeing 707 trim tabs by sticking them to a vertical milling machine
table with double back tape. Of course the "tabs" were as long as the
table but the idea might apply.

Or you might use a similar system as an engraving vise, movable jaws
with pins which hold the work piece. Try
http://www.progresstool.com/pd_grs_e...h_4_pins. cfm
It should be easy to modify a conventional milling vise to add the
pins.

I just need to break down and start machining a fixture plate with screw in
cams like the twist pins in a clamping miter box.

On Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:14:12 -0700, "Bob La Londe"
wrote:
wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 20 Dec 2009 15:56:14 -0700, "Bob La Londe"
wrote:

Well, I have the same old hassles all over again.

I cut a beautiful pocket in a block of wood. Measured it. Yep. Just
right. I tried to drop my first brass plate in to engrave it and
discovered... they vary in height and width by up 1/16 inch. Most over
sized. Sigh. Time to over cut my pocket and rig up some kind of narrow
clamp for them at each edge.

I'm not sure about your nameplates but we machined damaged portions of
Boeing 707 trim tabs by sticking them to a vertical milling machine
table with double back tape. Of course the "tabs" were as long as the
table but the idea might apply.

Or you might use a similar system as an engraving vise, movable jaws
with pins which hold the work piece. Try
http://www.progresstool.com/pd_grs_e...h_4_pins. cfm
It should be easy to modify a conventional milling vise to add the
pins.

I just need to break down and start machining a fixture plate with screw in
cams like the twist pins in a clamping miter box.

Do you have a diaphragm vacuum pump? Or a shop-air venturi pump?
Mill out your pocket a bit oversize to allow for rubber, make two big
holes for the vacuum, and drape a sheet of inner-tube rubber on top.

Get a decent seal and enough differential pressure built up, and It
Will Not Move. Until you turn off the pump. And if they are slightly
undersized the jig will compensate.

Don't raise the drawbridge, lower the river.

-- Bruce --

On Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:28:59 -0800, Bruce L. Bergman
wrote:

On Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:14:12 -0700, "Bob La Londe"
wrote:
wrote in message
. ..
On Sun, 20 Dec 2009 15:56:14 -0700, "Bob La Londe"
wrote:

Well, I have the same old hassles all over again.

I cut a beautiful pocket in a block of wood. Measured it. Yep. Just
right. I tried to drop my first brass plate in to engrave it and
discovered... they vary in height and width by up 1/16 inch. Most over
sized. Sigh. Time to over cut my pocket and rig up some kind of narrow
clamp for them at each edge.

I'm not sure about your nameplates but we machined damaged portions of
Boeing 707 trim tabs by sticking them to a vertical milling machine
table with double back tape. Of course the "tabs" were as long as the
table but the idea might apply.

Or you might use a similar system as an engraving vise, movable jaws
with pins which hold the work piece. Try
http://www.progresstool.com/pd_grs_e...h_4_pins. cfm
It should be easy to modify a conventional milling vise to add the
pins.

I just need to break down and start machining a fixture plate with screw in
cams like the twist pins in a clamping miter box.

Do you have a diaphragm vacuum pump? Or a shop-air venturi pump?
Mill out your pocket a bit oversize to allow for rubber, make two big
holes for the vacuum, and drape a sheet of inner-tube rubber on top.

Get a decent seal and enough differential pressure built up, and It
Will Not Move. Until you turn off the pump. And if they are slightly
undersized the jig will compensate.

Don't raise the drawbridge, lower the river.

-- Bruce --


Very good suggestion

Gunner


"First Law of Leftist Debate
The more you present a leftist with factual evidence
that is counter to his preconceived world view and the
more difficult it becomes for him to refute it without
losing face the chance of him calling you a racist, bigot,
homophobe approaches infinity.

This is despite the thread you are in having not mentioned
race or sexual preference in any way that is relevant to
the subject." Grey Ghost

"Gunner Asch" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:28:59 -0800, Bruce L. Bergman
wrote:

On Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:14:12 -0700, "Bob La Londe"
wrote:
wrote in message
...
On Sun, 20 Dec 2009 15:56:14 -0700, "Bob La Londe"
wrote:

Well, I have the same old hassles all over again.

I cut a beautiful pocket in a block of wood. Measured it. Yep. Just
right. I tried to drop my first brass plate in to engrave it and
discovered... they vary in height and width by up 1/16 inch. Most over
sized. Sigh. Time to over cut my pocket and rig up some kind of
narrow
clamp for them at each edge.

I'm not sure about your nameplates but we machined damaged portions of
Boeing 707 trim tabs by sticking them to a vertical milling machine
table with double back tape. Of course the "tabs" were as long as the
table but the idea might apply.

Or you might use a similar system as an engraving vise, movable jaws
with pins which hold the work piece. Try
http://www.progresstool.com/pd_grs_e...h_4_pins. cfm
It should be easy to modify a conventional milling vise to add the
pins.

I just need to break down and start machining a fixture plate with screw
in
cams like the twist pins in a clamping miter box.

Do you have a diaphragm vacuum pump? Or a shop-air venturi pump?
Mill out your pocket a bit oversize to allow for rubber, make two big
holes for the vacuum, and drape a sheet of inner-tube rubber on top.

Get a decent seal and enough differential pressure built up, and It
Will Not Move. Until you turn off the pump. And if they are slightly
undersized the jig will compensate.

Don't raise the drawbridge, lower the river.

