LaserUser.com Forum (formerly RDWorksLab)

Hi , i’m trying to infil black acrylic with white acrylic paint but keep getting regular pockets where the paint just refuses to fill, ive had to over it several times and it eventually covers it..

wondering if anyone has any tips.. i’ve tried thinning it and wiping using squeegee, cloth fingers etc ..

pic shows one little divot but these seem to be regular along the length … wondering if i’ve engraved too deep…

after engraving i try to clean it with alcohol , but haven’t yet tried blowing compressed air before i filling.

cheers

I would try scrubbing the engraved area with a stiff brush and then blowing it out. I keep a couple cheap toothbrushes just for this purpose. IPA and acrylic often do not mix- sometimes you get stress cracking I have found,

i've tried sometimes, with various results...

what does NOT seem to work is thinning the paint... because there will be less "matter" left after drying, and the surface tension of the paint/thinner will create droplets where you want an even filling.

using thick paint seems to work better, but you have to fill completely the holes, and let partially dry before wiping (otherwise you will wipe too much paint). you can use a hard rubber spatula to force the paint inside the holes, and wipe perpendiculary to the hole.

another solution may be to use ink/paint pens like the posca markers.

you could also use a spray-bomb, but you have to make sure that you have the protective paper in place before spraying.

i all cases, you will have to clean-up the plate after painting... i've tried with alcohol, but this is tedious and sometime difficult to remove scraps of paint. one solution could be using fine sandpaper, and use a finishing grit (like 1200 or more) to get the clean polished aspect of the acrylic... i have not tested this, but i'm sure it needs an electrical polisher, unless you want to die of old age polishing your plate...