need a answer to the use of armor all

[Keith Outten]

Dan,

Have you tried using Armour All? It only takes one engraving pass to get perfectly white text and graphics, it couldn't be any simpler.
.

[Dale Davies]

That's close to what I use for LaserSketch Marble - Not good stuff at all - likely not real marble (my 2 cents). It's very soft and does not laser white. It works for plaques, but not well for photographs.

For real marble I use 15 speed & 100 power
Granite I use 100 speed & 33 power

I never use PhotoGrav anymore.

Well here's today's adventure...i have to agree with tim on the lasersketch marble, except mine was bought in canada (company selling for lasersketch). Everyone says to engrave marble at high power and low (er) speed.It was good at removing the surface but no pic....lower the power...increase the speed....pic ...but it's grey not white. Then i tryed a couple of the fool proof tests...battery acid and then lemon juice...nothing...no etching at all, so if i have this right it's NOT marble thou i bought it as marble. I'll have to make a phone call tomorrow. So if that is the case where in the beep beep do i buy REAL marble from...in the sizes of pic's. ie: 4x6 8x10 etc. that i need, or could this have been a "bad bunch", a little mix up. I hate being in a spot whereas i can't do the job at task. There is one... and the last test, and that would be have someone prepare the picture for me but thats asking to much it think but just in case there is someone kind enough...i can e-mail you the pic and then compare your results to mine...i don't want you to laser the pic only process it, either with or without photograv. My laser is epilog mini 45w and i'm using coreldrawx3 and the thing that really gets me is the person for whom needs this done has seen the "white " marble engravings and doesn't like the grey...go figure...anyway thanks again and this is the last time with this subject for sure ...dale

[Bill Cunningham]

Dale I'm pretty sure I know where you got your lasersketch marble.. I use this quite often, and do get good results, you just have to know what to expect.. The first time I ran it, I called them up and said they shipped me granite in error, they immediately shipped me another piece, But it was exactly the same as the first piece. Not real marble. To do this stuff right, you have to boost your speed way up.. I use 75% power, 100 speed @ 600 dpi on my 35-45 watt TT But you 'do' have to whiten it, and you do have to use photograv or similar. It will not take a halftone like marble will. I guess that's why they also sell the Vanson white ink. I use Winton titanium white oil paint applied with a squeegee.. I have not found a Canadian source for real black marble, but have adapted to working with the other stuff, and whitening it as needed.. The Big fish piece I posted a while ago was done on the lasersketch marble.. Once your set up for it, it seems to work quite nice.. Although real marble is better.. this is real marble, the brown stuff from H.D. no whitening needed.. This is 12x12, and the little photos in the corners are only about 1.5" across but look like 'real' b/w prints, and were done with the laser driver only no photograv
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[Dan Hintz]

Dan,

Have you tried using Armour All? It only takes one engraving pass to get perfectly white text and graphics, it couldn't be any simpler.
.

Yep... I'll usually let it sit overnight, then wipe it off. I also tried the Mr. Miyagi way (wipe on, wipe off), but no difference. Maybe those LEDs are just making me more blind than I realized...

[Stanley Waldrup]

Well I picked up the Granite from HD, Applied the Armour All, Engraved, Color filled all the letters with titanium oil base paint. This plaque will be put on a Bolder out side for a local College. What would be the best thing to seal it with? I know it has been covered many times but Will the sealer work on top of the Titanium paint? What about the Armour All can sealer be applied on top of it?

Thanks
Stanley

[Tim Bateson]

For Granite, I don't use Armor All, I use a stone sealer. Armor All is more for marble.

[Belinda Barfield]

Well I picked up the Granite from HD, Applied the Armour All, Engraved, Color filled all the letters with titanium oil base paint. This plaque will be put on a Bolder out side for a local College. What would be the best thing to seal it with? I know it has been covered many times but Will the sealer work on top of the Titanium paint? What about the Armour All can sealer be applied on top of it?

Thanks
Stanley

Stanley,

I would offer one caution, if you don't know what may have been used on a stone before, be careful with some sealers. Most topical treatments applied to stone won't interact, but there is no guarantee. Always test a small, inconspicuous area, or another tile from the same supplier.

[Stanley Waldrup]

Thanks Belinda,
I guess what I after is will other sealers work on top of the armour all. I hate to cut another tile but I do want it to last. Can a sealer be applied over top of the oil base titanium.. So much to learn..
Stanley

[Tim Bateson]

Stone sealers need to soak into the pours of the stone. If it already has some type of oily base, I doubt the sealer will have any effect.
When buying a stone sealer, avoid sealers with wax in them.

[Bill Cunningham]

Once the oil paint has dried (somewhat.. 2-3 days.. Real dry can take months ).. I use a good polymer car polish , wipe it on, let if fog over, then polish it off.. If it protects a car on the road for a year from salt, dirt etc.. It will also work for a stationary rock..

[Stanley Waldrup]

Thanks Bill.. I'll look into that.. The plaque will be at the local School. I can sneek over and put a coat on a couple of times a year....
Stanley

[Belinda Barfield]

Thanks Belinda,
I guess what I after is will other sealers work on top of the armour all. I hate to cut another tile but I do want it to last. Can a sealer be applied over top of the oil base titanium.. So much to learn..
Stanley

Sorry Stanley, I somehow overlooked this post.

The surface of stone is very much like the surface of your skin. If you already have something lotion on your hand, you can apply more, but the skin can only absorb so much. I don't know if sealer can be applied over Amour All as I've never tried it. Likewise I don't know if sealer can be applied over the top of oil base titanium. I do advise customers not to use a sealer if they don't know what has previously been applied to the stone. Also, as Tim said, no wax based sealers. I think I mentioned that earlier.