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Ideas for highlighting engraved digits

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John Hinkley10/02/2023 11:31:05
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1545 forum posts
484 photos

As a part of a recent project, I have a piece of Black shiny acrylic which has been cut from a sheet on my router and engraved with small numerals as shown in the (poor) photo below:

scale

The numerals are engraved 0.25mm deep and although I can read them with difficulty, I would like to highlight them in some way. Am I best just trying to dribble some paint into each individual number or is there a better way? I have thought of try to do this with a "Tippex" pen that I have lurking in a drawer somewhere that has a pump action applicator.

John

Edit:  Double-click the image to enlarge in order that you can see how bad my photography is.

Edited By John Hinkley on 10/02/2023 11:32:30

noel shelley10/02/2023 11:41:03
2308 forum posts
33 photos

Use auto motive spray cans and a needle. Spray an area, use needle to make sure the digit is filled and then with a piece of cloth streched tightly over the end of your finger and dipped in solvent wipe the area lightly to remove the paint on the surface but leaving the digits filled - this must be done quickly to remove the bulk of the paint whilst still soft. A second go when the paint has set will finish the job. A bit of practice and it will have taken me longer to type this than it will you to do it ! Good Luck. Noel.

John Hinkley10/02/2023 11:48:59
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1545 forum posts
484 photos

Thanks, Noel. I'll give that a go. We have a motor spares shop in the village that will probably stock paint and solvent.

John

John Hinkley10/02/2023 11:50:54
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1545 forum posts
484 photos

Just remembered - I've got a "spare" one that didn't turn out so well that I can practice on!

John

Andrew Entwistle10/02/2023 11:56:10
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120 forum posts
218 photos

20230210_114324.jpg

The markings here are 1 mm wide x 0.5 mm deep in acetal, with engraving wax melted in using a hot air gun and levelled off when set using a magic sponge (melamine) with water. The sponge does not abrade the plastic. The same technique works for aluminium, without marking the finish. The wax is more like a crayon than clockmakers dial wax which can be like sealing wax. I bough a pack of red, black and white on eBay but can't seem to find any at the moment.

Andrew.

SillyOldDuffer10/02/2023 11:57:52
10668 forum posts
2415 photos

Noel's method is good, but I advise practising first.

Success depends on the viscosity of the drying paint being just enough to stick in the grooves without lifting out when the surplus is wiped off, whilst allowing the surface paint to come off cleanly. I've had fun and games getting it spot on, either all the paint coming off, or unwanted paint staying sticking outside the grooves.

Make the paint solvent doesn't attack the plastic. If it does the shiny surface goes cloudy smeary when the paint is wiped off. You can guess how I know

When everything is 'just so' the method works a treat but it can be fiddly to find a good combination at first.

Dave

John Hinkley10/02/2023 12:03:18
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1545 forum posts
484 photos

Hmmm! Seems I'm spoilt for choice, now. More research required methinks, before I put my hand in my pocket.

Andrew, that sounds like a sensible, non-damaging method. I'll have a look for some engraving wax.

John

Nigel McBurney 110/02/2023 12:57:31
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1101 forum posts
3 photos

When instrument making near 60yrd ago,instrument scales were filled with soft engraving wax,rubbed onto brass and nickel silver scales and rubbed of with tissue paper. fine engraving and finely divided scales were filled with black melted sealing wax ,these were scalesthat were finished by graining with polishing paper and then clear laquered, the laquer did not affect sealing wax but could not be applied to engraving wax which bubbled up

Richard Millington10/02/2023 13:02:26
101 forum posts
9 photos

When I used to do repaint my motorbike control legends I used Humbrol enamel put into the engravings and the excess wiped off with a piece of lint free rag.

John Haine10/02/2023 13:02:36
5563 forum posts
322 photos

It might be too late for you, but you can get a special plastic engraving sheet which has a thin black layer bonded each side of a white core, so when you engrave through the black you get white letters. I have some, how much do you need?

Phil P10/02/2023 13:11:55
851 forum posts
206 photos

We use that laminated material at work, I think it is called "Traffolyte"

John Hinkley10/02/2023 14:10:30
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1545 forum posts
484 photos

Thanks for the offer, John (Haine) but the project was only ever intended as a subject for a YouTube video, not for actual use on my machine. It has fulfilled that purpose and my enquiry here was as a result of my lack of current projects (and ideas for one) that meant I just thought I'd try polishing a t**d and pimp it up a bit.

John

Georgineer10/02/2023 14:19:10
652 forum posts
33 photos
Posted by Richard Millington on 10/02/2023 13:02:26:

When I used to do repaint my motorbike control legends I used Humbrol enamel put into the engravings and the excess wiped off with a piece of lint free rag.

The instrument makers where I worked used newspaper to wipe off the excess, as it's non-absorbent and doesn't leave fibres. As noted elsewhere, engravers' wax is good. I also got red, white and black off the internet for not much money, and it works well.

George

old mart10/02/2023 18:28:28
4655 forum posts
304 photos

Rotring, Edding and Pentel make paint marker pens which would be worth looking at, easier than a brush for some tricky jobs.

Iain Downs10/02/2023 20:14:55
976 forum posts
805 photos

There's a few videos by Clickspring showing highlighting of engraved figures for both his clock and the Antikythera project.

Needless to say they are disgustingly well done.

Iain

Robert Atkinson 210/02/2023 21:28:14
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1891 forum posts
37 photos

Made for the job is Markal Fill-In-Paint Lacquer-Stik

Random supplier https://www.mastergrave.co.uk/catalogue/detail.php?product_ID=1620&product_Category_ID=67

Robert.

David George 110/02/2023 22:17:51
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2110 forum posts
565 photos

This what I used it comes in diferent colours from RS components

Edding White 10mm Broad Tip Paint Marker Pen for use with Metal

Fill the engraving wipe with paper towel with solvent cleaner. When dry permanent ink in the engraving.

David

Henry Brown11/02/2023 13:45:03
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618 forum posts
122 photos

Pop "auto paint touch up pen" into ebay, you get a tube of paint with a needle end, I've used them for several jobs and they work well with a bit of care.

John Hinkley15/02/2023 15:17:46
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1545 forum posts
484 photos

I thought I'd better update this thread. I decided in the end to make a new "compass rose" from 4mm aluminium sheet and superglue it to the existing plastic one. To make the digits stand out a bit, I tried some black Turtle Wax polish I had lying around and it has worked well enough for me to put the project to bed and move on to something else.

Thanks to all those who made suggestions and thus sowed the seeds of my solution.

Here's a photo of what it looks like now:

spindle indexer ring

John

Oldiron15/02/2023 19:26:20
1193 forum posts
59 photos

Turned out well in the end John.

regards

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