Scroll down for the 2025 class schedule.
Below is a list of the 2025 classes and dates. Please check the Class Descriptions page for full details of each class. Only basic descriptions are given below. Some of the classes below have special requirements or more advanced skills needed to be successful in the class. For those special requirements refer to the class descriptions page for those details.
Five Day Basic Engraving Classes
This is my entry level class designed for novice beginners. This class is also for experienced engravers who want a refresher course or a different point of view from an experienced full time bench engraver.
March 1-5 Sat-Wed
May 5-9 Mon-Fri
July 14-18 Mon – Fri
Oct 13-17 Mon-Fri
Cost: $1,000 $250 deposit required to reserve a spot in class
Intermediate Level Engraving Class
Once the basic skills are practiced enough to have control of them the student is encouraged to move forward and take an intermediate level class. To be successful in this class a student must have enough tool control.
March 10-14 Mon – Fri
Cost: $1,000 $250 deposit required to reserve a spot in class
Engraving Western Flowers Class
The popularity of bits and spurs and other cowboy arts on the engraving scene now days has inspired me to offer this three day class. This class will focus on engraving western style flowers such as the ones used in many of the classic leather work patterns. Do you like the flower designs of tried and true leather workers like Al Stoleman? Well come to this class and learn how to cut them and incorporate them into your engraving designs.
April 14-16 Mon-Wed
Cost $600 $100 deposit reserves a spot
Sculpting Western Flowers Class
I am offering another three day western flower class with a twist. If you want to take the flowers we did in the Engraving Western Flowers to the next level, come to this class and learn to sculpt them in 3-D. This has many applications on overlays and other areas of cowboy art items.
April 17-19 Thurs-Sat
Cost $600 $100 deposit reserves a spot
Inlaying Hard Metals
Ever want to inlay iron into stainless, 10K gold into copper, or Titanium into chrome molly steel? Take this class and learn how. Ray leads students through an entirely different set of inlay techniques than those that are normally used in engraving. Traditional techniques require that the base metal be much harder than the metal being inlaid. The techniques taught in this class totally remove that limitation.
May 19-23 Mon – Fri
Cost: $1,250 $250 deposit is required to reserve a spot in class.
Hand Push Engraving Class
My decision to offer this class has developed from two different sources. The first was a desire to provide students a much less expensive way to get started in engraving other than using modern pneumatic engraving handpieces. The second was a realization that not everyone that wants to engrave needs the powerful modern handpieces to do so. This class will focus on the basics needed to get started hand push engraving with a Burin in softer metals. It will have application for anyone wanting to work in soft metals like printmakers, silversmiths, etc.
June 23-27 Mon-Fri
Cost: $1,000 $250 deposit required to reserve a spot in class.
Engraved Printmaking Class
This class will be geared toward anyone at any experience level who wants to learn to engrave a printing plate and print it. We will cover everything from plate prep, to engraving the plate, to printing the finished plate. This is a five day class so the format will be small to ensure we have enough time to finish. Students will have to bring their own designs already planned out/drawn so we do not have to use precious class time on coming up with a design. The format needs to be no larger than 2″x3″. Students will be allowed to work with whatever tools they may be accustomed to from hand push burins to pneumatic handpieces. If you have no engraving experience it would be helpful to either take one of the Basic Engraving Classes or the Hand Push Engraving Class prior to this but it is not mandatory. I will have both copper and soft steel plate material to make plates from.
Sept 1-5 Mon-Fri
Cost $1,000 $250 deposit reserves a spot.
Three Day Inlay Workshop
This engraving class covers various metal inlay techniques. Sheet inlay, wire inlay, twisted wire inlay, and multi-metal inlay are all covered in this workshop.
Sept 15-17 Mon-Wed
Cost: $600 $100 deposit reserves a spot
Three Day Sculpted Engraving Class
This is basically a sculpted scrollwork class. This class covers the tools and techniques required to sculpt three dimensional engraving designs. We cover making the gravers and punches needed, how to move and shape the metal being sculpted, practical and efficient ways to finish the sculpted surfaces, and much more.
Sept 18-20 Thurs-Sat
Cost: $600 $100 deposit reserves a spot
Three Day Bulino Engraving class
The three day bulino workshop is a techniques based class. In this class I cover how to create various textures, such as animal fur, hair, fish scales, bird feathers as well as shading and techniques in the process of bulino engraving animals .
Sept 21-23 Sun-Tues
Cost $600 $100 deposit reserves a spot in the class
Private Instruction
Ray provides private instruction as well as group classes. The advantages of private instruction are that the content can be customer tailored to the students needs. It can also be scheduled for a time that works for both the student and Ray. There are two prices for private instruction.
Cost: $625 per day or $2,750 for a five day block of time
Semi Private Instruction
Semi private instruction is structured the same way as private instruction but it is for two people. This works well for two family members, two co-workers, or two friends who are both interested in engraving.
Cost: $750 per day or $3,000 for a five day block of time
