About 2 hours ago, I checked out Kirk Lynch’s engraved pipes. 
I’ve only just recovered my senses.
I note that Gil Hocker did the engraving. Wow. I read a post which said that it took Gil over 400 hours to do all that work. I can understand how.
Does anyone know whether engraving can affect the sound of the pipes?
Also, does anyone have contact details for Gil Hocker - email, telephone, anything.
Thanks,
PJ
PJ, here is the thread on this board about Gil’s engraving, where Gil responded to questions/comments:
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=14755&highlight=hocker&sid=cf245ab7d73e2b60c78da0e30c2fae97
Gil noted he did not have a website, and only provided contacts through PMs to his id on this board. I doubt if he is still listening.
Does it affect the sound? I assume you’re kidding. 
djm
Having read the thread, I note that it took 400 hours just to do the ferrules on the regs.
Has anyone else tried to do anything like this? I know it’s a little sad trying to copy such an original idea (brilliantly executed) but I have to be able to dream!!
Check for Antaine’s postings as to how he first faked the look by laser printing on clear see-through labels and pasting these on his set, to later engraving them with a burring tool (matter of taste).
djm
djm,
thanks for the link. I’ve revived the thread and recommend it to anyone who has joined the forum since the thread was last active.
PJ
That’s the way custompipe should be made. Handengravings will made" personality" to pipes, or like other things as same. Only bad thing is, that folks don’t (allways)understand the value of handengraving and it’s pricing.
Just for curiosity, how much it cost when engineer,carpenter or graphic designer etc…made 400 hours work ?( Yes it’s just brass, and tools are simple) . Add that to pipes price. Think about gunengravings.( Sorry I’m so exited, been proff handengraver over15 years now)
Only bad thing these kind of brassengravings is ,that shine /black contrast is not allways be so permanent,.like parts which are touched again and again(keys etc) surfaces laquering worn by time.
I had a plumber come to my house recently. He charged $40 per hour. He did a good job and I was happy to pay him.
Imagine an artist like Gil Hocker charges the same rate (I imagine it would be very cheap for such quality work) and it’s $16,000 for the engraving alone - about the cost of 2 new Gallagher Delux full sets. Add to this the price of Kirk Lynch’s full sets ($6,750) plus extras (wooden chanter top, stop valve, etc) the pipes themselves are probably in the neighbourhood of $8,000. So far we’re at approx. $24,000.
Add to that the unique nature of the pipes and the wait time involved (we’re talking lead time on the pipes of 1 to 2 years and lead time on the engraving of 6 months if the engraver does it full time).
I hope Gil has his pipes well insured!!!
If you are interested in engraving. you might want to check out http://www.dumarsengraving.com. Look for Celtic Conn.
Yes! it depends about maker..! , hour or other charge for item. Customers have their own mind , remember… or how long your plumber work?. Just engraved one small collector serie revolver(both sides, top of pipe, cartridge part all over, text+ decorations)engraving costs same as price of the gun. But customer got what he wanted and was very happy.
btw just check http://kotinetti.suomi.net/sadimi/dagger/ some more pic’s about one my custom work, just "some hours"work + material (silver and stones). customer was happy (and I when got money)
you know, I don’t remember taking the decal pics down, but darned if I can remember where I hosted them. they may still be in the “pictures of your pipes” thread. The engraved ones are definitely (?) still there.
The decals looked more like the engravings you mentioned. people kept coming up and saying “ooo are those engr- oh, they’re not” You had to get in close to see that there was no difference in elevation between the “engraved” parts and those left brass. Problem was, the glue on the labels, while they didn’t allow the brass to tarnish, it was turned turquoise by contact with the brass. I had gone over the labels with clear nailpolish to seal it and make it more transparent (interesting effect on that brand of label). I was going to take it all off, polish it up, coat it all with the nailpolish and THEN apply the labels and thought to myself, eh…do it for real…
I used a vibropen type engraver (actually wore out the antique I started with and had to hunt down a dremel one). It wouldn’t take of alot of material, it pitted and “roughed up” the parts to be ‘engraved’ like acid-frosted glass. then went over it with 600 grit sandpaper to take off the burrs. as it tarnishes, the rough parts tarnish faster and darker, making them stand out. While patterned after the one you mentioned, the effect is different, and the same as what I got with a hand engraving stylus, only produced faster due to the motor in the engraver. Mine took three days.
It is a matter of taste. My take on it seems to be that there is no middle road - you either love it or you hate it. there were those who considered even the set you mentioned “gawdy,” but it is entirely cosmetic…
Well, if you Love it so much, why don’t you marry it?!? … sorry, I had a sudden ‘Pee Wee Herman episode’ there… no offense intended. 
It is a beautifully done engraving job, without doubt.
bitchy but i like it
$40/hr for a good plumber? Wish I could find one that cheap out here in lotus-land.
No E
More than $40/hr? Are you talking about a plumber, or a colonics technician?
djm
It can, if the engraving is done to the inside of the bore.
This set has bore engravings. The sound is more “Bualadh craicinn.”
Is dócha nach bhfuil seans ar bith ann?
Of course an engraved set sounds better. Interior paintings look better when the light falls from left to right, also.
Is dea-fógra é! “Fuaimníonn seo foireann a bheith air le bualadh craicinn…” 