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STEVE LINDSAY MADE ENGRAVING EQUIPMENT
Most professional engraving artists could probably engrave with any tool and turn out nice work given enough time, however tools
with improved design help make the hand engraving process easier and quicker. The AirGraver is the most advanced system for intuitive ease of use for
the professional or beginning engraver. To discover the difference, enroll, support and learn engraving from schools and instructors
where all available equipment is made available. The instructors of these schools are not paid to sell equipment and therefore are unbiased. They are willing to
allow students to decide for themselves what works best for them.
 I originally designed and made the AirGraver
tool for myself because of a need to increase my engraving speed and yet maintain the quality of my work. This is not say that any work should be rushed through.
In delicate areas, more deliberate work will need to be done, but there are also some parts of a project where, with confidence, faster work can be done. The amount of
time it takes me to engrave a project is foremost and the speed at which the AirGraver can physically
cut through metal when
needed is at least three times that of the spring blow-pulse design tool I used for 20 years.
That tool was designed by my father, Frank Lindsay (a watch maker,
jeweler and gemologist) in 1979. The spring blow pulse design can still be found on the market. My improved system is called an AirGraver. Perhaps
it should not be labeled a system because the tool itself is the entire system. The box that used to be up on the bench creating pulses of air for my father's
machine is not needed with the new design.
The AirGraver is also unique in that the speed and power increase proportionately. This allows the benefit of increased speed to
move a graver point through a cut when desired. My father's design would only increase in power and not speed. The operator had to reach up to a separate box to
change the speed. The end result of the AirGraver is very transparent throttle response. I can start and finish engraving jobs more quickly and the
quality of the engraving is better.
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The Lindsay PalmControl can increase the speed of learning compared to foot pedal engraving. This is because the PalmControl is intuitive
and natural in the sense that what is done
with your hand is what you get. There is no need to learn to coordinate continual foot movement to every hand movement.
Left: Cut away of a picture of a PalmControl |
Other patented or patent pending features
which have increased the ease of hand engraving:
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Length of stroke adjustment
The Classic AirGraver™ includes a ring or barrel around the outside of the tool that works in a manner similar
to the focusing ring on a camera lens. The ring is used to simultaneously adjust the impact speed and power of the tool. Either the PalmControl™ or a foot control pedal
is used to vary the air pressure power within each setting range. This mechanism makes one AirGraver handpiece as versatile as a variety of different-sized impacting
gravers.
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Idle
The patented idle of the AirGraver design prevents jumps that sometimes occur
with spring-pulse designs.
Right: Idle adjustment thumb screw shown on the PalmControl. |
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 Replaceable Bore and Tungsten Piston
The AirGraver bore is removable. The bore's outside diameter also provides an
extra chamber that allows the piston to give more of a dead-blow impact effect. Additional power is attained, if needed, with a tungsten piston. The weight of tungsten
metal is approximately 2.5 times that of steel which means more power in the same sized package. A patent has been applied for, for this development. To change pistons, the
handle is snapped off of the hand piece, the stainless piston dropped out and replaced with the tungsten piston. This feature as well as the previously patented
adjustable stroke length gives a vast amount of versatility. |
Snap on handle
The PalmControl handles snap off with only 1/4 of a turn. It is an easy and quick way for engravers to interchange a tungsten and stainless piston. |
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