Example of LaserDarc on maple

[Frank Corker]

Let me know how much you need Steve. Never mind Larry I've looked on the net and found a few examples.

[Larry Bratton]

Always appreciate what you have to offer Larry, but I think I'm going to take up a collection to give you a free photography class.

Oh really. Sorry it didn't meet your approval. It was about the content..,not the photo. No collection necessary.

[Steve Clarkson]

Oh really. Sorry it didn't meet your approval. It was about the content..,not the photo. No collection necessary.

My apologies. It was a joke. Won't happen again.

[Frank Corker]

Definitely only kidding Larry

[Mike Null]

Larry,
Your photography is excellent by my standards.

[Larry Bratton]

Thank you Mike and Steve. I don't normally use the camera in the phone because of quality. But, it conveyed the idea.
Merry Xmas!

[Chad Fitzgerald]

never thought of this, gonna try it. Question, do you have issues with the exhaust sucking out the powder?? what dpi works best? any htoughts on begining setting on a 40 watt laser? Materials to start with OR stay away from, wood, acrylic, metals, ???
thanks, im excited.

[Tim Bateson]

I use the Powder Paint from Harbor Freight - about $4 a quart and will likely last for my laser career. Can be messy, but once you have the technique down, it's a cheap way to color fill wood. I usually will follow-up with a light coat of Shellac or other clear spray coating.

A project I worked on a couple years ago: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...g-chairs/page2

[Larry Bratton]

never thought of this, gonna try it. Question, do you have issues with the exhaust sucking out the powder?? what dpi works best? any htoughts on begining setting on a 40 watt laser? Materials to start with OR stay away from, wood, acrylic, metals, ???
thanks, im excited.

Are asking about the powder coat or LaserDarc? I didn't have any issues with the exhaust cos I turned it off for that step. My 40 watt settings were 20p/100s/300dpi. LD works on wood and supposedly acrylic. PC may be different and there are huge amount of colors,but not from Harbor Freight.

[Chad Fitzgerald]

i was asking about powder coat. is it ok to turn the exhaust off when lasering the pc? Larry, are those settings for PC?
thanks

[Larry Bratton]

i was asking about powder coat. is it ok to turn the exhaust off when lasering the pc? Larry, are those settings for PC?
thanks

Chad,
I was doing a small amount of engraving on that piece. I would think that at low power and fast speed the amount of fumes etc would be very small if any because your not really burning anything, your just using the heat to melt the paint. Mine worked fine without the exhaust on. No, those were the settings I used for the LaserDarc recommended by the manufacturer of the powder. If I understand the other posts, it takes a bit of experimentation to arrive at your particular settings for PC. Since the idea is about the same, give the 20p/100s a try as a starting point. You can always add a little more powder and go over it again until you are satisfied with it.

[Tim Bateson]

i was asking about powder coat. is it ok to turn the exhaust off when lasering the pc? Larry, are those settings for PC?
thanks

Ditto - What Larry said. You want to use just enough power to melt the PC - I use 9p/100s. I've never noticed any fumes or smoke.

Another Powder Paint project - Post # 6 of: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...der%20paint%22

[mike klein]

The powder coating works great on the JDS leather flasks. I like these flasks but could never get a nice dark engraving until using the powder coating.

Mike


leatherflasks.jpg

[Steve Clarkson]

Mike......that looks nice.......what was your technique for that? For wood, it seems you engrave the wood first, then brush the powder on (or into) the engraving. You don't really get any depth when you engrave leather.....so do you just completely coat the leather and then engrave once? Is it durable?

[mike klein]

Mike......that looks nice.......what was your technique for that? For wood, it seems you engrave the wood first, then brush the powder on (or into) the engraving. You don't really get any depth when you engrave leather.....so do you just completely coat the leather and then engrave once? Is it durable?

Actually Steve there is some depth to this leather. The JDS flasks don't use real leather so I engrave them at 75sp, 40 pwr, 400dpi on my 45w Epilog. I took a small painters brush and just brushed on the powder so it filled all the engraving and then took a straight edge to get the powder leveled off. Takes about 2 minutes per flask to engrave them twice.

Set the engraver at 100 sp, 12 pwr, 400dpi and engraved it again. Its very durable, the powder bonds to the leather very well. I did modify that graphic. Some of the lines were to thin so it was hard to get the powder down in them so I made the lines wider. I do have some other flasks here that are wrapped with real leather, and like you say, you can't get any depth to the engraving but it doesn't matter cause they engrave black anyway.

I actually like the way the powder coat engraves, it has sort of a textured semi-gloss look when you're done.

Mike