Help!

[bensoelberg]

I have a 12 pen order that I must finish today. I names laser engraved onto the pen barrels, then finished with CA (thanks to the help from my other thread). 9 of the 12 look good, but I'm having trouble with 3. Yesterday morning I noticed that the names had gotten foggy. I sanded them back down, wiped them clean with accelorator, even used a needle to go through the grooves and picked them clean. I put a new CA finish on them; this morning they look the same as they did yesterday. Any hints/helps would be greatly appreciated. If I can't get it to work, I'm just going to have to eat it and make replacement pens.

 

[broitblat]

Did you wax the pens? It looks like it could be buildup of wax or other finish. On option would be to fill the engraving with crushed stone or something else to bring it level with the rest of the surface.

-Barry

 

[Padre]

I agree with Barry, looks like something got into the grooves after you put the CA on.

 

[jskeen]

looks to me like moisture coming up from the bottom of the burn, but I can't imagine why it would do that.

 

[ctubbs]

What CA did you use, thin, medium or thick? My first impression was that the CA did not get all the way into the grove of the lettering. Maybe placing some thin in the grove and filling it that way then applying the regular finish. IDK, just a thought. From what I can see, the white looks a bunch like when I do not get a good seal of CA to blank.
Charles

 

[Wood Butcher]

I've had a bunch of pens engraved and have not experienced this issue. I always finish the pen completely, either MM and Novus polish or CA-MM-and Novus polish, then have them engraved. I do my own filling with artists acrylic paint from the art store, a tube will do hundreds of pens for $3 a tube. I apply with a finger, rubber glove on of course, then wipe off when it begins to haze over. I apply two or three coats like this wiping with a blue paper towel from WallyWorld in between. Let it dry for an hour or two and....finished. Just my method, as Weight Watchers says, "Your results may vary".
WB