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Steve Clarkson
04-06-2009, 10:14 AM
I'm trying to take a piece of orange acrylic and glue a piece of clear extruded acrylic on top of if. What I would like is to have text and a logo to see through. What I'm wondering is what is the best way to do it.

I tried to engrave the text and logo on the orange and color fill with RubNBuff, other acrylic paints, and even a printers ink. The only thing that really sticks is the gold or silver rub n buff......but I'd like black text and possiblely a blue logo.....so those colors aren't working.

Would I be better off reverse engraving the clear extruded and using Krylon paint? Can I do it without a mask? ie if I spray on the krylon, it there a way to remove it only from the unengraved areas?

Anyone have a better suggestion?

I tried to search the question on here, but of the thousands of color fill posts, none seemed to really answer that question.

Thanks

Scott Shepherd
04-06-2009, 10:36 AM
Not sure I completely understand what you are trying to do, but I'd paint the back of the clear the color you want, cut the text and letters, apply double sided tape, stick it to the orange. So you'd have an orange background, colored letters that are in the backside of the clear acrylic.

If that what you are trying to accomplish?

Steve Clarkson
04-06-2009, 10:41 AM
That's not a bad idea.....

But I want to make it durable and waterproof......so I was planning to use weld on to glue them together......and that might be an issue if I paint the entire extruded piece.....would smear the paint.

Mike Null
04-06-2009, 10:45 AM
Steve

I think there's a good chance of causing the extruded to craze if you use Krylon.

Scott Shepherd
04-06-2009, 10:53 AM
I don't think I understand exactly what you are trying to do. Will it be clear letters glued to a backpiece of the orange? Or will the orange and clear be the same shape and glued together?

You can use acrylic adhesive tape and it'll last outdoors a long time. It's typically the tape with a red release liner.

Steve Clarkson
04-06-2009, 11:06 AM
Sorry.....if you can picture an orange square, I want to put a clear square (both 1/8" acrylic) of the same size directly on top. I then want to see text and logos through the clear side. It doesn't really matter if the paint/engraving is on the front of the orange or the back of the clear. I'd like to be able to use different colors for the text, logo and actually even the orange acrylic. I want it to be durable so if it is dropped it won't shatter or come apart and be able to be kept outdoors in rain.

Steve, where can I get that tape? HD or Michaels type of stores?

Scott Shepherd
04-06-2009, 11:18 AM
Gotcha, the tape I mentioned is not clear and it's not thin, so that'll wipe that idea out.

Dan Hintz
04-06-2009, 11:31 AM
Interesting project... if it were me, I'd paint the front of the orange, engrave off what you don't want, then place the clear cap over it using Weld-On. I wouldn't engrave the clear unless I used extruded (and even then I would question doing it) due to the frosting effect. If frosted, I'd take a quick pass with the flame polisher to smooth it out, but I have no idea how it might affect the Krylon, hence yet another reason not to engrave the clear.

Dee Gallo
04-06-2009, 12:02 PM
Interesting project... if it were me, I'd paint the front of the orange, engrave off what you don't want, then place the clear cap over it using Weld-On. I wouldn't engrave the clear unless I used extruded (and even then I would question doing it) due to the frosting effect. If frosted, I'd take a quick pass with the flame polisher to smooth it out, but I have no idea how it might affect the Krylon, hence yet another reason not to engrave the clear.

OMG! Are you seriously telling Steve to use a flame polisher? Frank's gonna kill you!

:D

Steve Clarkson
04-06-2009, 12:09 PM
Sounds like permission to burn to me.......

I picked up some Scotch Clear Mounting Tape at Wal-mart this morning......I was planning to use the Weld On for a DIFFERENT project, but I think this may work better. I'll try it on this one though.

Dan Hintz
04-06-2009, 12:15 PM
Dee,

Let's just call it a last resort method, shall we? ;)

I'm getting antsy for my flame polisher to get here... I hope it's finally on the ship!

Scott Shepherd
04-06-2009, 12:38 PM
I don't think the weld-on and the paint are going to play well together.

Dan Hintz
04-06-2009, 2:05 PM
Yeah, I can't say if the Weld-On is going to wrinkle the paint, but if it doesn't (if it simply prevents a good bond), Steve should still be okay. The text shouldn't go to the edge of the plastic, so it should be sealed from the environment... but I can't guarantee the middle of it will look good.

Meh, should be worth a try...

