Newbie questions

[Fivetide]

Hi Peter, yes you can engrave on a curved surface with a sprung loaded spindel. Ithink that if you look in the showcase forum, somebody has made a really nice version. I have a very old dahlgren engraver with this facility, but have not yet had time to make a new controller for it. If you do get a machine, it will probably need a fairly high Z clearance to accommodate whatever fixtures you need to hold your material ( I know that goes without saying, but Iv'e said it anyway). Goodluck. G.

I agree with Geof , in my limited experience Z height can be deceptively less than you image when you read the stats, it may say 500mm travel but take off the chuck overhang then the tool length and the board / vice /clamp you have mounted the work in/on, if you don't want to mill the bottom plate and its less than you think.