What air pressure does a power engraver use?

I have seen power hand engravers on Ebay from China for $38.00 without a regulator or compressor. I am considering purchasing one and then buying an micro air compressor off Harbor Freight and putting a foot regulator on it. Does anyone know what psi range most power engravers including the Lindsey use? I know a lot of you will tell me the Chinese power engravers are junk and I should invest in a $1000 plus system, but when trying out a new system, sometimes it’s best to keep costs low at first until one determines whether a larger investment if worth it. .All I am interested is in what psi range most power engravers use.

Hi,

here is a GRS Gravermach/ Gravermax SC users manual .pdf

julie

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CFM is as important as pressure… a lot of compressors will give you the pressure especially small ones but do not have enough air volume to run the engraver for more then a few seconds at a time before the pressure drops too low. So check out the CFM needed and then get a compressor that will work.

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A device that requires compressed air to power it should tell you in the sales documents what air flow in CFM it requires at 90 PSI. This is a standard by which you can compare devices and the air supply that you have or intend to buy. Just specifying the PSI needed to run the device doesn’t help you select a tool. I run my Lindsey Air Graver typically at 30 PSI. Once in a while I will go to 60 PSI if I am stippling or running my air turbine. In order for me to get either pressure, I need a compressor that will deliver 2.2 CFM at 90 PSI and still not have the compressor running continuously when the pressure is regulated down. There is a lot of physics going on here, but try to match the tool air flow required at 90 PSI with the compressor that you have or plan to buy. Another consideration is the noise level at which the compressor runs. You pay for quiet compressed air. Look for one that runs in 50 dB range if it will be installed in your shop where you and others may have to live with it running. Good luck…Rob

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Folk are 100% correct here. CFM is equally important as PSI. Also, a noisy air compressor is truly like a torture device.

I’m more familiar with the original GRS Graver Max. I used to do a lot of silver engraving making conchoes and buckles for a high end custom saddle company. I started off with a large air compressor from Sears to power my GraverMax. That thing was so noisy that I had to keep the air compressor in a different room. Eventually I bought a $900ish silent air compressor. It’s super quiet. I still use it in my personal studio.

Most recently for my teaching job though, I bought a relatively inexpensive and fairly quiet air compressor off of Amazon to power our wax injector and for general air usage in our new jewelry studio location. I got that compressor based on the recommendation from our school’s Woodshop. It looks just like an air compressor that Lindsay used to sell on their website.

Like I said this air compressor is fairly quiet and at $145 it’s way, way less than the $900 I spent! I like it a lot and have zero complaints! According to Lindsay/ArtGraver’s specs, it should work fine with that system.

California Air Tools CAT-1P1060S Light & Quiet Portable Air Compressor, Silver

https://www.amazon.com/California-Air-Tools-CAT-1P1060S-Compressor/dp/B01LYHYHEA/ref=sr_1_7?crid=7P4MZNXBPDQH&keywords=silent%2Bair%2Bcompressor&qid=1685369858&sprefix=silent%2Bai%2Caps%2C130&sr=8-7&th=1

Lindsay/AirGraver has an information page with all of the information that you need about air compressors that work with their system.
https://www.airgraver.com/compressors.htm

Hope that helps!

Jeff