Decorating Little Eggies.

[paul mott]

Thanks Mark, I think vinegar does dissolve calcium - certainly kettle de-scaler does.
Something new for me to try laser then etch - might just work.

Thanks again,

Paul.

[Dan Hintz]

Or try dying the eggs first with a bit of vinegar and Ritt dye... you'll have to balance the length of dying time between getting a deep enough color and allowing the color to leach through the entire depth of the shell.

[Scott Shepherd]

You can also put a fairly decent size hole in one end, then use an epoxy inside it, roll it around to coat the inside. That'll make it strong. Once that's done, dry wall spackeling (sp?), NOT sheetrock mud, can be used to fill the hole and sand it smooth.

[paul mott]

Thank you all for the suggestions and ideas. I have a few different things to try now - should have it sorted by next easter.

Paul.

[James Stokes]

For the problem with scorching cover with tape first.

[Dan Hintz]

James,

That's some thin/flexible tape to cover a small egg without crinkling

[Dee Gallo]

There is a liquid mask which dries to a film I used to use for airbrushing motorcycle/snowmobile helmets. Once dry, you can cut it with a knife (or laser I guess) and it peels off when you're done with it. Look in airbrush supply vendors like Bear Air.

dee

[paul mott]

For the problem with scorching cover with tape first.

Sorry James but I don't think this is practical

On the serious side, when applying enough power to cut through, the shell is on the verge of catching fire. Although the calcium itself doesn't actually burn the protein layers and sac are flammable and I think (although I haven't tried it yet) any form of masking will add to the flammability issue.

However, masking is yet another avenue for me to try - thank you for the suggestions.

Paul.

[James Stokes]

On really odd shaped objects, I use electrical tape. It has enough flexibility to conform and comes off very easy.

[paul mott]

Hi James,

It is perhaps a whole new subject but I trust that your electrical tape is not PVC.
Cutting that on your machine can really be bad news.

The problem with these little egg shells is they are so delicate when cut that they just cannot be handled without breaking, let alone pull off any tape.

This is perhaps the type of work I am eventually trying to achieve.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/superma...in/contacts/#/

Paul.

[Mike Null]

You can get liquid mask at art supply and craft stores also.

[Dan Hintz]

Dee,

Two thumbs up... I always seem to forget about the liquid mask stuff. I'll have to dig through my airbrush kit and see if I have any left, but I think I may just have a roll or two of frisket.

In a pinch, maybe some melted wax would work? The laser would have no problem etching through it. I wonder how it would work if you coated an egg with a think dip of wax, lasered a design, and then dyed it... hmmmm...

[paul mott]

In a pinch, maybe some melted wax would work? The laser would have no problem etching through it. I wonder how it would work if you coated an egg with a think dip of wax, lasered a design, and then dyed it... hmmmm...

Go on Dan, give it a try and report back.

Paul.

[Dee Gallo]

Dee,

Two thumbs up... I always seem to forget about the liquid mask stuff. I'll have to dig through my airbrush kit and see if I have any left, but I think I may just have a roll or two of frisket.

In a pinch, maybe some melted wax would work? The laser would have no problem etching through it. I wonder how it would work if you coated an egg with a think dip of wax, lasered a design, and then dyed it... hmmmm...

Now you're making pysanky! Ukrainian style egg decoration.

[Dan Hintz]

Hah, no kidding... kind of a reverse pysanky. I had no idea. I guess with my method, you'd have to keep recoating the entire egg after each color, though.