I'm leaving in 30 minutes to stop by the local JDS distributor, followed by a quick trip to the local Piedmont Plastics shop... I'm curious to see what they have available, and maybe I'll pick up some testing materials.

Brian Robison
04-06-2009, 3:50 PM
Cut the letters out of solid acrylic and cut out letters from the background. Use weld on and the clear sheet to stick them all together.

Scott Erwin
04-06-2009, 5:25 PM
OMG! Are you seriously telling Steve to use a flame polisher? Frank's gonna kill you!

:D


Thats okay, I just took out a ten million dollar insurance policy for both Steve and his house in case he tries the "flame-on" method.

Either it works or I'm rich....

Steve Clarkson
04-06-2009, 6:00 PM
Geez Scott......now I have to keep looking over my shoulder......good thing my ex hasn't put a hit out on me......yet.

Scott Erwin
04-06-2009, 6:11 PM
Geez Scott......now I have to keep looking over my shoulder......good thing my ex hasn't put a hit out on me......yet.


But we will build a better place for more toys..for both of us.

John Noell
04-06-2009, 8:18 PM
I'm guessing I don't really understand the final look you are after, but... If you want orange behind and clear in front, with letters, logos et cetera to be seen through the front, I'd take a thick piece of clear acrylic, paint the back orange, reverse engrave the text, spray the back whatever color I wanted for the text, then reverse engrave the logo, spray the back with that color and so on.

Steve Clarkson
04-06-2009, 8:41 PM
I'm guessing I don't really understand the final look you are after, but... If you want orange behind and clear in front, with letters, logos et cetera to be seen through the front, I'd take a thick piece of clear acrylic, paint the back orange, reverse engrave the text, spray the back whatever color I wanted for the text, then reverse engrave the logo, spray the back with that color and so on.

I guess I had it in my head that since the colors I wanted were orange and black....and since I had orange acrylic, that I should USE the orange acrylic......but maybe you're right and I should just use the clear with different colors of paint.

I just wish I could find a black color fill that would stick to acrylic the way the gold & silver rub n buff do........

Stephen Beckham
04-06-2009, 8:52 PM
Steve,

How detail of etching? Could you put black vinyl on the orange, vector and pick it to leave your design/text. Then sandwich the clear on top of that? It's kind of the same process laserbits suggest for their laser foils.

Either way, you will have some glue lines when you put the clear to the orange. I'd suggest doctoring it up with four stainless screws in the corners to give it zing & bling...

Steve Clarkson
04-06-2009, 9:19 PM
Steve,

How detail of etching? Could you put black vinyl on the orange, vector and pick it to leave your design/text. Then sandwich the clear on top of that? It's kind of the same process laserbits suggest for their laser foils.

Either way, you will have some glue lines when you put the clear to the orange. I'd suggest doctoring it up with four stainless screws in the corners to give it zing & bling...

That's not a bad idea either......if I had a vinyl cutter!!! Is there a laser friendly vinyl type of material? Wait a minute.......how about laserlights or laser ultra thins.....they would work, right?

Thanks for making me think Steve!

Stephen Beckham
04-06-2009, 9:52 PM
There are laserable vinyls out there - not for what you're intending, but for clothing applique (sp).

I did think about the laser thins, but they aren't as UV stable as vinyl. Regardless, they'll last awhile and you'll have two colors on the thins plus the orange background. More depth of design allowed.

I thought about the subli-mates, but they don't do well with glue that touches it between acrylics. If you use screws instead of glue, it might work. They'll be pretty stable in daylight, but not so well in direct sunlight unless treated with UV stable coating.

One other option would be black 1/8" acrylic for your design/logo. Sandwich it between the clear and orange. Now you'll have a 3D appearance to it. Goes back to my original question of how detailed is the artwork?

Have fun with it...

Steve Clarkson
04-06-2009, 10:42 PM
Will you stop coming up with good ideas!!!!!!

I just happen to have a pack of Twill's Sports film.....so it can be cut easy enough.....but can it be glued to a piece of acrylic? Do you know if the Twill stuff is UV stable?

John Noell
04-07-2009, 12:55 AM
I just wish I could find a black color fill that would stick to acrylic the way the gold & silver rub n buff do........Black RubnBuff won't work? (I have used rattle can black without any problems (but I know I ain't sposed to).

Mike Null
04-07-2009, 6:14 AM
I've had good luck with Dutch Boy acrylic from Sears.