List of blanks that need reverse painting...

[mikeschn]

List of blanks that need reverse painting... This weekend I am playing with Acrylesters...

I was just curious if someone put together a list of blanks that benefit from reverse painting? And as a bonus, the best color for reverse painting with...

I did an Andromeda yesterday, and it definitely benefited from reverse paint, although I'm not sure black was the right color for that. Maybe purple?

Today I am getting ready to start a Blush, and it looks opaque, but I'm not sure. What do you think?

Mike...

 

[EBorraga]

I reverse paint every acrylic blank. It takes a little longer, but you never have to worry about seeing the tubes!

 

[mbroberg]

I reverse paint all acrylic blanks except for solid colors like solid white or solid black. If you have any doubts, paint it. As for the color most of the time I try to match the color of the blank but sometimes I like to experiment. You can get some pretty dramatic differences in the appearance of a blanks depending on the color you use.

 

[qquake]

Funny you should bring this up. I generally reverse paint all acrylic blanks, unless I know for sure that they're opaque. But I don't usually paint the tubes. However, after this one, I will always paint the tubes too. In this case I determined that the main culprit was gluing the tubes in while the paint inside the blanks was still wet. I'll always double check that from now on, too. This is a Rhino Paradise Blue blank.

 

[mikeschn]

I agree the acrylics mostly benefit from reverse painting. But I've noticed some of the Inlace Acrylesters are really opaque, even multi-colored ones like Nuclear Grape, Peacock, and Abalone.

So how can I tell if it's opaque or transparent?

Mike...

 

[TonyL]

Unless it is solid wood (no resin), M3, Tru-Stone, or opaque ebonite, I reverse paint all, and paint the tubes. I learned the hard way.

Many say they never have and some how make it work. I cannot make it work.

 

[jttheclockman]

After you drill the blank hold up to a strong light source and if you see light in that state, for sure you will when thinned down.

Once again I will mention this is something that some people do. Take a dowel and paint various colors strips on it. This will be your story pole. After you drill for your tubes you will size the blank for the tubes and more than likely have a small cutoff. Take this cutoff and thin it down by sanding or turning whatever you feel like. Now take that sample and run it over your story pole and check the different colors. Find one you may like. Some people have more than one story pole because of so many different colors. Keep good records for future use.

 

[mikeschn]

I like that idea John! Thanks...

Anyways, I did the Blush blank today. That was a disaster...

First of all the brass tubes did show through... so in the future, all blush blanks will need to be reverse painted.

I wasn't going to assemble it, but the wife said, "try it".

So I did... the lower half went together okay, but when I went to press in the finale into the top, the whole blank exploded on me. :frown:

I now have a new blank drilled and reverse painted... drying overnight...



Mike...

 

[CREID]

Every time I think a blank doesn't need reverse painting, IT DOES.
My answer is, all of the plastics.

 

[conandy]

This thread is timely. Just picked up an Inlace Acrylester Amethyst at Rockler (an "oh, that's pretty!" impulse buy) and was looking at it trying to decide to reverse paint it or not. Guess I will paint it to be safe, although it does look fairly opaque.

 

[mikeschn]

I did the Amethyst a few weeks ago. I did not reverse paint it, and it turned out okay... but if I were doing it again, I would probably reverse paint it with blue... especially if it's thinner than what I made...

Here's the Amethyst... see pic...

 

[conandy]

I did the Amethyst a few weeks ago. I did not reverse paint it, and it turned out okay... but if I were doing it again, I would probably reverse paint it with blue... especially if it's thinner than what I made...

Here's the Amethyst... see pic...

Thanks, Mikeschn. I'll paint to be safe. Think I'm going to start doing that on all translucent blanks anymore.

In your photo, towards the pen tip to the left where the color gets light, is that just one of the colors in the blank or am I seeing brass there?

 

[mikeschn]

You're seeing brass.

Mike...

 

[rrfd4]

I use a small gun barrel inspection light. It is a small pen light with a light tube on the end, just insert it in the acrylic blank and if you can see any light through the blank, paint it.

 

[duncsuss]

The simple answer is "paint them all".

Seriously, what harm does it do? If painting isn't necessary, you wouldn't see the brass and (by definition) you won't see the paint. It costs you a dab of paint and a day waiting for the paint to dry completely.

 

[Olivewood Pen Blanks]

Nice Work

Nice work

Funny you should bring this up. I generally reverse paint all acrylic blanks, unless I know for sure that they're opaque. But I don't usually paint the tubes. However, after this one, I will always paint the tubes too. In this case I determined that the main culprit was gluing the tubes in while the paint inside the blanks was still wet. I'll always double check that from now on, too. This is a Rhino Paradise Blue blank.