The Deluxe Engraver is a two-dimensional pantograph-engraving machine. It is equipped with a tracing stylus and a diamond tip-engraving stylus. By changing the ratios on the pantograph arms you can engrave letters 1/4" tall on the 2-1/2 setting to 3/32" tall on the 6 ratio setting. Letter blanks are 1-1/4" tall and the letter is 5/8" tall. Note that the ratio setting on the pantograph arms must always be the same. Use only hand tight pressure on all knobs on this machine.
Adjustment
The engraving machine can be adjusted to accommodate articles of different heights and width.
To adjust the height of the pantograph arms, loosen the large knob at the rear of the machine on the bracket which holds the pantograph arms. The arms slide up and down on the two vertical posts. Adjust the height so that the diamond tip is slightly above the article you are engraving but also clear of all attachments that are holding the article in place when the pantograph arms are being moved.
Be sure the diamond tip will protrude slightly below the article to be engraved.
Next, loosen the two hand tight knobs on either side of the font holding table. Adjust the font holding table so that the tracing stylus will engage the letters and the stylus can be held like a pencil. Be sure to re-tighten the knobs.
The engraving table
The table (the one with all the holes on the surface and which holds the article to be engraved) has several adjustments. This table can be moved to the left or right by loosening the two small knobs at the rear of the table. The table has a small red painted arrow, which points to a scale on the table holding platform. The scale has numbers on either side of the letter "C" which indicates "center". The word "center" means in the direct center of the table. The numbers on either side of the "C" are reference numbers.
To adjust up or down, up being toward the rear of the machine and down being toward the font holding table, loosen the knob on the right side of the table platform. Slide the platform so that the red indicator is in line with the chosen ratio. In other words, if you choose ratio 4 then the red indicator nest be on 4. This adjustment will put the diamond engraving stylus in the center of the table when the tracing stylus is in the center of the font holding table, left and right and up and down.
The table can also be rotated 360° in 45° increments. To turn table, depress the spring-loaded lever that is opposite the lever, which opens the table. This lever has a knob, which is used to lock the lever in place. Depress the spring-loaded lever down and turn the table clockwise to desired position. Unless a different position is necessary, always keep the position of the table with the jaw-opening lever on the right. This is the most advantageous position.
As previously mentioned, the table with all the holes has a lever that when the knob is loose, the lever can be pulled down to open the space between the jaw holding plates. The machine is supplied with 4 article holding post and two-support post. Position the holding post on the table in such a position that they will accommodate the article to be engraved securely without movement of any kind. If the article can be depressed with small pressure in the center, ie trophy plate, place the support post under the article. Open the plates by pulling down on the lever and place the article in position. Once in position, push the lever up with your left hand and tighten the knob on the lever with your right hand.
Please note that there is available an attachment holding accessories which allows the user many options on holding different articles. No. 157.401
Selecting the correct ratio
Knowing what the largest and smallest letters are that your machine will engrave, select a ratio that will accommodate the space in which you have to engrave. Be sure that the ratio numbers are the same on both ratio arms. The space or channel on the font holding table will open by loosening the two knobs located on the front of the table. This feature allows the operator to remove and insert letters without having to slide all the letters out to correct spelling errors. Open the letter channel and place the letters on the font holding table. Be sure to have spacers at the beginning and end. This is to allow ample room for the tracing stylus to not be hampered by the letter stops. Center the letters on the table by using the pointed stops and the scale at the top of the font table. Hold the font table tight against the letters with your left or right hand and tighten the channel knobs. Be sure the letters are in the center of the table and will not move once tightened.
Next, move the table platform left or right and up or down, so that the diamond-engraving tip will be in the center of space you are engraving. Place the tracing stylus tip in the grove at the top left of the first letter. Bring the diamond tip down and touch the article. This will mark a small dot as to where the first letter will begin. Do the same on the last letter. Now you have the space and distance which the letters will engrave left and right. Do the same thing at the bottom of the letters. This will indicate height and top and bottom spacing. Make whatever adjustments are necessary to fit the engraving in the space allowed.
Engraving
After making certain that everything is properly adjusted and all knobs are tight, place the tracing stylus in the groove of the first letter. It is most important that you place the tracing stylus in the groove of the letter first before depressing the diamond stylus and release it only after the diamond stylus has been released. Depress the diamond stylus and trace the letter. Do not apply excessive pressure to the diamond stylus. Only practice will give you the experience needed to know how much pressure to apply. Be aware that some metals are softer than others, which will require different pressures. Always begin with light pressure as the letters can be retraced if no adjustments have been made.
Helpful hints
In the event that your machine does not engrave in a straight line, make the following adjustments:
Place a practice engraving plate on the article holding table. Set the ratio at 2-1/2" on both arms. Be precise in aligning the marks on the ratio arms. Using the straight line below the centering scale on the font table, scribe a line on the practice plate. If the arm goes up from horizontal, move the right ratio arm down slightly. This means that the scribed indicator line on the right ratio arm would be moved toward the (3). Scribe a new line on the practice plate and check if the line is straight. The opposite adjustment is necessary if the line goes down. Once the line is straight, loosen the screws on the ratio scale and reposition it to the 2-1/2 position. This adjustment may be done on any of the ratios.
Always use a practice plate to engrave before engraving on the article.
The numbers on the platform of the engraving table and the numbers that are opposite the ratio numbers on the bed of the engraving machine are reference numbers. They are used when multiple engravings, which are all the same, on the same size material and same size letters, are needed. Reference these numbers to set the machine to all the same settings as previously used.