Help, please: Uneven shine on stippled area

Choppers_rule · Jun 16, 2016

Hi,
I have a problem with uneven shininess when stippling a large area. What do I need to do, so the stippled area has a uniform shininess to it?:thinking:
Thank you.
Denny

JJ Roberts · Jun 16, 2016

Denny,What are you trying to stipple? J.J.

SamW · Jun 16, 2016

I would go back over the brighter areas and try to make them the same as the other. It sometimes takes a few tries to get a large area to look uniform.

Sinterklaas · Jun 16, 2016

The pressure you give with your hand will also result in variation. Keep pressing evenly.
Also keep the tool in the same angle.
Different angles give different reflection.

Work in circles. Not in rows/lines then you will get the same effect as a mowed lawn.
And you don't want that.

Choppers_rule · Jun 16, 2016

JJ : it's a motorcycle part
Sam: The shininess does not come from an area that does not have enough stippling but the dots from stippling creates different shininess when you look at it at a certain angle.
Sinterklass : so these could be my problems: Uneven pressure & uneven angle while stippling.

I do put more pressure in certain area to smooth out the background relief.
The only time I stipple in lines is when stippling near cutting cutting lines or borders.

Barry Lee Hands · Jun 16, 2016

Also, in addition to the other good suggestions, the shine on your tool could be changing as you go, causing differences as you move around.

AndrosCreations · Jun 16, 2016

I have this problem and this is why I don't stipple with an air powered graver. As you change angles to stipple, your graver (or whatever you're using) geometry / facets are making impressions at whatever angle you're stippling at 'at that moment'... When you change angles, the tiny flat geometry impressions change position too. So light will reflect according to what areas you did in different positions.

I think this is probably what Barry is referencing too.

I used a dental drill with tiny ball burs to create an even background.

truehand · Jun 17, 2016

I've learned never to rotate the piece while stippling to avoid this unevenness

monk · Jun 17, 2016

not sure, but maybe a light bead blast could help a bit.

Choppers_rule · Jun 17, 2016

monk said:
not sure, but maybe a light bead blast could help a bit.

Monk- I've never used a bead blast before but I'm willing to give this a try to even out the shininess. Do you have to tape up the area of your design to protect it before blasting?

SamW · Jun 17, 2016

Denny, perhaps a photo would be appropriate about now.

monk · Jun 18, 2016

Choppers_rule said:
Monk- I've never used a bead blast before but I'm willing to give this a try to even out the shininess. Do you have to tape up the area of your design to protect it before blasting?

absolutely. if you don't tape off the areas, they will take on an entire new look. i assume you only want to even out the stippling. i think there's types of varnish that could be painted on as a blockout, but have never done such. maybe those that do beadblasting could better address the issue.

John B. · Jun 19, 2016

I find it best to stipple large areas with a homemade stippling punch.
Take 3/32" oil hardening drill rod and cut a desired length for either power or hand tool use.
Chuck it in a drill press and flatten one end against a stone or coarse sandpaper.
Cut the flat end with a fine liner in two directions at 60 degrees.
Size the textured end of the tool by rotating it against a fine file or bench stone if you want a round tool.
Or file to to a rectangular shape to go next to and engraved line. Make wedge shapes to go into tight corners.
I harden in the regular way, bright red and dipped and stirred in cheap transmission fluid.
Clean off the heat scale. Bury the punches in CLEAN sand in an old metal meat loaf pan.
Put the pan in the household oven at 325 degrees and let it heat soak all evening
Without opening the oven turn off the heat and let it coast down. Go to bed.
Next morning you will have punches that are just the right hardness and will last through many texturing jobs.
As always, wear eye protection when striking tools. Works for me.
John B.

Choppers_rule · Jun 19, 2016

Here's the pic :

davidshe · Jun 20, 2016

Denny - here is my two cents worth. My experience has been that unless I get the background removal extremely flat and consistent there is no way that the stippling is going to look good no matter what I do. Uneven areas of background just cannot be overcome with stippling. So, now when I do my background removal I try harder than ever to take the time and make the bottom as perfectly flat as I can. Then stippling becomes so much easier and always looks more consistent. Your piece look real nice but I do detect some uneven areas and I would suspect it started with the background removal. Also, when stippling I use circular motions. Hope that helps, it sure helped me once I started taking the time to do a better job on the background removal. Keep up the good work!

monk · Jun 20, 2016

hmmm. bead blasting may even out the shine. you do have a broblem-- the stippling does not appear random. this is readily apparent around the right arm of the cross, as well as above it. if that was mine, i'd try leveling out a bit with a punch, maybe even a flat graver, and have another go at it. as important as tool orientation, is the amount of pressure applied to the stipple point. try to keep that as consistent as possible.

Choppers_rule · Jun 21, 2016

davidshe said:
Denny - here is my two cents worth. My experience has been that unless I get the background removal extremely flat and consistent there is no way that the stippling is going to look good no matter what I do. Uneven areas of background just cannot be overcome with stippling. So, now when I do my background removal I try harder than ever to take the time and make the bottom as perfectly flat as I can. Then stippling becomes so much easier and always looks more consistent. Your piece look real nice but I do detect some uneven areas and I would suspect it started with the background removal. Also, when stippling I use circular motions. Hope that helps, it sure helped me once I started taking the time to do a better job on the background removal. Keep up the good work!

Thank you David. I agree with you. My background removal using a flat graver needs attention. I'm usually able to remove a pretty level background in small areas. However, the problem is when I have to remove a quite large area. I think I become impatient trying to remove it too fast which causing my angle to change quite a bit.
Any tips on how to get the background level using flat graver?

davidshe · Jun 21, 2016

Denny - when I use a flat graver for background removal I first use my V graver (116 or 105) to cut some lines to divide the area up. I do this because I seem to be able to control the depth of my V graver a lot better than I can the flat. Then, once I start with the flat it becomes much easier for me to calculate the depth properly. Hope that helps a little!

wdale.bass · Jun 21, 2016

another thing that might help is to sharpen your tool into a pyramid shape(90 degrees,turn,until all four sides are equal),this seems to reduce the reflection from one stipple to the next for me.

tim halloran · Jun 21, 2016

Choppers_rule: I would advise you to keep your stippling point very sharp, as your stipple will have a tendency to go from dark to lighter as the tool dulls. Also as Dale Bass says you can grind a four sided stippling tool . Some people say that as light enters the stippled hole it can't come back out with a four sided tool. If your stippling is too shiny then your tool is probably too shiny. I put mine in a battery powered drill and hold it at the appropriate angle as I grind it on a diamond wheel. I use a 200 grit diamond wheel to rough it out then go to a 600 grit. Try to hold the tool at the same angle all the time, as close to vertical as possible.

Help, please: Uneven shine on stippled area

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