Easy way to hilite v carved letters in walnut plaque?

[myxpykalix]

I am making an irregular shape, with some 3d relief carving, plaque in walnut with vcarved letters and i'd like to hilite the lettering with a lighter color (maybe gold paint, not real thing) and because i have relief carving and vcarving mixed in a fairly tight space what would be the best way to be able to hilite the lettering without making a mess? My hands are not steady enough to do the lettering by hand.

surface preparation? should i coat with a application of polyurethane first?

[knight_toolworks]

I take it you mean highlight? you want to seal the letters first. use whatever you want or the finish that you are using for the rest of the sign. I use something that dries fast.

[michael_schwartz]

I did a tap handle recently and after cutting the 3D tool paths for the body, I applied a few layers of blue painters tape, before running the V carve path for the engraving and lettering. I then painted the lettering with a rattle can, and removed the mask.

I am sure there is a better product to use for a mask, but the blue tape worked well enough in my situation.

[myxpykalix]

Hey Steve...you say potato, I say po-tot-o, lol

I take it you mean after i do my 3D toolpaths take and apply polyurethane, let dry

then, i have some tacky shelf paper (I know not as good as sign mask) apply it over the area to be vcarved.

then vcarve leaving mask on, then apply paint..is this right?

After i apply paint should i remove mask to make sure it hasn't bled under it so i could clean it off before it dries?

[knight_toolworks]

I see what your after and I think the answer is yes. the paper will stick better to a finished surface. or if the rest will have a clear finish spray it all vcarve it cover the 3d and spray the color sand the excess off and spray the clear again.

[joe]

Perhaps sealing off with shellac would help.

Sometimes transfer tape works as a mask. This is the tape used by sign shops for applying vinyl letters.

Mica would be an easy method to apply highlights. A quick squirt of Poly from a rattle will provide a good surface for the mica.

Joe

[chiloquinruss]

Not knowing the whole job, if the plaque is not finished to start with (raw walnut) I just vcarve and then paint the letters. Then it's off to the drum sander to take the surface back down to the raw walnut. Then I do whatever finish coat on the walnut. If the plaque comes already with a finish on it, then yep, it's the mask method. Only thing I would add to the mask method is after vcarving through the mask I always give it a light mist of clear, let it dry, then do the color coat(s). The misting seals the edge of the mask and if anything bleeds through it will be the clear and not the color(s). Russ

[myxpykalix]

The problem is the vcarve letters are around a circle inbetween 3d carvings on either side like a doughnut so its not a flat surface.

BTW..shelf paper makes a lousey mask..

[jerry_stanek]

Try Dr Crumely's snake oil mask

[joe]

Thanks for the though Jerry. My Snake Oil is designed for rough textured surfaces where no other mask will work. The liquid Snake Oil needs a texture to hold it in place.

Dr. Crumley

[bleeth]

Jack:

You are severely overthinking this. Clear coat the area or the whole thing before or after you carve your letters and then tape around that part of the project. Paint the letters as neatly as you can but don't freak out if a little paint gets on the surface around them. Wipe the paint that isn't in the letters off with a rag damp with mineral spirits as you go. Take the masking tape off. Move on.

By the way-There is no "easy way" to replace the pain and time of learning a skill and nothing replaces thinking and planning ahead. Next time do your v-carving and painting first and then your 3-d.

[myxpykalix]

Next time do your v-carving and painting first.....Now you tell me!!

Actually i couldn't do it that way. The way this is being made is like a round doughnut and the surface is higher on the outside perimeter and the inside perimeter and the surface for the vcarving is lower.

There is no "easy way" to replace the pain and time of learning a skill

Actually i was hoping to skip having to learn it all and go vist Joe Crumley and do like a "Vulcan mind-meld"...since he won't be using it much anymore i figure he could give it to me...

I'll give your tips a try dave thanks

[joe]

Jack,

You may be too late! The mind is just about gone due to excessive paint fumes, sandblast dust, and old age. What most of you kids don't know, it's not a problem. You don't know what you don't know. Loosing one's mind is quiet blissful, thank you. I'm not as worried about the details.

What is un-settling is the disreguard for all those "How To" posts we've all worked on. The new fellows keep asking the same old questions again and again. If they would do a search it would save lots of time. Do you remember when I first wrote on the new Extira and it's poblem with priming? And all the awful steps we used to go through to make it work. I tauted the epoxy wash as a solution. It worked but way too much work and time lost. Even now we have those who are trying to get a good Extira surface bond and there are those who have never used MDO. Ten years ago that was the standard of the trade. I still think it's the cats meow.

O well, it keeps the mind busy.

Joe

[nailzscott]

Jack,

Here is a walnut sign I did for some friends. For the process, I vcarved and cut out the sign. After clear coating the whole sign (2 coats), I painted the vcarving with cream colored house paint.

While painting the letters and vcarved graphics, I did not take too much care since, after it dried, I just used a palm sander to sand off anything outside of the vcarve. Then I put on a few coats of satin clear coat.