Engraving silicone rubber I-phone covers and color filling with powder coat paint?

[Larry Bratton]

I have an opportunity to engrave a large quantity of I-Pad cases that need a permanent mark that is going to be a logo. Trouble is, they want the mark to be one color (orange). I have done some of the silicone rubber like the case is wrapped with and it actually does work nicely. Question is, would it be possible to fill the engraving with powder coat paint and re-laser to get the color? Anybody ever done this before? I know some of you have done the powder coat thing, but how about with the rubber? Thanks in advance for any advice, suggestions etc.

[Gary Hair]

Just because of the slippery nature of silicone, you may have trouble getting anything to stick. Harbor Freight powder paint is cheap enough that you may just want to give it a try. Laser it slow speed and low power - my 30 watt machine I use 20% power and 70% speed - any more power and it obliterates it, any more speed and it doesn't fully melt. You'll probably have to cut the power even more for your 40 watt machine, maybe 12-15% power.

[matthew knott]

I hate lasering silicon, it needs loads of cleaning after and we have to use a little toothbrush and soapy water to make them look good, never tried painting, good knows how you get it to stick to silicon.

[Larry Bratton]

Thanks for the info so far. Wondering how it would work with just a mask and regular paint fill. This is for a school, they are supplying them to protect the I-pads they are farming out to the students. They want them marked, as they will retain ownership so they don't want a mark that would come off. The colored logo throws a wrench in the works but hopefully there is a way.

[Mike Chance in Iowa]

I would try lasering at 70% gray or less to try to give the engraving some texture. That might give the paint a little something to grab on to. Getting something to stick and not scrape off is going to be a challenge.

[Mark Maslonkowski]

I would skip the laser all together and dye sublimate IPad cases. Just my 2 cents.

Mark Maslonkowski

[Larry Bratton]

Whoa..since when can you sublimate to silicone cases? It would be very difficult to press also. (I think) Keeping in mind I am working to a specific specified product and it is black in color. Tell me what you know, as far as I know you would have to put some kind of coated insert in it.

I would skip the laser all together and dye sublimate IPad cases. Just my 2 cents.

Mark Maslonkowski

[Mark Maslonkowski]

You are 100% correct if you are set on 100% silicone cases Dy Sublimation would not work but I have worked with several very nice Dye Sub cases that worked out very well. Sorry if i offended you.

Mark Maslonkowski

[Larry Bratton]

Oh no, no offence taken at all. I was hoping you were right and knew something I didn't know about sublimation. It would be dandy if it would work but I don't see a way with the particular product. Thanks for your reply.

You are 100% correct if you are set on 100% silicone cases Dy Sublimation would not work but I have worked with several very nice Dye Sub cases that worked out very well. Sorry if i offended you.

Mark Maslonkowski

[Dan Hintz]

Larry,

I did a Nexus 10 a few days back... those have a rubber-like coating on the back for grip. I used the plastic-specific paint for fill. A small strip peeled off when I removed the mask, but I think that was due to me being too impatient and taking the mask off too soon. Give it a few hours to cure more and you should be golden. After 24 hours, that stuff was NOT coming off that Nexus.

[Mike Null]

Larry

Do you think heat pressed vinyl like is used for t-shirts might work?

[Scott Shepherd]

Larry, I think the process you'd want to use is to have them silk screened. They make inks specifically for silk screening rubber. I think you'd get along better down that route (and less expensive). You could easily have multicolor done and the cost wouldn't be too expensive, in my opinion.

I've had some 4 color items done on different substrates and the cost was VERY low, in my opinion.

Might be worth looking into and finding someone nearby that can do that for you. It won't be down into the surface, but it'll be stuck probably better than anything you can do with spray paint.

[Isaac Clarke]

If you can find a silicon based paint you should be ok, silicon likes sticking to silicon, but nothing else does Maybe colour some RTV to your preferential colour.

[Larry Bratton]

Mike,
I doubt you can heat press this thing due to the shape of it and all. However, it came to me that it might be possible to do it with a plate puck. I have one of those that has never done a plate..LOL.

Larry

Do you think heat pressed vinyl like is used for t-shirts might work?

[Larry Bratton]

Scott,
I would tend to agree to a point, but I am still of the mind that an engraved mark will be there forever, regardless of the color part. This is going to be a competitive bid situation for my customer that would actually be supplying the product, so I doubt there is room in this for yet another party. I'm not a screener, I am an engraver.

Larry, I think the process you'd want to use is to have them silk screened. They make inks specifically for silk screening rubber. I think you'd get along better down that route (and less expensive). You could easily have multicolor done and the cost wouldn't be too expensive, in my opinion.

I've had some 4 color items done on different substrates and the cost was VERY low, in my opinion.

Might be worth looking into and finding someone nearby that can do that for you. It won't be down into the surface, but it'll be stuck probably better than anything you can do with spray paint.