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9/17/2026 2:10:05 AM EDT
There were pantographs

If you needed something engraved in metal the is what u used

Now they’re basically worthless but they can still do beautiful work

https://imgur.com/a/PxYQj5x

I’m using a Deckel GK21 to engrave a lower from Bad Attitude firearms
9/17/2026 8:58:53 AM EDT
[#1]
Well done..!!!
A socialist may indeed be academically superior.
And yet, they are most certainly emotionally retarded.

Public education is the opiate of the masses.
9/17/2026 12:30:30 PM EDT
[#2]
We had two where I used to work in the 1990s.  One ran with an engraver.  The man that operated it was very talented.
I got to use it a couple of times.  The other one did lettering with ink.  That's the one I spent a lot of time with.
9/17/2026 2:15:41 PM EDT
[#3]
It took a little while to understand the technique

Very light passes usually starting at .001 depth very easy to break a cutter

I sometimes use 1/8 ball nose end mills which are more forgiving than the single lip cutters

But not for gun work or small letters
9/18/2026 1:33:29 PM EDT
[#4]
From what I remember, mounting the workpiece rigid and supported was most important.  Also, slow and steady gave the best results.
9/19/2026 1:46:04 AM EDT
[#5]
4 of them where I worked in the 70’s-90’s I was adequate running one. Lots of production, work obviously. You’re correct in they do beautiful work and they’re obsolete. 😞
9/19/2026 2:25:48 AM EDT
[#6]
I bought a New Hermes pantograph in 2010 to do my F1 stuff.
Works great.
It will do drag or rotary engraving.
Bought it from a retired NY jewler.
When his son took over the biz he went with laser.
Paid 300 back then for the pantograph 16 complete font sets, a box full of scribes and other extra stuff.
And he spent about a 2 hrs on setting it up, changing font sizes and dialing it in.
Then I picked up a Gorton 265 single point tool grinder for 150 again with all kinds of extras in a box.
Complete set of square shank 4ns collets for lathe bits, another complete set of 4ns round hole collets for the pantograph gravers.
They are really cool little machines and rather inexpensive today due to new engraving tech.
Today 1:52:20 PM EDT
[#7]
Originally Posted By neuromancer1970:
There were pantographs

If you needed something engraved in metal the is what u used

Now they’re basically worthless but they can still do beautiful work

https://imgur.com/a/PxYQj5x

I’m using a Deckel GK21 to engrave a lower from Bad Attitude firearms
View Quote

Nice, thanks for sharing pic, I can only dream of having a 01 engraved lower.

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