Coloring Text

Discussion specifically about the Shark's bigger brother, the CNC Shark Pro

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James King
Posts: 15
Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2011 3:46 pm

Coloring Text

Post by James King »

This has to be so easy that I am overlooking something.

I have tried carving the text with a v-bit, then spray painting to color the text. When I sand off the top, it also removes detail from the text and gums up the sand paper. How do you guys color text?

tonydude
Posts: 1581
Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 9:23 am
Location: Buffalo,NY

Re: Coloring Text

Post by tonydude »

James

First I put two coats of finish on the wood so the paint don't blead thru your vcarve.I put contact paper on then I vcarve thru the paper. I then use spray ink or spray paint after I cut it. Peel off the paper and your go to go.

Tony
Buffalo,NY

"What will matter is not what you bought but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave”

Aspire 11.015, photo vcarve, cnc mako shark extended bed with the new upgraded HD 5 gantry with Led pendent.

James King
Posts: 15
Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2011 3:46 pm

Re: Coloring Text

Post by James King »

I have tried doing the same thing with that blue masking tape. Contact paper would work better because the tape doesn't always cut very well. Thank for the suggestion

Eagle55
Posts: 788
Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2011 8:44 pm

Re: Coloring Text

Post by Eagle55 »

My first attempts to color text was with Corian. Of course that is a different animal all together. With the Corian (before I ever check to see what others were doing) I cut the lettering and took a rubber window cleaning squeegee and after dobbing the black paint into the letters, I run the squeegee across the surface removing about 90-95% of the paint on the top. Almost immediately I took a piece of paper towel slightly damp with mineral spirits (it was oil based paint) and lightly wiped the surface various directions, getting another 3 or 4% of the residue. Let the paint dry a few hours and most of the remaining, now thinned residue, comes off. For any remaining dirtiness, let the paint dry thoroughly and take 0000 steel wool and polish the surface and dry paint brush the dust out of the lettering. Has always come out good.

Now for wood text I had one coat of clear on the surface when I cut the lettering. After I cut it, I put a second coat on, getting it in the cut text. After drying completely, followed the same procedure as above even including the 0000 steel wool. When paint is dry, put another coat of clear and it seemed to be good to go. I have been meaning to try the other methods with contact paper, etc, and believe they are good methods too, but have had good enough success with this method to not have a lot of motivation to change. I'm not even going to pretend that my method is better (because it may not be) so I would recommend trying both or several methods to find out which might be best. Also, I have seen one project that I think it was because of the graphic or material or something that I could see that the contact paper method would clearly be better.

Hint: don't hesitate to dob the lettering practically full of paint, it will dry and show the cut ok, but will be good and colored with little bleed through. I have on occation gone back with a small paint brush and touched up a couple of small spots but in general have good coverage. The illustrated plaque took about 4 minutes to paint and swipe.
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CNC Shark HD ~ Control Panel 2.0 ~ Windows 7 & XP
Located in West Tennessee near the Tennessee River
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tonydude
Posts: 1581
Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 9:23 am
Location: Buffalo,NY

Re: Coloring Text

Post by tonydude »

Excellent plaque you made.
Buffalo,NY

"What will matter is not what you bought but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave”

Aspire 11.015, photo vcarve, cnc mako shark extended bed with the new upgraded HD 5 gantry with Led pendent.

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fison
Posts: 102
Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2010 10:24 pm
Location: Tacoma, Washington, USA
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Re: Coloring Text

Post by fison »

I do lots of desk signs that all require colored (primarily black) letters. I have successfully used the spray paint methods but I intentionally cut about .01 deeper than normal to allow for some sanding.

Currently I use a more involved method of painting the letters by hand with craft paint. Doesn't get as deep into the grain as the spray paint so I don't have to make it too neat when painting. I then let the paint dry completely before running over my Sand-Flee a couble times to clean things up. I then blow everything off with compressed air and coat with fast drying polyurethane. Not the best method for mass production but it works for me.

I've also done other colors besides just black.

Samples on my facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 7d61cf8371
Paul Fison
Tacoma, Washington, USA
(253) 925-0855

tonydude
Posts: 1581
Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 9:23 am
Location: Buffalo,NY

Re: Coloring Text

Post by tonydude »

Great signs you made. I like the wedding basket you made also. Here is one I did for my stepson and his wife.
http://www.cncsharktalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=52

Tony
Buffalo,NY

"What will matter is not what you bought but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave”

Aspire 11.015, photo vcarve, cnc mako shark extended bed with the new upgraded HD 5 gantry with Led pendent.

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fison
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Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2010 10:24 pm
Location: Tacoma, Washington, USA
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Re: Coloring Text

Post by fison »

Nice work Tony!
Paul Fison
Tacoma, Washington, USA
(253) 925-0855

James King
Posts: 15
Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2011 3:46 pm

Re: Coloring Text

Post by James King »

Want to let you guys know that I found a 12" roll of contact paper, 10' long for $3. Here is a desk sign that I have done. I texture around the letters and leave a border around the edge. Might be an idea you can use.
Mr King.jpg

James King
Posts: 15
Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2011 3:46 pm

Re: Coloring Text

Post by James King »

oops, forgot to tell you the contact paper was on EBay

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