Full Version: Stunt Engraving: Can You Engrave a Putter?
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#1]
7 Jul 2006
To: ALL
Those words marked the beginning of a job, that I probably shouldn't have accepted.
Why?
There were too many unknowns:
1) I hadn't seen the putter.
2) The customer hadn't decided what the copy would be.
3) Could I hold the piece in my machine?
4) Would I have to diamond-drag, or rotary engrave the item?
5) What's the material?
Here's what I did know:
1) The putter would be awarded to a retiree of a corporation at 4:00 pm.
2) It was now 1:00 pm.
3) I wouldn't be able to start work on the piece, until after 3:00 pm.
My thought process:
1) I have yet to see a putter, that I couldn't engrave.
2) Risky. If I screw up, I'll be buying a putter.
3) I should be able to finish the job within 30-40 minutes.
4) It's Friday and I want to have dinner at my favorite Italian restaurant. This company will be picking up the tab. I hope.
With that confluence of thoughts in mind, what could I say?
"Yeah, I can do that job for you!"
Note: The picture, because of the lighting, or the angle of the shot, makes the top lines look a little blotchy, but the result was actually quite clean.
The material turned out to be a coated aluminum. I would have to route (rotary engrave) the approx. 3/32" high letters.
The four grooves that I'd distribute the copy amongst were "U" shaped, meaning I wouldn't be able to use a nose depth regulator, to control the depth-of-cut, nor would I be able to engrave through a sacrificial layer of material.
I love a challenge and this certainly qualified. :S
Note: There was a price tag, on the shaft of the putter, but I never looked at it. Not even after the job was complete.
Engraving on a slightly-curved surface, with no control over depth, other than by sight and feel, isn't for the faint of heart.
Add the element of working against the clock and what do you have?
Me, working in my comfort zone. :-)
I should really stop doing these types of jobs, but I can't. I suppose part of that mindset comes from the looming reality, there will come a day when I'll lose the necessary eyesight and/or motor skills.
At $50, it wasn't the money-maker of all time, but meeting an uphill challenge and seeing the smile on my customer's face, made for a very satisfying day.
Oh, and dinner was very nice. Cost, with tip = $49. :-)
EDITED: 8 Jul 2006 by DGL
From: Mike (MIKEN) [#2]
7 Jul 2006
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#1] 8 Jul 2006
David:
You should be better rewarded for your "stunts". That's awesome.
Surely you forgot to mention the $35 rush charge.
Mike
EDITED: 7 Jul 2006 by MIKEN
From: BrianC (INKSQUIRTER) [#3]
7 Jul 2006
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#1] 8 Jul 2006
Great job David,
You've got b*lls to tackle that job on short notice.
Of course you've changed the balance of the putter and the guy will never make a putt. >.<
From: UncleSteve [#4]
8 Jul 2006
To: BrianC (INKSQUIRTER) [#3] 8 Jul 2006
Not to worry...
First off, the guy never used the putter so he doesn't know what the balance should be and second, it was engraved upside down! >.<
Besides, the recipient was only planning to stand out in the grass and play with his putter, anyway..... (devil)
DOH!
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#5]
8 Jul 2006
To: Mike (MIKEN) [#2] 8 Jul 2006
When discussing price, the customer asked, "Do you charge by the letter?"
I said, "When it comes to a job like this, it's more about meeting your deadline. You can check around (which I later found she had) but it's unlikely that any of the local engravers will be able to do this job today."
Note: I'd already quoted, sight-unseen, which is never a good idea.
Given more time, one of the local engravers, most who are customers of mine, would have accepted the job, handed it off to me and the customer would have paid much more.
EDITED: 8 Jul 2006 by DGL
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#6]
8 Jul 2006
To: BrianC (INKSQUIRTER) [#3] 8 Jul 2006
Funny you should mention the dynamics of the putter. The lady asked if I'm a golfer, and if engraving the putter would affect its swing weight, balance etc.
My stock answer, in reply to my being a golfer is:
"No; and I wish I could quit!" :-)
From: logojohn [#7]
8 Jul 2006
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#6] 8 Jul 2006
x = {q + [q2 + (r-p2)3]1/2}s1/3 + {q - [q2 + (r-p2)3]1/2}1/3 + p
q = gram weight amount of fill used
r= weight of material removed
s= how high to step so you boots don't get full of it.
.
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#8]
8 Jul 2006
To: logojohn [#7] 8 Jul 2006
From: logojohn [#9]
8 Jul 2006
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#8] 8 Jul 2006
Invitation sent by PM
.
From: clay (CLAY_J1955) [#10]
8 Jul 2006
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#1] 8 Jul 2006
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#11]
8 Jul 2006
To: clay (CLAY_J1955) [#10] Unread
Clay,
I agree. Of course, some people reading this thread, probably think I made a killing.
The moral of the story is, while state-of-the-art, computerized engraving equipment, should be on everyone's wish list, there's still money to be made, at a fraction of the cost, with equipment that is probably collecting dust in many awards and engraving shops across the country.
EDITED: 8 Jul 2006 by DGL
From: Mike (MIKEN) [#12]
8 Jul 2006
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#11] 8 Jul 2006
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#13]
8 Jul 2006
To: Mike (MIKEN) [#12] 8 Jul 2006
Mike,
You're right. That's definitely an advanced procedure for pantograph engraving and not one I would recommend, to anyone without a lot of practice, in working without a standard means of depth control.
The fact remains, for someone looking to get their foot in the door, there's a lot of relatively inexpensive pantograph equipment out there.
Many jobs don't require "Stunt Engraving" and I like doing those too. :-)
EDITED: 8 Jul 2006 by DGL
From: gt350ed [#14]
9 Jul 2006
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#8] 9 Jul 2006
Look again. There is, indeed, an "s" in the equation. B-)
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#15]
9 Jul 2006
To: gt350ed [#14] 10 Jul 2006
It is so clogged that you cannot see the pile of 's' in the equation.
It surely cannot be that I am blind.