Engine Turning?

You can do it on a drillpress. You need a moveable "fence" to guide the material Fence needs to have regular markings so increment the pattern. You need something to chuck into the DP to make the circular patter. For a small pattern, a cheap inkpen with an ink eraser on it works well. For something bigger, you need something similar - A piece of round plastic and some valve grind compound might work. So you start your pattern at point X. Hit it with the drillpress and whatever tool you are using. Then advance the work by 3/4 of the diameter and make the 2nd circle. Repeat to end of workpiece. Then move the fence back the same amount as you incremented in the Y axis and start 2nd row. If you have a mill with 2-axis DRO, it's a piece of cake. That's a very general description. I'm sure better ones will be forthcoming.

G.A. wrote:

You are describing an 'engine finish'. Engine turning is a sort of wavy pattern produced by a machine-driven scriber. It used to be popular on cigarette lighters and cigarette boxes.

Leon

Nope, Engine Turning is exactly what he described the process as being. I haven't heard the terminoligy of "engine finish" other than as a diffeerent name for the process by those that want to make a new name for the process. Engine turning is the swirlling finish that overlaps as you go across the piece of work. The only problem with doing the finish is getting the steps exactly the same distance from each other. Being off by even a little bit makes the finish look ratty and uneven. I'll note that Cratex makes a lot of toolbits for doing this finish in a large number of sizes.

-- Why isn't there an Ozone Hole at the NORTH Pole?

Some might not agree.

Kevin Gallimore

Any sign shop that does gold leaf would be able to help you out.

Shawn

I got the best results I've had to date on a custom 'billet' air cleaner for a friend's '69 GTO. I used the 3M "rolock" abrasive disks, taking care to knock off the "fuzzies" on the edges before starting.

It worked like a charm. I used the mill table's X & Y feeds to set the steps.

LLoyd

You can call straight line scribing as engine turning if you want to but I more consider it to be ruling. Other fancy scribing is again more defined by other names, especially as there is no "turning" of the tool or work involved in the process other than to quicken the rate of stock removal.

-- Why isn't there an Ozone Hole at the NORTH Pole?

now I want a rosette making machine.

I have done some idle speculation about what could done with steppers. Please keep us posted on your progress.

Kevin Gallimore

3M "rolock" abrasive disks is the same method I use for the engine turned aluminum back on some of my automotive signs. I also used this method when I built an urn for my Uncle Kenny's ashed to be buried in. Steve

Perhaps -- but it is still a single-point metal removal process similar to that which occurs in a lathe. On that basis, I would be willing to let them keep using the term "turning", as they have for over

100 years. :-)

Enjoy, DoN.

Gold Machinery has usually had a few different types of antique engine turning machines for sale on eBay. Here are those that are on now:

Have never seen one of these in person or in operation, but the next time I find myself near Pawtucket I just might stop.

John Martin

Quick way is to clamp a straight edge on your drill press and use a small wire brush (kind they use in a drill) in the chuck. Use a hose clamp on it to keep it from spreading. Work the piece along the straight edge the desired distance for each spot. Results may vary so practice first.

Thank you for the reference. The nearly $4000.00 price is too high for me now, but if I ever get serious it would be OK. Eric

Eric:

Never meant to imply that you should buy one of those machines, just that they are interesting. I suspect that learning how to use one to its full capabilities would require years. As with the old ornamental turning lathes - which they of course are very much like.

I've seen those machines - or ones very similar - for sale by Gold for quite a while. So, they either have a source for many of these machines, or the ones they offer are the same ones they've had for a very long time. I suspect the latter.

John Martin

New England was the hotbed of watch making in the old days and these may be machines that used to make the fancy engraving on those watches. The Chicago area was another place where watches were made.

-- Why isn't there an Ozone Hole at the NORTH Pole?

Greetings John, I know you were just showing me some examples. But I'd sure like to learn how to use one of those machines. The patterns could be generated with CNC equipment but the turning machines are so elegant. And the work that can be done with one of them! I'm thinking about asking a certain customer if his customers might be interested in having some custom engine turned pieces. He works on fancy homes. He does the hardware and locks. Hinges and that kind of thing. Recently I made 2 runs of 1000 each hinge finials for him. 800 alone went into one home. The doors were tall, 8 feet or higher, and each door had 4 hinges using two finials per hinge. That comes out to 100 doors in one house. The extra 200 finials are for his stock and for extras to be left at the house as replacements. The people who own these homes spend money like water on some stuff. It wouldn't take too many jobs to pay the 4 grand for the one machine. I wonder what the learning curve is? Cheers, Eric

I've done a few small pieces this way. A wooden dowel with leather glued to the end and valve grind compound or jewelers rouge for a fine finish.