best method for colour filling acrylic

[James Higgon]

ive been looking into this for a while now, and everyone seems to have there own method of doing this. I saw one where you first clean the acrylic with wd40, then laser it, spray it with Krylon spray paint, then clean with wd40 on paper towels wrapped around a sanding block. Is this considered a good method?
only thing is i cant get that paint here in the uk, what other paint would you recommend that is readily available in the uk? thanks

[Mike Null]

Not by me. I use Krylon but I reserve wd40 for wasps. I usually mask whatever I'm color filling before engraving and depending on the material I'll use denatured alcohol as a cleaner, if needed.

[Rodne Gold]

For coloured acrylic , I flood fill with automotive duco type paint , scrape excess off with a stright edged card and clean witn methylated spirits (denatured methyl alcohol) on a rag wrapped around a flat block , after its dried. For clear acrylic we use water based acrylic paint , same method , but clean with water rather than meths - clear acrylic often crazes or stress cracks if you use solvents.

[James Higgon]

have you a link to the paint Rodne? i dont think we have duco type paint over here. Can i use something like this

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_15 8568_langId_-1_categoryId_165495
(http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_15 8568_langId_-1_categoryId_165495)
Also by flood fill do you mean actually fill the engraved area with paint? not just lightly cover it? what is the purpose of this

[Rodne Gold]

Any cheap automotive type paint should do..
Flood fill fills all the grooves right to the top , gives a nice shiny meniscus effect after it dries , the meths doesn't mar this shiny surface like something like thinners would..

[James Higgon]

Any cheap automotive type paint should do..
Flood fill fills all the grooves right to the top , gives a nice shiny meniscus effect after it dries , the meths doesn't mar this shiny surface like something like thinners would..

you use a spray paint then? so when i wipe over the surface with meths this doesnt affect the engraved areas at all? even though they are filled to the surface with paint

[Rodne Gold]

The paint is thick , its undiluted paint used for cars , almost runny honey type thick. The paintfill needs to be thick on large and deeply lasered areas cos they aren't smooth at all and need the thickness of the paint to cover ridging etc.
Your block you use to clean , the one the meths moistened rag is wrapped around must be bigger than the largest "open" filled area so you don't scoop the paint from the middle of that large filled area. If the paint isn't dry , you will damage it in large areas as you will drag the dry skin off the still wet paint under.
Meths will still leave the gloss on the large area fill as it doesn't really dissolve the paint , it sort of softens it and allows excess to be wiped free. Thinners will disolve paint and gives those large areas a matte finish if the thinners soaked cloth or thinners contacts em.

[James Higgon]

The paint is thick , its undiluted paint used for cars , almost runny honey type thick. The paintfill needs to be thick on large and deeply lasered areas cos they aren't smooth at all and need the thickness of the paint to cover ridging etc.
Your block you use to clean , the one the meths moistened rag is wrapped around must be bigger than the largest "open" filled area so you don't scoop the paint from the middle of that large filled area. If the paint isn't dry , you will damage it in large areas as you will drag the dry skin off the still wet paint under.
Meths will still leave the gloss on the large area fill as it doesn't really dissolve the paint , it sort of softens it and allows excess to be wiped free. Thinners will disolve paint and gives those large areas a matte finish if the thinners soaked cloth or thinners contacts em.

Ah ok I thought you meant like normal spray paint that id put straight onto the car. Ill have to have a hunt for that paint as ive never seen it. Do you pour it in then? Sorry for all the questions

[Rodne Gold]

Yeh , it comes in a tin , we pour on and scrape off excess back into the tin. The key is to scrape off the excess well as if you leave a lot of paint on the material surface , cleanup becomes more difficult. All automotive and other paint suppliers apart from housepaint , will stock something like this.

[James Higgon]

Yeh , it comes in a tin , we pour on and scrape off excess back into the tin. The key is to scrape off the excess well as if you leave a lot of paint on the material surface , cleanup becomes more difficult. All automotive and other paint suppliers apart from housepaint , will stock something like this.

Have you got a link to any of this paint? My searching Just keeps bringing up normal car paint

[James Higgon]

Have you got a link to any of this paint? My searching Just keeps bringing up normal car paint

Also how deep do you engrave when you are colour filling?

[Luann Brainard]

I am trying to find something to color fill acrylic beer mugs, and haven't been able to find anything that won't wash out. They will be done on the rotary so using the "flood" method won't be possible with the curved object. Is there anything out there that will work?
Thanks...Luann

[James Higgon]

If anyone could supply a link to this paint or where I can buy it from in the uk id be very grateful

[Martin Boekers]

I am trying to find something to color fill acrylic beer mugs, and haven't been able to find anything that won't wash out. They will be done on the rotary so using the "flood" method won't be possible with the curved object. Is there anything out there that will work?
Thanks...Luann

Krylon Fusion spray paint. It is designed to re-paint outdoor plastic furniture. Limited color selection though.

[Luann Brainard]

Krylon Fusion spray paint. It is designed to re-paint outdoor plastic furniture. Limited color selection though.

What do you use for masking? Does regular masking tape work? Thanks for the reply!
Luann