dan Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 I am making a ski as a monument for a friend of mine that passed away. I am using a 4" stock 70" long and 1/2 " thick. I will thin out the stock at the tip and the back to have the sideway shape than an actual ski. I will then use rollers to give the ski it's camber and then make the curl tip. I want to do some repousser on the back side to write down RIP with the dates as well as write his name on the actual ski. Can I do some repousse with the stock that thick? The tip where the RIP and date will be is 1/4 thick and the name will have to be on 1/4 to 1/2 thick A36 steel. I figure that if I go hot enough my metal should allow me to have this done but I have never done it. Maybe I should think about using acid to chew up the steel around the letter to allow the letter to be in relief. Not sure if thier is any acid strong enough to do this. If so what kind of resist should I use in order to protect the rest of the metal from the acid Any suggestions would be gretaly appreciated Thanks Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markb Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Maybe do a copper tag and rivet it in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan Posted February 24, 2008 Author Share Posted February 24, 2008 Yup, I already though of either using copper or Steel for that matter and rivet the whole thing together but If I actually can do a repousser directly on the steel stock that i am using, I feel that it is more of a challenge and the pice will have a greater life and value Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice Czar Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 repouss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan Posted February 24, 2008 Author Share Posted February 24, 2008 I agree in order to get the proper definition I will have to work both side but I was not sure if free hand I could actually succeed by punching the back when the stock was so thick. I guess I will get a 1/2" scrap stock and practice to do at least one letter an see how I feel about it first Time is not an issue I will work it out one letter at the time Thanks Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice Czar Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 with 1/2' stock "raising" it will be more like a bend in the stock, part of which you work back down, then repeat, your going to be warping the metal considerably in all directions, keeping the typography in a straight line and in the same plane is going to be a challenge. Id have stock considerably larger than the final x-y dimension of the ski which youd then trim parallel to the typography. Its going to take a lot of heats. Id have a hole or series of holes to work the stock into hot while clamping the rest of the plate, and the biggest impact hammer you can find. We did a time capsule this summer with raised lettering, we simply used laser cut letters, drilled holes under them and plug welded from the back. What your describing is possible, but largely impracticable, the labor, the energy and the possibility of it going sideways several times before you develop the right mix of tools and techniques is large. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan Posted February 24, 2008 Author Share Posted February 24, 2008 Not a bad idea. Where can I buy some lazer cut letters? I am not sure how you then fit them( incorporate) them on the stock. That might actually have a very clean look. I like it Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 BP0422 Mounting a Vise The Blueprint shows bolts being plug welded in place. Same idea, just weld the two pieces of metal together from the back side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice Czar Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 well most cast iron letters available from foundries tend toward the large size (King Architectural), and in general most cast letters are Aluminum, Id say head to your local laser cutter which will get you both the typeface you want in the stock dimension of your choice, its possible they already have a few typefaces in vector files, if they dont look farther afield the third option would be to fabricate the letters yourself, and to tell you the truth, that would be easier with a jewelers saw by hand, than to repouss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Look at 'Numbers on a plate' in the photo gallery (I'm rubbish with a camera, but you may get the idea) (Haven't figured out how to link it to this reply yet) I cut the numbers out of 1/4 plate with o/a, then blind drilled and plug tapped from the rear of the numbers and then attached them with countersunk screws through the backplate. The trick with this is to mark around the position of the letters and drill through the backplate first, then use thes holes as a jig to spot through onto the letters. Did the same to the frame around the edge, you can put any type face you like on, and it doesn't take that long. Paint all parts before assembly, then a last blow over after assembly The finish is a nice clean crisp job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ornametalsmith Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 another thought that comes to mind if you REALLY want it to be "in" the 1/2 in. plate. You could make some large scaled "gravers" and carve the relief into the stock. Then you could "chase" as much detail as you'd like into and around it. food for thought. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan Posted February 24, 2008 Author Share Posted February 24, 2008 Okay Bill, You got me here. A large scale Garver and carve the relief into the stock??? What do you mean exactly? Is this operation done cold or hot.? What is a large sclae Graver? Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice Czar Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Hand Engraving ToolsSam Alfano's Tips & Tricks for Hand Engravers - Relief Engraving Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 I am having another go at trying to post a picture of cut out letters and edging attached to a fireback as I indicated in a previous post on this thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ornametalsmith Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Okay Bill, You got me here. A large scale Garver and carve the relief into the stock??? What do you mean exactly? Is this operation done cold or hot.? What is a large sclae Graver? Dan I'm sure you've seen engraved metal. It's done cold. on small scale stuffI(jewelry, knives, guns) it's done with a small hand graver, both manually and pneumatically assisted. here's a site with examples:Engravings of Steve J. Lindsay And all you'd have to do is take a larger piece of tool steel(say....1/4in to 3/8in round or square, Duff's were about 6-8in.long) and grind the "KITE" shaped tip(see link below*), like the smaller versions, and you'd hold the Large Graver in one hand, at about about a 30-45 degree angle, and strike the top with a hammer and "steer" it along the design. You can control the width and depth of the line by adjusting the angle. There are many examples of " Eisenhowering (Carving Steel)". Ward Grossman is quite famous for it. BUT he goes WAY over board LOL:D he uses a variety of different shaped chisels. *link to shapes:http://www.ottofrei.com/store/icon.php?categoryid=990 BUT.....you could get away with just a few, I'd suggest the Lozenge, round and flat(see link above) ...depending upon how detailed you wanted the design. I was at a meeting not to long ago....and John "Duff" Medwedeff demo'd some large scaled engraving. He said he'd been signing some of his large scaled sculpture this way. It takes a lil practice(start with something soft, i.e. aluminum, copper or brass)....but would be MUCH easier than trying to repousse 1/4in thick steel plate hope this gives you some insight into the process Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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