To all,

I have a rush order for RS Ownes plaque number RM1420. It is on page 77 of their catalog.

I have the item in stock and engraving is no problem. I am really stuck on color fill. I have rub n buff and I don't really know how to use it. I am not even sure it is the right product to use.

As I mentioned in my last post, I am very new to this.

Tips or direction to previous threads would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Zak,

Fill out some basic information in your profile and we will all be able to help more specifically to your needs. Did you laser or rotary engrave the material?

I will fill out more info.

I have a Gravograph LS900 40 watt.

The piece is laser engraved and the engraving came out nice, clean and deep.

Zak,

On materials like this I will cover with a polyester mask material or low adhesive transfer paper, laser engrave, than spray with a couple light coats of Krylon spray enamel. After adequate drying time I will remove the mask material. The areas inside the letter may have to be removed carefully with a razor blade.

This advice may be too late for you on this job but may help in the future.

I will yeild to others on the Rub N Buff advice. I have never used it.

David,

Is Krylon spray enamel something they would sell in an art supply store?

David,

Thank you so much. For your information, it was not to late and I will be able to use your method.

I love this industry, but there is still a lot to learn.

Thank you again.

Zak,

You will never stop learning, and you are in good company here at the EE forum. I've been in the business for five years and have never been happier with that decision. I can't imagine doing anything else.

For black paint-fill, I prefer to use the semi-flat finish. It seems to dry faster.

Zak,

Rub 'n Buff (RNB) is used pretty much as its name implies.

You rub the product into your image, with your fingers, let dry for a short while, then clean (buff) the surface of the substrate, with a clean cloth.

Stubborn areas of RNB, on the surface, can be removed by adding a small amount of WD-40 to the cloth.

If you're cleaning an area of wide coverage, to prevent the removal of color from the image, wrap your cloth around something flat, (ruler, piece of engraving stock) and use circular motions to remove the unwanted RNB.

David,

Great advice. Other than the ruler trick (which is awesome), I did primarily that. It just seem to get really messy and difficult to get off the surface.

Myabe the ruler will make that easier. The other problem is that the cloth starts spreading the color really quickly.

The stuff has been out for a while, so I imagine it has to work.

Zak,

That's where the WD-40 comes in handy. It will break down the RNB and creates enough of a "glide" to prevent color from being pulled out of your image.

Make sure to keep changing to a clean area of the cloth, while cleaning, or you'll just smear the color around.

Here are a couple of other threads on color-filling:

http://www.engravingetc.org/forum/index.php?webtag=EE&msg=66.1

http://www.engravingetc.org/forum/index.php?webtag=EE&msg=77.1

A tip for RnBuff is to use turpentine , all the wax based metal/coloured pastes clean up well with turps.
There are much cheaper alternatives than RnBuff found at any craft shop with far mor colour choices too. Gilding pastes etc.
Meths will remove excess dried ducos etc without damaging most surfaces and it also doesnt matte the surface of the paint like thinners etc, but be careful with lasered plastics as meths will also cause stress cracking (as will most solvents)
We buy recycled scrap fabric and use the thin fluff free t-shirt material stretched over a wood block or scrap pex squares as a "rubber"

Be carefull with RnB and other wax based products with stuff like granite and marble or other porous stuff , it stains the surface and is impossible to remove , same with paints on anodised surfaces which arent often well sealed.

David,

Excellent photos! Can you include one before finish coat and one after you clean?

Ed

Thank you Ed. Credit for the photos goes to my better half, Robyn.

Sorry to tease. Those were a few photos I had handy. They're a few of the images I plan to use in an in-depth "artitorial" for lack of a better term.

Due to popular demand (yours) I've gone back and added a few photos to my post.

The real story is about the engraving of communications equipment (walkie-talkies) which require paint-filling.

Everyone needs a niche and engraving two-radios has been one of my strongest.