cermark flaking off

[Robert E Miller]

I am trying the SUS 133 - Hi-Stick Solution - 250g cermark and am having issues with it flaking off of my chrome. I first sprayed it on per instructions then tried brushing with the same result. I never had this issue with the LM6000 and wanted to try this so I got more bang for the buck. It has to be the way I am applying it?
Thanks

[Dan Hintz]

Brushing is more touchy than spraying, IMO... for spraying, you should cover with juuuuust enough to not see the substrate behind the spray. What speed/power are you running at (and put your laser's wattage in your sig... and get rid of the website, it's against TOS)?

[Rodne Gold]

Try mixing in a small bit of dishwashing liquid in to it , try use one without lemon and additives , normally the very cheapest. A drop or 2 should get that stuff to stick , also turn off air assist if you have it on..

[Dan Hintz]

Rodney, I get the impression he's talking about the Cermark flaking off after it has been through the laser, not surface tension making the wet stuff ball up.

[Robert E Miller]

I turned off the air assist when the flaking started happening. It is doing this while engraving. I have a 60 watt laser running it at 100% power and 70 speed.

[Jimmy L Taylor]

Try backing your speed down to 60. I have had good luck running 100 power and speed setting equal to your wattage. Check the tech tips at laserbits.com

[Rodne Gold]

So is the unengraved cermark flaking off or is it the black engraved result flaking off?

[Dan Hintz]

I turned off the air assist when the flaking started happening. It is doing this while engraving. I have a 60 watt laser running it at 100% power and 70 speed.


Try backing your speed down to 60. I have had good luck running 100 power and speed setting equal to your wattage. Check the tech tips at laserbits.com
Man, you guys are running unbelievably fast... I'm measuring in at 70W+ on my setup, and I'm in the 20 range for speed. It's likely you're melting the Cermark to itself, but it's not getting a chance to melt onto the substrate itself.

[Mike Null]

I run at 15 speed and 600 dpi on my 45 watt machine. 15 speed equates to 21 inches per second.

[Robert E Miller]

The flaking is happening on some parts before they go into the laser. I just checked some parts I coated days ago and it fell right off. This has never happened with the LM6000 spray.
So, after cleaning the surface and mixing per instructions, why this isn't sticking correctly is beyond me.

[Steve Rozwood]

Robert,

We would like to try and help you with your situation, please send us an e-mail for either:

Dennis Gilmore at gilmored@ferro.com

or for Me at

Steve Rozwood at rozwoods@ferro.com

[Robert E Miller]

Robert,

We would like to try and help you with your situation, please send us an e-mail for either:

Dennis Gilmore at gilmored@ferro.com

or for Me at

Steve Rozwood at rozwoods@ferro.com

Just so everyone knows, I contacted Steve and although we didn't get a definate answer to the issue, he sent me a replacement to try just in case there was an issue with the bottle I had. Hoping to test tonight. Customer service is important to all of us so Thank you Steve!