-- Bruce --


Very good suggestion


Well, I do have a brake bleeder hand pump, but I don't think that will cut
it.

On Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:28:55 -0700, "Bob La Londe"
wrote:

"Gunner Asch" wrote in message
.. .
On Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:28:59 -0800, Bruce L. Bergman
wrote:

Do you have a diaphragm vacuum pump? Or a shop-air venturi pump?
Mill out your pocket a bit oversize to allow for rubber, make two big
holes for the vacuum, and drape a sheet of inner-tube rubber on top.

Get a decent seal and enough differential pressure built up, and It
Will Not Move. Until you turn off the pump. And if they are slightly
undersized the jig will compensate.

Don't raise the drawbridge, lower the river.

-- Bruce --


Very good suggestion


Well, I do have a brake bleeder hand pump, but I don't think that will cut
it.

Nope, not gonna do it. You need a small (1/6 to 1/2 HP) diaphragm
pump or carbon-vane pump rated to pull (guessing) around 20" of
vacuum. An oil-ballasted high vacuum pump would be overkill.

An air-venturi pump like they sell at Harbor Fright for doing car air
conditioners would work but they are massively inefficient with shop
air, you need a true 5 HP compressor to run one.

The hand pump would work if you sat there squeezing the handle every
few seconds, but any leakage and your workpiece is likely to pop out
of the tooling halfway through the process, which is bad.

-- Bruce --

Bruce L. Bergman wrote:
On Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:28:55 -0700, "Bob La Londe"
wrote:

"Gunner Asch" wrote in message
...

(...)

Well, I do have a brake bleeder hand pump, but I don't think that will cut
it.

Nope, not gonna do it. You need a small (1/6 to 1/2 HP) diaphragm
pump or carbon-vane pump rated to pull (guessing) around 20" of
vacuum. An oil-ballasted high vacuum pump would be overkill.


Could one modify a small compressor to do that?
Vent the exhaust to atmosphere and plumb the input through
a trash trap?

http://www.instructables.com/id/conv...ressor-into-a/

--Winston


--

Congratulations Robert Piccinini and Steven A. Burd, WalMart Publicists of the Year!

In article ,
Bruce L. Bergman wrote:

On Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:28:55 -0700, "Bob La Londe"
wrote:

"Gunner Asch" wrote in message
.. .
On Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:28:59 -0800, Bruce L. Bergman
wrote:

Do you have a diaphragm vacuum pump? Or a shop-air venturi pump?
Mill out your pocket a bit oversize to allow for rubber, make two big
holes for the vacuum, and drape a sheet of inner-tube rubber on top.

Get a decent seal and enough differential pressure built up, and It
Will Not Move. Until you turn off the pump. And if they are slightly
undersized the jig will compensate.

Don't raise the drawbridge, lower the river.

-- Bruce --


Very good suggestion


Well, I do have a brake bleeder hand pump, but I don't think that will cut
it.

Nope, not gonna do it. You need a small (1/6 to 1/2 HP) diaphragm
pump or carbon-vane pump rated to pull (guessing) around 20" of
vacuum. An oil-ballasted high vacuum pump would be overkill.

An air-venturi pump like they sell at Harbor Fright for doing car air
conditioners would work but they are massively inefficient with shop
air, you need a true 5 HP compressor to run one.

The hand pump would work if you sat there squeezing the handle every
few seconds, but any leakage and your workpiece is likely to pop out
of the tooling halfway through the process, which is bad.

Would a water aspirator work?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_aspirators

Joe Gwinn

On Wed, 23 Dec 2009 06:40:34 -0800, Winston
wrote:

Bruce L. Bergman wrote:
On Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:28:55 -0700, "Bob La Londe"
wrote:

"Gunner Asch" wrote in message
...

(...)

Well, I do have a brake bleeder hand pump, but I don't think that will cut
it.

Nope, not gonna do it. You need a small (1/6 to 1/2 HP) diaphragm
pump or carbon-vane pump rated to pull (guessing) around 20" of
vacuum. An oil-ballasted high vacuum pump would be overkill.


Could one modify a small compressor to do that?
Vent the exhaust to atmosphere and plumb the input through
a trash trap?

http://www.instructables.com/id/conv...ressor-into-a/

You could, but no matter how much effort you put into polishing a turd
it isn't going to get a whole lot better...

Try something cheap/used but meant for the purpose, like...
https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.a...69&catname=air

Ore this one that is just the pump on a pedestal, you have to belt or
direct drive it yourself -

https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.a...08&catname=air

Many small diaphragm and carbon-vane compressors have a vacuum
rating, but you have to dig into the makers' cut sheets to find them.

-- Bruce --

Bruce L. Bergman wrote:
On Wed, 23 Dec 2009 06:40:34 -0800, Winston
wrote:

(...)

Could one modify a small compressor to do that?
Vent the exhaust to atmosphere and plumb the input through
a trash trap?

http://www.instructables.com/id/conv...ressor-into-a/

You could, but no matter how much effort you put into polishing a turd
it isn't going to get a whole lot better...

Heh!

Try something cheap/used but meant for the purpose, like...
https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.a...69&catname=air

Ore this one that is just the pump on a pedestal, you have to belt or
direct drive it yourself -

https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.a...08&catname=air

Many small diaphragm and carbon-vane compressors have a vacuum
rating, but you have to dig into the makers' cut sheets to find them.

Cool. Thanks!

--Winston


--

Congratulations Robert Piccinini and Steven A. Burd, WalMart Publicists of the Year!