Siberian Husky Pen

[Michael Doyle]

Keith Outten "all I need now is to prep some pictures but thats the hard part isn't it"

You are right on the money there Keith. There is an old computer saying "garbage in, garbage out". It may be a little crude, but still as true as ever.

[Dee Gallo]

Michael, I see you have not lost your touch whatsoever - that husky is fantastic!

Thanks for sharing, dee

[Michael Doyle]

Thanks Dee
I have been working on these for a while. I think I might finally have it figured out.
Here are a couple more I am working on
MoreDogs.jpg

[David Somers]

Those are really quite special. I love what looks like a Border Collie behind the Basset? I have a weakness for Border Collies and Aussies. Would it be impolite to ask what you are selling those for and what you think you have in them for time?

Dave

[Michael Doyle]

Thanks Dave - I wasn't trying to hide it- here is a closer look.
It's not so much the individual time, it was the overall trial and error phase that was a pain.
I probably burned a hundred images before I was satisfied that I could get acceptable results with a big variation in original images.
As to the rest of your question, your welcome to send me a message.
Border Collie.jpg

[Keith Outten]

Michael,

I expect you are testing your graphics on flat Corian pieces before you commit the engraving to a pen blank. It sounds like you are doing your photo editing manually instead of using PhotoGrav or the Gold method.
.

[Michael Doyle]

Most of the initial testing was on flat stock. removing the excess colorfill was a pain, and some of the images were streaky. Now what I do is prepare the blank and turn it kinda close to size, then polish - engrave - colorfill - evaluate. If good, I put the blank back on the lathe and finish it, that removes any traces of the original test, and I can re-engrave. If I don't like the initial result, I tweak the image, reduce the blank dia, and try it again.
Of course once I like the image, then it's ready to go anytime I want to use it. This way I am accumulating a pretty good library of dogs.
The photo work is varied, but once I scan an image I never compress it, I save as tiff. I have an old Epson flatbed that I paid a bundle for many(maybe even many many) years ago. It has a lot of useful options.

[Amos De Pasquale]

From the answers I understand it is much trial and experimentation, although I wouldn't mind the Laser Engravers Forum CD, where would I download that from???? Amos

[Chuck Stone]

Michael.. having done a lot of these and going through lots of the same trial-and-error
that you're going through, I can offer a couple of suggestions that might help.

1) rather than the color fill, I've been using tubes of artist's acrylic paints. Much less
expensive, and easy to work with. Dries in a couple of minutes, the excess comes off
with a damp terry cloth towel. If you really overload it with paint, denatured alcohol
takes it right off. I get the sets at the dollar store for $3-4, lots of colors.


2) I've started using the Abranet sanding discs with a felt block for sanding.
220, 320, 400, 600 and then straight to PlastX or Hut Ultra Shine polish.
As you know, the faintest scratch will hold paint and show up like a beacon.
2-3 seconds with each step has gotten me a high gloss that doesn't hold paint.
(except where it is engraved)

3) with the acrylics, you can vary how much color you get. I slop it on and let
the blank dry on a little rack of dowels I made. By the time I've engraved 3 or 4
more blanks, the first ones are bone dry. The damp (not wet) towel removes the
paint that isn't in the engraving, but once you have a cleaned blank, you might find
it is darker than you want. The towel dampened with denatured alcohol can lighten
up the amount of paint so you don't lose detail.

4) When the detail looks good, it might be too dark. Any topcoat is going to give
that paint a boost. So I shoot for slightly on the light side. Then when I finish with
CA or lacquer, , the color gets a big boost.

5) Since Dupont dealers (mostly) stopped stocking the thicker material, it is getting
harder to find. Gluing up two thinner sheets will leave a visible seam, even if you buy
the expensive epoxies in the correct color. Some insist that you can't see the seam,
and I'm beginning to wonder if some people can't see it. My eyes aren't very good, but
that seam is obvious to me. My local dealers still have some pieces, but now they sell it
to me, whereas the 12mm stuff is out back and they'd really appreciate it if I would
take a few tons off of their hands for free. You can order the 18mm, but it's a bit pricey
for making a few pen blanks!

Below are pics of the acrylic paints, and a pen I made for a friend who is a rabid,
drooling Elle McPherson fan.

Hope this helps..

ps.. we need a "LIKE" button

[Scott Shepherd]

and a pen I made for a friend who is a rabid,
drooling Elle McPherson fan.

Is there any other way to be a fan of her's?

[Michael Doyle]

Thanks Chuck

You certainly included a lot of excellent tips in your comments. I will have to try the acrylic, and letting it dry. I remove the color while still wet. I think that is mostly paranoia on my part, about not getting all of the excess off.
That is really nice job on your friends pen, but then, how could she ever look bad.

[Chuck Stone]

Is there any other way to be a fan of her's?

well .... umm...

no.

[Chuck Stone]

I was removing it wet, too .. for the same reason you mention. I was afraid it would be there
forever if I didn't get it right away. At one point I was using india ink!
But I've found that with the acrylic, I can even remove all of the color if I really need to.
toothbrush, DNA and lots of patience. Once I knew that, I could breathe easier.

[Keith Outten]

I am finally able to join this group as I finished the first Stonewall Jackson Prayer Tree pens yesterday. They are Streamline pen kits which I normally ship to the Middle East as part of the Freedom Pens Project but I have plans to make Zen pens and some sterling silver pens. Last but not least I am planning to make ten shadow boxes for the sterling silver pens that have a dye-sublimated picture of the tree and Stonewall Jackson. Aaron Koehl is working on a design for a Certificate of Authentication that we will provide with each pen.

The Zen pens will be much larger in diameter so the graphic will be more prominent. I have started a thread in the Turners Forum for these pens but I decided to post here since these pens are also about laser engraving pens.

[Chuck Stone]

Nice!

(or as they say downunder, noice! )