Ideas for highlighting engraved digits

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Ideas for highlighting engraved digits

This topic has 20 replies, 15 voices, and was last updated 15 February 2023 at 19:26 by Oldiron.

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10 February 2023 at 11:31 #632849
John Hinkley
Participant
@johnhinkley26699
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:

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
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10 February 2023 at 11:31 #34166
John Hinkley
Participant
@johnhinkley26699
10 February 2023 at 11:41 #632853
noel shelley
Participant
@noelshelley55608
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.
10 February 2023 at 11:48 #632855
John Hinkley
Participant
@johnhinkley26699
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
10 February 2023 at 11:50 #632856
John Hinkley
Participant
@johnhinkley26699
Just remembered – I've got a "spare" one that didn't turn out so well that I can practice on!

John
10 February 2023 at 11:56 #632858
Andrew Entwistle
Participant
@andrewentwistle
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.
10 February 2023 at 11:57 #632859
SillyOldDuffer
Moderator
@sillyoldduffer
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
10 February 2023 at 12:03 #632861
John Hinkley
Participant
@johnhinkley26699
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
10 February 2023 at 12:57 #632871
Nigel McBurney 1
Participant
@nigelmcburney1
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
10 February 2023 at 13:02 #632873
Richard Millington
Participant
@richardmillington63972
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.
10 February 2023 at 13:02 #632874
John Haine
Participant
@johnhaine32865
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?
10 February 2023 at 13:11 #632875
Phil P
Participant
@philp
We use that laminated material at work, I think it is called "Traffolyte"
10 February 2023 at 14:10 #632884
John Hinkley
Participant
@johnhinkley26699
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
10 February 2023 at 14:19 #632887
Georgineer
Participant
@georgineer
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
10 February 2023 at 18:28 #632940
old mart
Participant
@oldmart
Rotring, Edding and Pentel make paint marker pens which would be worth looking at, easier than a brush for some tricky jobs.
10 February 2023 at 20:14 #632972
Iain Downs
Participant
@iaindowns78295
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
10 February 2023 at 21:28 #632987
Robert Atkinson 2
Participant
@robertatkinson2
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.
10 February 2023 at 22:17 #632992
David George 1
Participant
@davidgeorge1
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
11 February 2023 at 13:45 #633041
Henry Brown
Participant
@henrybrown95529
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.
15 February 2023 at 15:17 #633594
John Hinkley
Participant
@johnhinkley26699
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:

John
15 February 2023 at 19:26 #633619
Oldiron
Participant
@oldiron
Turned out well in the end John.

regards
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