Awesome Engraving

Wrenches are utilitarian things so they’re not typically very artful. That’s not the case with this unique wrench, embellished by artist Mihail Kupec with an illustration inspired by Super Mario Bros. He started by sketching his ideas onto paper and the wrench, then used engraving tools and an electrochemical etching process to apply the pattern permanently.

Lasers can do some pretty impressive things, and with the right computer-control system, they can be directed to produce incredibly precise engravings. This video from Triumphlaser shows a fiber laser as it engraves lines and digits onto a metal ring. The process is fast and accurate, and the sound it makes it even more satisfying.

Cameras can create art but are rarely artful themselves. They occasionally come in colors, but that’s about it. Filmmaker Dave Knop decided to test out his drawing skills using a hand engraving tool on the body of a cheap camera, giving it more personality. Though it did nothing to improve the camera’s awful image quality.

This cordless hobby tool engraves, polishes, and shapes objects with a high-speed motor. It can achieve speeds from 10,000 to 20,000 RPM and comes with bits for working with plastic, wood, stone, metal, and even glass. You can tweak its settings via a smartphone app or directly from its buttons and OLED screen.

There’s a scene in Terminator 2 where the T-1000’s arm turns into a sword. We’re certain he could have conjured an axe arm if he wanted to. Perhaps it would look like the one that artist Kirill Runz made from a rusty axe he engraved with the T-800 on one side and his molten metal nemesis on the other.

YouTuber Phuc Nguyen shared this hypnotic video of an intricate image being engraved out of a thick disc of brass. He used a Woodpecker DP1212 CNC router, and a variety of different tooling bits to gradually increase the detail of the design.

Artist Roman Booteen is a master at modifying vintage coins, engraving intricate details and augmenting them with added depth. His most impressive design is this 1921 U.S. Dollar coin with a mechanical hand that grips a sword in its center when a hidden button is pushed. He also makes some amazing lighters.

Hypnotic and wonderfully-satisfying footage of a high-speed laser engraver rapidly etching an intricate geometric pattern into a metal disc. Z-Tech Lasers‘ video wasn’t sped up either, and was shot in real time.

Artist Roman Booteen creates incredible hand-carved coins and Zippo lighters, featuring intricate designs. His most impressive works are the multi-layered coins, featuring mechanical movements which reveal new images. Note some images contain nudity.

Artist Roman Booteen carves on coins and lighters. Some of his hobo nickels are not only incredibly detailed, they have a mechanical aspect as well. Some even work like a mini puzzle that you have to solve before you can activate the moving part.

Master engraver Bram Ramon shared this video of his incredible craftsmanship, as he carves an intricate design into the band of a Rolex Submariner divers watch, taking an already elegant timepiece, and turning it into a wearable work of art.

In Coffee We Trust. The talented Shaun Hughes walks us through the painstaking process of transforming an old 1959 US penny into a wonderful coin engraved with an image of Cuphead’s eponymous character.

You’ll need to take 29 minutes out of your busy life to watch the entire video, but you should at least check out the first minute as artist Shaun Hughes shows off one of his most awesome creations, a 1973 Lincoln Penny that he’s re-engraved with a skull and intricate scrollwork.