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Engraving Machine Instructions

Hand-held electric engraving machines can be used for a number of craft projects or to engrave your company's name on an item. Regardless of why you need an engraving machine, the good news is that they are easy to use. The diamond tip at the end of the machine will do most of the work for you. The hard part is keeping a steady hand and translating your design onto a piece of glass, metal, or any other material. There's only one way to get this art form down--practice, practice, and more practice!

Things You'll Need

  • Hand held engraver
  • Goggles
  • Gloves
  • Engraving medium (metal, glass, etc.)
  • Pencil
  • Paper
  • Tape
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Instructions

    • 1

      Draw your design on a piece of scratch paper.

    • 2

      Tape the paper on the material you will be making your design. Most hand-held engraving machines use diamond tips, so any material (glass, metal, wood, and so forth) can be used for engraving.

    • 3

      Turn on the engraver and gently trace your design. You will not need to press down hard because the diamond tip will be able to penetrate through the engraving material fairly easily. You're applying too much pressure if you hear a squealing sound.

    • 4

      Stop engraving when you see a build up of dust. You'll need to wipe away this material so it does not obstruct your progress. Use this time to monitor your progress. You might see that you're doing a fantastic job or maybe you need to start over. It's better to know how your doing before you finish. It will save you time if you need to start from scratch.

    • 5

      Wash off your engraving by dusting it off your using a rag to wipe away your finger prints when done.

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