Bottom detail

The sig was done with an electric engraver, the handheld buzzy type. I also used it to texture the center area, in an attempt to disguise some tearout.

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kengrunke

Registered: November 2004
Location: La Farge, SW Wisconsin USA
Posts: 199

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Date: Sun May 8, 2005
Views: 2,360
Keywords: bottom detail

Comments

Gil

Neat idea, does the vibrating tip compress the wood, or chip off tiny pieces?

#1 Sun May 8, 2005 11:40pm

kengrunke

Gil, it only compresses the wood, doesn't remove any as far as I can tell.
Hmmmm, your question raises another question which I hadn't thought about--will the wood tend to uncompress over time and cause a loss of definition in the engraving?

#2 Mon May 9, 2005 4:04am

Gil

That is why I asked, Ken. It would take water or a lot of moisture to expand the fibers. If the engraver's sharply pointed tip shears or tears the wood fibers they will stay mostly as is. Maybe a sealer would help. I used to "raise" dents in gunstocks with a wet cloth and a clothes iron (the generated steam will force the wood fibers to expand and fill the depression).

#3 Mon May 9, 2005 9:12pm

kengrunke

Gil, after thinking about it some, I'm not too worried. I've got a couple turnings that have been hanging around for at least a couple years with engraved sigs, and they still look OK. I'm sure being sealed with a good varnish prevents problems.
If there was reason to worry, I'd be happy to see those little dents that occasionally happen to some turnings disappear Smile!

#4 Mon May 9, 2005 10:05pm

Gil

If the wood fibers are not crushed and/or torn, the hot iron (or soldering gun tip) on a wet rag will "usually" raise it. I did not mean to imply that your compression egraving would raise up if it got wet. You need to force moisture (steam) into the fibers to swell them.

#5 Mon May 9, 2005 10:32pm