Thread: To cut Cleanly?
View Single Post
  #27  
Old 12-01-2006, 09:42 AM
Steve Lindsay's Avatar
Steve Lindsay Steve Lindsay is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Kearney, NE
Posts: 4,552
Default Re: To cut Cleanly?

Welcome Ken, Thanks for posting!

I'm stippling similar to the way Andrew and Steve described. The PSI pressure on the regulator is relative to the maximum power you may want... however fine engraving or stippling can be done with the tool set clear up to 60 PSI. Not that you'll use this much power, it just means you have it there if you need it. Setting the PSI with the regulator is similar to a governor on a automobile. If the governor is set at 10 mph, there is no way you can go over 10 mph even if you floor it. If the governor is at 60 mpg you can still go 10 mpg by just not stepping on it so hard. The stroke length setting is relative to the size and spacing of dots desired. Set at a longer stroke for larger dots with less spacing and at a shorter stroke for smaller dots with less spacing, setting the stroke so 2/3 of the first exhaust hole is open is a good setting for stippling. How fast the tool is moved over the work also determines the spacing.

When stippling scenes, I don't use a foot throttle. Instead, use the needle valve that sets the idle by turning it up. In other words, keep your foot off the throttle, and use the needle valve for the throttle. Turn the idle up so it impacts continually and as hard as needed. I use the tool like this for the rougher areas of a scene. For the detail around the eyes of an animal, I place the dots in one at a time by hand without the AirGraver. I'll use a point sharpened like a needle, or a 90 degree square graver without any heel.

You can use the tool for making larger dots for background work, or finer dots for scenes. To set the tool for larger dots, increase the stroke distance so more of the exhaust holes are exposed, and increase the air volume to the tool with the needle valve, or by just using the foot pedal. Hold the punch loosely off the surface similar to what Andrew is describing, and move it around quickly within a small area to produce the random dots.


Hope this helps some.
Steve

Reply With Quote