# How smooth is color filled laser engraving?



## MillerTurnings (Jan 25, 2016)

I have read nearly all the threads on color filling, but have a question. Will I be able to get a nice, round feel to the barrel of an acrylic pen after filling, or will the lettering be able to be felt? I am filling with acrylic paint, but still feel the letters. I think the engraver made it too deep, but what should my expectations be? Most posts seem to indicate that no clear coating is needed. 

Thanks,
Jeff


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## bobleibo (Jan 25, 2016)

Jeff
This was passed along to me a few years ago and I've had good results with it. 
Filling lettering in a pen is like filling a hole in drywall, do it in thin layers and let each one dry completely so there is zero moisture left. The deeper, the more layers. Build it up a little at a time until it is completely dry and has a slight overfill. Then sand both the blank and the fill until smooth and finish with whatever you normally use. I leave my blanks a bit proud of normal until after they were engraved then filled and sanded down as one piece. I know that if the engraving was too shallow, it did not adhere well and I actually lost a few so deep is not a bad thing. For some odd reason, Ive not had good luck with the color gold....???
Good luck


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## Wood Butcher (Jan 25, 2016)

I have had a bunch of lasering done by WoodTurningz and have filled all of it myself.  I use tubes of artists acrylic paint and had great results.  I have the laser done after all of the other work is finished, sanded and finished completely.  Works for me.
WB


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## low_48 (Jan 26, 2016)

I fill with fabric paint from Walmart. It takes two applications, but I then wet sand with Micro mesh, and it is completely flush with the surface. It is much thicker than acrylic paint, comes in little bottles with a little nozzle. It's meant to write on T-shirts. Standard color fill is just to add color in the recess, it is not flush.


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## MillerTurnings (Jan 26, 2016)

Thanks for the replies. It appears that the acrylic paint I am using is too thin. Even applying multiple layers leaves edges that can be felt. I will continue with these two pens, then get thicker fill. Do you guys finish acrylics with CA glue, or a similar treatment after filling? Most of the other posts don't appear to do so.
Thanks again,
Jeff


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## stuckinohio (Jan 26, 2016)

I always coat with CA after filling in the color so it is glass smooth after. I go a little under the measurement of the pen so when I add CA it will be the correct diameter.


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## low_48 (Jan 26, 2016)

I would not use CA on an acrylic blank.


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## Rink (Jan 27, 2016)

I do finish my acrylic blanks with CA. I know, I know...it's acrylic on top of acrylic.  But I figure it gives a bit of extra protection between the world and the colored acrylic.  For wood blanks, about 20 coats of CA, depending on how it looks.  About half thin, then the rest medium.  Gives a nice deep finish. On acrylic blanks, about 3-6  coats. It dries so quickly, that it's really not a material additional time investment.


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## farmer (Jan 28, 2016)

*Filling in*



MillerTurnings said:


> I have read nearly all the threads on color filling, but have a question. Will I be able to get a nice, round feel to the barrel of an acrylic pen after filling, or will the lettering be able to be felt? I am filling with acrylic paint, but still feel the letters. I think the engraver made it too deep, but what should my expectations be? Most posts seem to indicate that no clear coating is needed.
> 
> Thanks,
> Jeff




On acrylic I would engrave the pen before you have all it all turned down to desired OD.
Leave the pen about 0.030 to big engrave the pen extra deep to compensate for the 0.015 extra you plan turning the pen to the desired finished OD.

I fill in all my engraving with CA mixed with Indian ink or Indian ink mixed with west systems epoxy resin.
But be WARNED sometimes in some materials the colors or the ink will bleed into your work
Just like some veneers will bleed their colors when some finishes come in contact with them...

Normally I burn in the engraving deep into wood or bone or antler so the laser will make the lettering look black and I don't us any coloring.
Then I fill in with CA but the CA will take hours to dry and many thin coats .
I let all my CA  dry naturally and never use the activator.......... Never....

I don't normally use any man made materials in my work so I would have to do a couple tests burning in at different depths.

But normally it just take the extra effort and then another extra effort to get everything felling smooth. 

Ps I only use polishing creams , no micro mesh.

I only except engraving jobs on the stuff I am making and never on a finished products because I don't want to spend hours filling in the lettering...


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