Well, that didn't work

[qquake]

I made a baseball pen for my friend's 60th birthday. I actually turned and finished it before I got my laser engraver. I finally got around to engraving it yesterday. The engraving turned out good. Someone on the MEJE Master engravers Facebook group recommended covering it with liquid chalk, which worked well. But like most acrylic pens, the engraving needs to be filled to show up well. So I used silver Rub'n Buff, as I have in the past. My friend doesn't like shiny pens, so I had wet sanded it to 600 grit, and didn't polish it further. Unfortunately, the micro scratches picked up the Rub'n Buff. Even lighter fluid wouldn't clean it.

 

[qquake]

So, I disassembled the pen and polished the body. The problem now is, the engraving is too shallow, and it doesn't all show up even with Rub'n Buff.

 

[qquake]

So I turned the body off and started over with some Brazilian cherry. I finished it with Watco Danish oil, which isn't as shiny as Pens Plus or CA. It's not as colorful, but it will be easier to engrave.

 

[leehljp]

Jim, the absolutely simplest way to remove the smear is to get a flat end scraper of a skew if you lay it down flat on the tool rest ( make sure it has been freshly sharpened) and barely scrape the surface of the blank from end to end as it turns fast. Smooth as a baby's behind, the smear is gone and in all probability if done skillfully enough - save your engraving.

 

[qquake]

Jim, the absolutely simplest way to remove the smear is to get a flat end scraper of a skew if you lay it down flat on the tool rest ( make sure it has been freshly sharpened) and barely scrape the surface of the blank from end to end as it turns fast. Smooth as a baby's behind, the smear is gone and in all probability if done skillfully enough - save your engraving.

But that would have made the engraving even shallower. It's a moot point anyway.

 

[qquake]

Well, that was fast and easy. Turned out good. I'm happy with it. Now I just have to reassemble the pen. This whole laser engraving process still seems magical to me.

 

[leehljp]

But that would have made the engraving even shallower. It's a moot point anyway.

Well, I guess you are unfamiliar with scraping off .001 to get the surface buildup of what ever it was that smeared. I can't figure out why people think sandpaper (even 600) is finer than scraping. Scraping doesn't smear. You only take off precisely how much you want.

 

[qquake]

Well, I guess you are unfamiliar with scraping off .001 to get the surface buildup of what ever it was that smeared. I can't figure out why people think sandpaper (even 600) is finer than scraping. Scraping doesn't smear. You only take off precisely how much you want.

That's something I've never tried, nor was even aware of.