Painting Carved Lettering and shallow text
- Jerry In Maine
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Painting Carved Lettering and shallow text
I recently made a couple presentation plaques that had painted-in shallow lettering. To do this I first coat with shellac to seal, dab paint into the lettering then sand the top surface....pretty basic stuff. It works but just thought Id ask if anyone had any other tips/tricks in this regard.
- Adrian
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Re: Painting Carved Lettering and shallow text
I've done it that way as well but I generally don't seal first, depends on the wood though.
When I use corian I put vinyl masking over the whole piece before cutting and then spray it before removing the masking. Works really well with smooth materials like that but I've never had any luck with anything with any sort of grain to it. Keep meaning to try it on a piece that is varnished first though.
The other thing I do is for something that is painted all over I will paint the recessed area a lighter colour and then go over the whole thing using a small foam roller and a darker colour. As long as you don't overload the roller and do several light coats the paint doesn't go into the recessed areas at all.
When I use corian I put vinyl masking over the whole piece before cutting and then spray it before removing the masking. Works really well with smooth materials like that but I've never had any luck with anything with any sort of grain to it. Keep meaning to try it on a piece that is varnished first though.
The other thing I do is for something that is painted all over I will paint the recessed area a lighter colour and then go over the whole thing using a small foam roller and a darker colour. As long as you don't overload the roller and do several light coats the paint doesn't go into the recessed areas at all.
Re: Painting Carved Lettering and shallow text
To add to Adrian's suggestion, I personally use Oracal 651 vinyl and have had great success. I don't have an 631, but others have said it is ok.
I personally wouldn't think 631 is good since it is really made for easy removing such as walls, etc. But now the vinyl may not be the best option if the carving and lettering is very small. A 60 degree V bit is a good choice, but for small detailed areas, it does sometimes chew into the vinyl on the corners. But I don't use the vinyl method if the carving and lettering is real small. Of course, this is one of those areas where a lot of trial and error help. Youtube has a lot of videos on using the vinyl method.
I personally wouldn't think 631 is good since it is really made for easy removing such as walls, etc. But now the vinyl may not be the best option if the carving and lettering is very small. A 60 degree V bit is a good choice, but for small detailed areas, it does sometimes chew into the vinyl on the corners. But I don't use the vinyl method if the carving and lettering is real small. Of course, this is one of those areas where a lot of trial and error help. Youtube has a lot of videos on using the vinyl method.
- FixitMike
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Re: Painting Carved Lettering and shallow text
Sealing before painting will also eliminate bleeding beyond the cut edges.
Good judgement comes from experience.
Experience comes from bad judgement.
Experience comes from bad judgement.
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Re: Painting Carved Lettering and shallow text
I have had sucsess using contact paper and rolling it on firmly, then paint carving
and remove paper , works for me. Any craft store hasit.
and remove paper , works for me. Any craft store hasit.
- jimwill2
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Re: Painting Carved Lettering and shallow text
When I'm painting/staining my vcarved text I usually add .03 to my toolpath's depth, paint it (brush or spray) while it is on the CNC then mill the .03 off. Usually 220 sanding is all it needs and even fine text is preserved. I do seal the surface first if I'm staining, not so much for paint. If I'm painting the plaque I use a smooth roller and roll it on pretty dry. I roll it on cardboard to get the excess off the roller.
Jim Williams
Re: Painting Carved Lettering and shallow text
I am not following that... you "add" .03 to the toolpath. Then remove 03 after the paint? If I am correct, do you mean you leave 03 on the surface, not the letters. After you paint, then you skim 03 off the surface, not the letters... is that right?jimwill2 wrote:When I'm painting/staining my vcarved text I usually add .03 to my toolpath's depth, paint it (brush or spray) while it is on the CNC then mill the .03 off. Usually 220 sanding is all it needs and even fine text is preserved. I do seal the surface first if I'm staining, not so much for paint. If I'm painting the plaque I use a smooth roller and roll it on pretty dry. I roll it on cardboard to get the excess off the roller.
