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Keith Outten
12-09-2006, 10:58 AM
Anyone have any tricks or tips for using Rub n Buff?

I noticed that it really needs to be mixed before you use it or it is very thin, not an easy task for a product in a tube.

I just started using Rub n Buff on clear acrylic and will try it on Corian this evening. Any help would be appreciated.

TIA,
Keith

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Bob Tate
12-09-2006, 12:33 PM
Fortunately I have never had any that was thin. It usually comes out of the tube with a good paste-like consistency. I have used a lot of it on glass and acrylic. Sometines, if you are not quick enough, it starts to dry and leave a colored sheen on glass or acrylic. I just wipe with a rag and alcohol. If I keep the rag wrapped firmly on my finger it does not take it out of the engraving. The stuff has been discussed widely on www.cuttingedgesandcarving.com (http://www.cuttingedgesandcarving.com)
There is a lady named Karen over there that has vast experience, and does some real neat stuff with it on her sandcarvings.
Goog luck,
Bob

Mike Null
12-09-2006, 12:46 PM
Keith

A couple of years ago I tried to locate a particular color and called the plant in Indianapolis. The item I wanted was discontinued but in the conversation they told me that mineral spirits was a solvent for all of it.

Ray Mighells
12-09-2006, 4:07 PM
Keith; the last time I used RubNBuff it was in a lead like tube like oil paints. Sounds like your stuff separated in the tube. You can knead the tube and mix it up. If it's pretty stiff, you can soak the tube in warm water to make it more pliable.

Carl Eyman
12-09-2006, 5:25 PM
But that won't stop me from commenting. A friend's headlight lenses were crazed to the point of being completly non-transparent. Using Menzerna 2L with a Surfbuf pad on a ROS we polished them up so they were like new. Much better than spending $500 fur a pair of new ones from Chrysler. I guess they are acrylic, aren't they? BTW those materials are available fro Homestead Finishing.

Bill Cunningham
12-09-2006, 8:46 PM
Will Rub n Buff on glass survive the dishwasher?

Leigh Costello
12-10-2006, 12:15 PM
I use rub 'n buff on some of my engravings, and have found that it is not washable. I clean my product by wiping with slightly damp cloth so as to not remove the coloring.

As far as the thin thing, I have found that warming the tube in my hand then shaking vigorously helps some. Gently squeezing the tube can help to mix the paste.

Good luck everyone!

Keith Outten
12-11-2006, 8:13 AM
Thanks to all for your input. I expect that shaking after warming the tubes will be helpful.

I didn't expect Rub N Buff to be dishwasher safe, I expect it is more in line with paint as far as durability. For interior signs I expect it is another option for adding color to Corian, acrylic, glass and wood. I have had some success using it on a few Christmas ornaments and clear acrylic business cards and like the fact that it is easy and fast to apply.

My next task is to learn to apply gold leaf. I recently purchased a small starter pack of sheets, adhesive and sealer. Now to fetch a potato from the kitchen and make my first attempt. Applying gold leaf to raised letters seems to be in every signmakers future.

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Wil Lambert
12-11-2006, 9:58 AM
I use Rubb N Buff on some of the mugs we make and bottles. I have a few mugs that have lasted 2 years in the dishwasher. I have found that the silver seems to last the longest out of any of the colors. The other colors don;t seem to work as well for coverage visibillity.

Just my $.02

Wil

Pat Kearney
12-12-2006, 10:23 PM
Ironically, as I now type my wife sits beside me color filling a wooden pen set that we just engraved. Once again we tried rub n buff but it did not work as well as the gold acrylic paint - the type used by tole painters. Although we have only engraved a few pen sets that require the color fill we seem to have a lot better success with the less expensive acrylic paint than run n buff-plus the toxic fumes from the rub n buff are a lot more than the acrylic.

Keith Outten
12-13-2006, 11:49 AM
Well I solved the mixing problem using an inexpensive plastic rock tumbler. Placing a tube or tubes of Rub N Buff or even Cermark bottles in the tumbler canister with soft shipping foam to keep them from banging around gets me a nice smooth rotation. I can plug it in and let it go for an hour which provides plenty of mixing rotations and I don't have to shake the dang things :)

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Leigh Costello
12-15-2006, 9:48 PM
Never thought of that solution, Keith! And I have a rock tumbler or two around here!

Leigh

Keith Outten
12-16-2006, 9:05 AM
Leigh,

I have been using the rock tumbler to mix Rub N Buff and Cermark for a couple days now. It works well and does a better job than manually shaking the tubes and bottles. I have to plan ahead an hour or so but that isn't a problem.

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Nancy Laird
12-16-2006, 11:57 AM
I read somewhere on another forum that Rub n Buff, fresh from the manufacturer, is supposed to be relatively thin coming out of the tube, but that it thickens up rapidly after the tube is opened. Apparently enough air comes through the crimps at the bottom of the tube that the stuff can thicken just sitting on the retailer's shelves. After a not-very-long time, the stuff hardens and becomes unusable. Sounds like Keith found the solution. I don't use the stuff, but I'm going to keep this thread for future reference in case I have occasion to do so.

Nancy