Rustoleum Flat Black Paint Fill

Rusty Shackleford · Mar 17, 2015

Hello all. I would like to start experimenting with filling in some of my practice plates with black. I have searched the forum and come up with a ton of posts where everyone is mentioning they use and prefer rustoleum flat black. What I cant find.. is instructions on how to do it. So - was hoping a few of you could throw in some tips and tricks.

I imagine you brush it on then wipe the surface of the metal with acetone on a rag? I might be way off. If there is a simple how to already posted somewhere that I did not see please point me to it.

To clarify - this is it right? - Rust-Oleum 7776730 Protective Enamel Paint, 8-Ounce, Flat Black

Eric Olson · Mar 17, 2015

You just rub it on with your finger, then wipe it off with your finger. simple!
Use a rag to clean your finger as you go and eventually the highlights will be clean.

Sam · Mar 17, 2015

If it needs thinning, a bit of lighter fluid will work. I flood it on with a Qtip and wipe off with my finger as Eric said. Try to avoid puddling in deep background areas as they'll dry slightly shiny (which you don't want). If it's too thick it'll puddle.

dlilazteca · Mar 17, 2015

Searching at its finest!

Proud of you brother, you just helped yourself and many other new guys and gals.

I would definitely do what Sam recommended, I would thin it, don't thin the whole thing, I usually place some on a bottle cap, (small amount) and thin there, the small can will last you forever.

Something else I learned, thanks to everyone here, If you add the paint and it just seems to wipe off no matter what you do, talking about background, you probably have not removed enough and need to go deeper.

Brian Marshall · Mar 17, 2015

I add in a timer hooked up to a heat lamp - set at a distance of about 10"? For 10 or 15 minutes...

Usually because I just got a phone call from the customer saying he'll be here in 30 minutes.

DO NOT do this with anything incorporating plastics, resins, ivory, bone, shell, etc.

And no, you needn't ask me how I know this...

Brian

Beladran · Mar 17, 2015

i have a small two ounce screw top plastic jar that i keep this mixed up in pre diluted.

KCSteve · Mar 17, 2015

I wipe it on with a Q-tip then hit it briefly with my little embossing heat pen to set it. Then I use a piece of plain copier paper to wipe off the excess. After I've got the excess off I use my thumb for the final cleanup. I could use my thumb for the whole process but it gets black enough as it is.

Brian Marshall · Mar 17, 2015

Lick your thumb beforehand - after a big bowl of pea soup... or maybe Cheerios?

B.

KCSteve · Mar 17, 2015

Ah! Lick my thumb BEFORE - that's what I've been doing wrong!

Ron Spokovich · Mar 17, 2015

It should go without saying, in your final prep for the Rustoleum, to finely remove all burrs, under the loupe if need be. Using the finest emery, or whatever, stretched on a flat piece of steel or aluminum, carefully go over the whole thing, then clean with acetone. You only want to fill the lines, and not drag paint onto unwanted areas. It should be looking pretty sharp, then!

Jshapco2 · Mar 17, 2015

How is Black Indian Ink for filling in background? I have read that some use that to fill in numerals on things like watch dials.

tdelewis · Mar 18, 2015

Just the other day I tried black fingernail polish for filling in lettering. I liked the results. I put dab on the lettering and rubbed it in with my finger. It left some streaks on the work. To remove the streaks I dampened a paper shop towel with acetone. I mean very lightly dampened so as not to get down in the lettering. It removed the streaks without removing the fingernail polish. It left a good dark contrast. I know some of you will say that it is a glossy finish and you don't want glossy. A very fine paper polish will take care of most of the gloss. I would some of the experts try this and let us know what you think.

GTJC460 · Mar 19, 2015

I've got an easier method that's easier to cleanup.

Smoke the item with a kerosene lamp or candle. I use a beeswax candle. Then I grab my renisance wax and rub the soot into the engraving. You just rub the wax in till you no longer see any gew.

I like this method because it's easier to clean off your fingers than the paint. Plus you don't have to deal with drips and possible spills.

Tim Wells · Mar 20, 2015

Rusty,
In case you haven't figured it out yet, the reason people use the heel of their hand or paper is to avoid removing the paint. If you use a rag or even a T-shirt, that is still too soft and it will compress and pull the paint out of the cuts as you wipe across the engraving. I use a page out of last years phone book with no solvent. You remember those antique things with white and yellow pages that Ma Bell used to throw on the porch every year.

Newsprint works great too which is about the same thing.

Jesse.beckham · Mar 21, 2015

A fellow engraver suggested to me using a stack of post-it-notes. After each use, peel the used one off and you're ready for the next. The stack height of the post-it's give a little extra pressure to work with too.

Rustoleum Flat Black Paint Fill

Rusty Shackleford

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Eric Olson

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Sam

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dlilazteca

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Brian Marshall

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Beladran

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KCSteve

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Brian Marshall

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KCSteve

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Ron Spokovich

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Jshapco2

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tdelewis

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Tim Wells

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Jesse.beckham

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