- martin54
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Re: Painting Carved Lettering and shallow text
What he is saying is that he cuts 0.03 to deep from how I read that. Then after painting removes 0.03 from the material surface. That would mean the text had then machined to the correct depthezurick wrote:I am not following that... you "add" .03 to the toolpath. Then remove 03 after the paint? If I am correct, do you mean you leave 03 on the surface, not the letters. After you paint, then you skim 03 off the surface, not the letters... is that right?jimwill2 wrote:When I'm painting/staining my vcarved text I usually add .03 to my toolpath's depth, paint it (brush or spray) while it is on the CNC then mill the .03 off. Usually 220 sanding is all it needs and even fine text is preserved. I do seal the surface first if I'm staining, not so much for paint. If I'm painting the plaque I use a smooth roller and roll it on pretty dry. I roll it on cardboard to get the excess off the roller.
Easiest way to do that especially with a vcarve would be to set the tool zero, nudge down .03 & then set that as zero
- mtylerfl
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Re: Painting Carved Lettering and shallow text
Very common to add a small Start Depth to a v-carve. Especially in a case like this when planning to sand the piece after painting.
Martin, the “easiest” method is just set that start depth in the software (as Jim described) and set your Z-zero at the machine, as normal. No need to do the extra step of zeroing then nudging down and resetting the zero.
Martin, the “easiest” method is just set that start depth in the software (as Jim described) and set your Z-zero at the machine, as normal. No need to do the extra step of zeroing then nudging down and resetting the zero.
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- martin54
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Re: Painting Carved Lettering and shallow text
I didn't realise you could do that with the vcarve toolpath but then I don't use it that much & I am not an expert like you Michaelmtylerfl wrote:Very common to add a small Start Depth to a v-carve. Especially in a case like this when planning to sand the piece after painting.
Martin, the “easiest” method is just set that start depth in the software (as Jim described) and set your Z-zero at the machine, as normal. No need to do the extra step of zeroing then nudging down and resetting the zero.
Good day today then as I have learnt something new
- mtylerfl
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Re: Painting Carved Lettering and shallow text
None of us are really “experts”, as we all have much learning yet to do.
OT: I, too, am having a good day of learning something new - one of my neighbors alerted us that we need to watch out for rattlesnakes in our yards. He encountered (and killed) a sizable one with 11 rattles, crawling in his lawn just down the street from me.
OT: I, too, am having a good day of learning something new - one of my neighbors alerted us that we need to watch out for rattlesnakes in our yards. He encountered (and killed) a sizable one with 11 rattles, crawling in his lawn just down the street from me.
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Re: Painting Carved Lettering and shallow text
mtylerfl wrote:None of us are really “experts”, as we all have much learning yet to do.
OT: I, too, am having a good day of learning something new - one of my neighbors alerted us that we need to watch out for rattlesnakes in our yards. He encountered (and killed) a sizable one with 11 rattles, crawling in his lawn just down the street from me.
Yikes! We have Copperhead issues here. News report stated that in our area the babies can be as lethal as the adult snakes. I've only seen one so far this year... but I am sure they are out there. I fear for my dog. She gets curious when she is out running the property... she's a border collie. But I don't believe in putting dogs in a pen or tied down... at least not my dogs. They either learn to obey or else... lol.
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Re: Painting Carved Lettering and shallow text
Baby copperheads are MORE lethal than adults. Adults will give a smaller amount of venom. Babies will give you all they got.ezurick wrote:mtylerfl wrote:None of us are really “experts”, as we all have much learning yet to do.
OT: I, too, am having a good day of learning something new - one of my neighbors alerted us that we need to watch out for rattlesnakes in our yards. He encountered (and killed) a sizable one with 11 rattles, crawling in his lawn just down the street from me.
Yikes! We have Copperhead issues here. News report stated that in our area the babies can be as lethal as the adult snakes. I've only seen one so far this year... but I am sure they are out there. I fear for my dog. She gets curious when she is out running the property... she's a border collie. But I don't believe in putting dogs in a pen or tied down... at least not my dogs. They either learn to obey or else... lol.