# Finishing Help with this please ..... needs to be completed by Thursday



## Rob9 (Aug 20, 2019)

I've made about 20 pens so I'm just starting to feel a bit comfortable. A good friend just finished a race and his time was 9:58:47 for an Ironman. I wanted to put that on a wooden pen for him but I don't know how. Can I just write it on with a sharpie and then apply a CA glue finish over it? Please help ... I don't have time to practice so hopefully your suggestions will be borderline "foolproof". Sorry for this last minute request but this would be the perfect gift for him. 

Thanks for your help.

Cheers,
Rob in Toronto


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## EricRN (Aug 20, 2019)

Have you considered having it professionally engraved on the pen?  You could turn it down and, before you finish it, take it to an engraver. Fill the void with thick CA (or some other inlay material if you want to get fancy) sand or flush and then finish with CA.


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## jttheclockman (Aug 20, 2019)

Not a good idea to rush is my opinion. Your intentions are good but no need to do something in haste. If he gets it later so what. The idea of sharpie is not a good one in my opinion also because it looks cheap. The problem here is your expertise. I can make suggestions but your ability comes into question. For me with something like this you can have something like name and times burned in using a laser if you knew someone willing to do this. Maybe get with a member here. Or you can do a decal with name, time and maybe a photo but again you would have to know how to do this and it takes time to practice. But if you want foolproof you need to service out the project for a blank and hope someone can help and in time. That is the best I have for you.


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## Sylvanite (Aug 20, 2019)

It is my experience that CA glue will cause sharpie ink to smear or bleed.


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## Dalecamino (Aug 20, 2019)

Locate a local Trophy Shop, and ask if they can engrave it for you. Depending on the wood you use, you may not need to fill in. If it's a light colored wood, and they use a laser, the burn marks will stand out. If they use a carver head on light wood, you may have to fill in with Rub-n-Buff (available at craft stores) Using Dark wood, you will likely need the Rub-n-Buff, which comes in assorted colors. Some people use paint for this. Good luck!


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## greenacres2 (Aug 20, 2019)

CA will definitely eat Sharpie, and many if not most paints.  My wife has hand painted some blanks after i've turned them--then a week or so later i add a few coats spray lacquer.  Then, a few days to cure, sand and either reapply or finish with CA over the top of the lacquer.  
Laser engraving would be my choice on this, and potentially fit your time frame if it's someone you could drive to.  I'd turn 2 or 3 blanks so that if their focus is off the first time you save a trip.
earl


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## Rob9 (Aug 20, 2019)

Many thanks for the quick responses with  detailed answers. Good bye sharpie idea and hello to an engraver! Also the suggestions of wood, light versus dark, are much appreciated. So now I'll be online looking for an engraver. Again, thanks so much. 

Cheers,
Rob


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## TonyL (Aug 20, 2019)

Not the best solution - how about a clear slide on label label with dark printing?


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## Dalecamino (Aug 20, 2019)

Rob9 said:


> Many thanks for the quick responses with  detailed answers. Good bye sharpie idea and hello to an engraver! Also the suggestions of wood, light versus dark, are much appreciated. So now I'll be online looking for an engraver. Again, thanks so much.
> 
> Cheers,
> Rob


You're welcome! So check back in here and let us know how it goes.


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## Rob9 (Aug 20, 2019)

TonyL said:


> Not the best solution - how about a clear slide on label label with dark printing?


Hi Tony ..... I was initially thinking about using something like Letraset on the pen but couldn't figure out how to apply a finish such as French polish and a couple of coats of wax and still keep the letraset numbers in place without having them come off when applying the polish and wax. And if I finish it first and then apply the letraset numbers I imagine that these numbers could easily wear off. 

I just talked to an engraver who lives nearby and does laser work and is familiar with working with wooden pens. He said the turn around time is 5 business days and the cost would be approximately $50 - $70. He has done this before and knows what he is doing so it might be worth the $$. 

Thanks for your suggestion. 

Cheers,
Rob


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## jttheclockman (Aug 20, 2019)

That is high $$$$


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## alanemorrison (Aug 20, 2019)

Rob9 said:


> I just talked to an engraver who lives nearby and does laser work and is familiar with working with wooden pens. He said the turn around time is 5 business days and the cost would be approximately $50 - $70. He has done this before and knows what he is doing so it might be worth the $$.
> Rob


That quote seems somewhat high for one pen. It will be an expensive gift.


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## MPVic (Aug 20, 2019)

jttheclockman said:


> That is high $$$$


No worry John, those are Canadian dollars!!!   American cost probably $20 - 30!!!!!!!!!!!  
Sorry Rob, I just couldn't resist!!!!!  Good luck with the engraving.


