Help with Masking and Color Fill

[Megan Farwell]

Hi All! Looking for the least PITA way to do this. I have stained wine boxes in dark walnut color. With just engraving, the engraving is not dark enough to show up against the wood. So I probably need to color fill, which I've never done before. I'm worried a tape mask will bleed which will effectively ruin a very expensive product. I've read about dishsoap too, but won't that mess up my woodgrain when I wash it off? Just trying to see if I am missing a simple solution. Thanks!

[Gary Hair]

If you spray with clear before you color fill then the grain will be sealed and the color won't wick. Masking - I use Ikonics Laser Tape - not exactly cheap but it lasers clean and you can get great detail with it that you might not get with other types of tape like transfer tape.

[Bert Kemp]

If you can clear coat before and after engraving that would be a good way. Clear coat then engrave then clear coat the engraving, this keeps the paint from bleeding. Masking would work if you can get a very tight fit over the wood then again clear coat the engrave part to seal the grain.

Hi All! Looking for the least PITA way to do this. I have stained wine boxes in dark walnut color. With just engraving, the engraving is not dark enough to show up against the wood. So I probably need to color fill, which I've never done before. I'm worried a tape mask will bleed which will effectively ruin a very expensive product. I've read about dishsoap too, but won't that mess up my woodgrain when I wash it off? Just trying to see if I am missing a simple solution. Thanks!

[Joe Pelonio]

I use a high tax transfer tape, first vector cut at low power and remove the tale from the letters, the engrave, the paint fill. It doesn't bleed if you use a nice thick acrylic paint.

[Tony Lenkic]

Here is another way to possibly achieve great results with simpler approach.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4qDwAcvaQU

[Mike Null]

If you had used solid walnut a well-applied mask would serve without risking bleeding from the colorfill. Since you stained the wood, meaning it was likely a light color, it's very probable that the paint will bleed. Use a clear coat after masking and engraving and before colorfill.