I have had my set up for probably 10+ years. I have dabbled with it over the years but nothing serious until the last couple of months. I have decided it's time to get up to speed on it. In 2 weeks I will spend a week at GRS in Kansas at a beginner class. After that, I'll look for a more advanced class with a master engraver.
The footprint is very small. I have a little desk set up in my office and it's all you need.
My equipment is a Lindsay classic airgraver, GRS Magnum vise, Oman 10x stereo microscrope with a .5 Barlow lens (this reduces the magnification but gives you additional room to work under the scope), a Silentaire compressor (quiet as a refrigerator) and graver sharpening stuff. Everything is done under the scope. The entire set up has cost is around the same as a good commercial knife grinder.
A guy named Shaun Hughes on youtube has a series of videos on how to make your own pneumatic graver for a very low cost. I have seen several guys put it together and use it. Anyone can engrave, it just time, practice and patience. The one thing I would change in my progress is I should have spent more time practice drawing scrolls and other designs. I am paying for that now trying to catch that part of it up.