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## mark james (Aug 20, 2019)

One pen, way too high.  5-10 pens reasonable.  10+ OK, an account is established.


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## randyrls (Aug 20, 2019)

jttheclockman said:


> For me with something like this you can have something like name and times burned in using a laser if you knew someone willing to do this.



I would add the Race Name and Date.
NB:  I Made a pen for a friend who became a US Citizen.   Ken Nelson Kallenshaans Woods engraved the Pledge of Allegiance on the cap of the US Flag themed pen.


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## keithbyrd (Aug 20, 2019)

Even Canadian dollars that is expensive/ I used to pay $5-10 Us per pen


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## wolf creek knives (Aug 21, 2019)

WOW!!! That is expensive.  Maybe instead of turning pens and making knives I should go into the engraving business.  I just recently bought a Nege 1500 off Amazon for around $85.00.  Two pens at those prices and I've paid myself back for the cost of the laser.


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## EricRN (Aug 21, 2019)

wolf creek knives said:


> WOW!!! That is expensive.  Maybe instead of turning pens and making knives I should go into the engraving business.  I just recently bought a Nege 1500 off Amazon for around $85.00.  Two pens at those prices and I've paid myself back for the cost of the laser.


Is that thing easy to learn to use?  Will it engrave metal, too, or just wood?  How accurate is it?  I never thought something like that could be had for $85.  I was thinking it would be on the order of $1000 or more.


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## keithncsu (Aug 21, 2019)

The NEJE and other various names are great little machines.  I used mine the other night to engrave my wife's new students' names on wooden discs.  I didn't ask why, I just said yes  .  Did about 14 of them in a row in as big of a font as I could.  No issues.  Most people I've talked to/read about agree that the first laser that comes in them is cheap and will not last long.  Replacements can be had for about $20 if I recall.  I had to do that and it has been 2-3 years since the replacement and never needed another (yet).  Also picked up a USB powered PC fan that I sit on top of the laser housing when in use.  Not sure if that has helped with the lifespan of the replacement laser but I figure it can't hurt.


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## wolf creek knives (Aug 22, 2019)

EricRN said:


> Is that thing easy to learn to use?  Will it engrave metal, too, or just wood?  How accurate is it?  I never thought something like that could be had for $85.  I was thinking it would be on the order of $1000 or more.



If you go to Amazon it will give you all the specs.  I just got mine and haven't really messed around with it yet but the test piece I did was easy and all you do is set it up and turn it on and it does the rest.  As for making my own artwork, I haven't done any of that yet.


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## ramaroodle (Aug 22, 2019)

Yes.  You can buy a NEJE for $49 on Alibaba and do it yourself as often as you like.


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## Ironwood (Aug 23, 2019)

ramaroodle said:


> Yes.  You can buy a NEJE for $49 on Alibaba and do it yourself as often as you like.


That sounds like a great option Andy. I had a look at one of the NEJE units on Aliexpress, it said that they couldn’t do acrylic. Does this mean all resin blanks are out, and it’s pretty much only good for writing on wooden blanks ?


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## keithncsu (Aug 23, 2019)

Ironwood said:


> That sounds like a great option Andy. I had a look at one of the NEJE units on Aliexpress, it said that they couldn’t do acrylic. Does this mean all resin blanks are out, and it’s pretty much only good for writing on wooden blanks ?



In most cases that is correct.  I think some folks have found ways to use these when engraving on acryclic/stabilized blanks using painters tape or coloring the area ahead of time with black Sharpie.  I've read limited/mixed results on that but have never tried to duplicate it.  I successfully engraved onto some stabilized tamarind one time though the engraving never got really dark even with going over it a couple times.  It all has to do with the acrylic/stabilized blanks being too reflective and the laser bouncing off rather than penetrating/burning.  But I'm certainly no expert on that matter.  Most people have better luck doing water slide decals on acrylics/stabilized blanks to personalize.


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## Rob9 (Sep 12, 2019)

ramaroodle said:


> Yes.  You can buy a NEJE for $49 on Alibaba and do it yourself as often as you like.


Many thanks for the suggestion and the photo. I'll certainly be looking into this.


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## Rob9 (Sep 12, 2019)

Dalecamino said:


> You're welcome! So check back in here and let us know how it goes.


He ended up charging me $40.00 and did it in a day. He said that the quote of $50-70 was for a  same day job before he saw what I wanted. It was well done but I'll certainly look into a NEJE and see how that works.


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