An Engraving Puzzle

[MikeDubber]

I recenlty completed a Parker Brothers Double 20 Ga. that included a multi-metal inlay of the client's Brittany, his very favorite hunting companion! The client was specific about his dog and I created the original art from a selection of photos that he supplied. I created the finished inlay using five individual pieces of metal cut to fit the various inlay cavities, i.e., "An Engraving Puzzle."

I used 24K gold and Argentium Sterling 20Ga sheet for the inlays - cut from the sheets with a jeweler's saw.. The attached photos (these will be entered soon) show the progression of the work from the initial layout on the reciever through the complete inlay. You'll see that the sequence had me doing the silver material first. I do that because the Silver work hardens and I need to be sure I have it fully set before working in the softer gold. Inlay cavities are cut to a depth of about half the material thickness and the teeth are raised prior to setting the inlay material. Once the inlay is set, I removed the background from the vignette area to achive an illusiuon of a fully raised inlay. The Brittany was completed with both fine-line and bulino detail. The Parker 20Ga. will be finished in French Gray with the background inked for contrast.

In advance of the equipment questions that will surely arise, the device I use for holding down inlay material was manufactured by Ray LaTerneau (maker of the LaTerneau Block). You'll also see that I'm using my John Madole "Pilot Wheel Engraver's Block." In case you're unfamiliar with block, Joh Madole made these for a short time before his death- they are an engraver's dream and I'm sorry everyone can't have one! The entire piece of work was done with the Lindsay Palm Graver.

Cheers, enjoy the photos! cheers2:

[Antikythera37]

That is stunning!
I like the vice too. What is the arm on the vice in the 5th pic?
Awesome work.

Cheers,
Alex Ptak

[Andy]

Beautiful piece of work Mike.
Thanks for taking the time to show it to us.

[Steve Lindsay]

Hi Mike,
Thank you for posting and the sequence photos. Beautiful work!
My father and I had Brittany spaniels at one time. Very loving companions.
You have captured the look of a Brittany wonderfully.
Steve

[Jon C. Dake]

Hi Mike. Beautiful job. I have some questions that maybe others are thinking of but didn't ask, or maybe they just already know the answers, or of course they could just be dumb questions. (1) You are using 20 Ga. metal and this seems like pretty thick for inlays (I have been using 24 Ga.). I assume that there is a reason that you use this gauge and I am wondering what it is. (2) How do you anchor the silver inlay to hold it in place before you put in the gold, at the point where the silver and gold come together? (3) Do you clean up the edges of the silver where it meets the gold before installing the gold so you have a nice clean line? Normally when I put in the metal and start pounding it down it starts expanding out all over the place on the edges and obviously the gold part of the puzzle would not fit after that. If you don't clean them up how do you keep them nice and clean for the gold to go in.

I have never done mixed metal inlays and would like to experiment. Thanks!

[MikeDubber]

Jon:

24 Ga is a bit thick for some applications, but I wanted this inlay to be "raised" and I wanted to do some sculpting prior to adding detail and bulino .

As for the Silver; from the photos you'll see that I only inlaid one Silver cavity at one time, i.e., I left separate areas confined to solid edges. That way the silver does not tend to "spread" beyond it's intended fill area. When the subsequent gold areas are mined out and inlaid they fill that new open area to meet with the hardened silver. The metals don't really mix, but the gold spreads to fill all the voids and I've never had any problems develop throug the bluing/finishing process.

Inlaying Silver: as long as you've provided a good cavity, raised good hooks and annealed the silver, it inlays as easily as gold (although it does work hardend as it's set.) Be aware that you should use "fine" silver, not Sterling silver. I also work with platinum inlays, both solid and mixed, but I use pure platinum, not irratiated (jelwery grade alloy) platinum.

[Brian]

Hi Mike,

Great work!

I think you meant platinum/iridium jewelry alloy?

Just finished a job inlaying palladium... didn't like it much, but it can be done.

The object was to save some money. In the end it cost the customer about the same as platinum would have - for the extra work.

Brian

[MikeDubber]

Thanks Brian, you are correct, it is irirdium.

I've been invloved in the jewelry business for about 45 years now - the old term was "iradiated", probably meaning it was platinum with added iridium content. At least that's what I learned -although it was probably incorrect even back then?

[Dave London]

Mike
Thank You for the excellent learning experience and the work is fantanstic. Thanks Again Dave

[Jon C. Dake]

Thanks Mike. I went back and studied your photos some more and I think that I have it. I think that I will give it a try tomorrow with some silver and copper (my practice metals), although with something a bit simpler for start. Maybe a Yin Yang or something. Jon