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  1. #1

    Residue Removal??

    Can someone suggest a faster method of cleaning the residue off stained wood after engraving. We have tried pledge after engraving. It takes off some but not enough, and a VERY slow process. We have tried sanding with a fine sandpaper. It works faster than pledge but lots of work sanding it. We have also tried running another quick pass. That helps but still not getting it all off.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    salem, or
    Posts
    110
    have you tried spraying on a finsh before you engrage it. I use Deft spary cans and for lage stuff use my paint gun. Then I find the residue comes off easy with alcohol.
    Rich

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    SE South Dakota
    Posts
    1,538
    Kim,

    After 10 years of doing this I find the BEST way is, ready? water. Dampen a rag and wipe off the smoke / soot. I do this for everything from gunstocks, plaques, cabinet doors etc......You do not have to "soak" the wood, just wipe it off.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Cape Town, South Africa
    Posts
    3,922
    Mask the wood with paper based low tack Vinyl transfer tape and laser thru that .and you wont have to do any clean up at all barring removing the tape which is a snap.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    North English, Iowa
    Posts
    130
    I usually put a thin coat of Johnsons Paste Wax (for floors) on my raw wood plaques before lasering. Then wipe down with a cloth dampened with water or alcohol.

  6. What kind of finish do you then apply? Does the paste wax mess it up?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    North English, Iowa
    Posts
    130
    I've never had the paste wax mess anything up.

  8. #8
    The wood is just cleaned up, not finished. You can apply anything that you normally would. I rub on a couple of coats Formby's Tung Oil finish usually. Depends on the job. Deft laquer is okay and fast but I find that it tends to get shiny spots around etched corners when brushed. Maybe if sprayed it would look better. Formby's is easy and looks good but requires considerably more time to dry. Sometimes depending on the customer and the price, I just use orange oil which cleans and leaves a light oil finish.
    Wax should not be a problem.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Anaheim, California
    Posts
    6,903
    Quote Originally Posted by Jerry Allen
    The wood is just cleaned up, not finished. You can apply anything that you normally would. I rub on a couple of coats Formby's Tung Oil finish usually. Depends on the job. Deft laquer is okay and fast but I find that it tends to get shiny spots around etched corners when brushed. Maybe if sprayed it would look better. Formby's is easy and looks good but requires considerably more time to dry. Sometimes depending on the customer and the price, I just use orange oil which cleans and leaves a light oil finish.
    Wax should not be a problem.
    I'm starting to wonder if we've got a couple of separate conversations going on here. Depending on whose post is being replied to (and assuming I'm reading them correctly):
    1. Finish, engrave, wipe off residue with water or alcohol. (Rich)
    2. Finish, wax (Pledge), engrave, wipe off residue with alcohol. (Chuck)
    3. Wax (Johnson), engrave, wipe off residue with water or alcohol, finish (or not?). (Laura)
    4. Wax (Pledge), engrave, wipe off residue with water or alcohol, finish.

    #1 and #2 sound ok (or at least match up what I've been told by others). I read #3 and my first thought is, how am I putting on a finish over Johnson paste wax? I have somewhat the same reaction to #4, except that I have absolutely no idea what's actually in Pledge.

    I don't know if Kim got her/his question answered, but now I'm confused...except by Rodne's suggestion, because that's how I do it too .

  10. #10
    Besides Formby's, I also use satin Minwax rub on polyurethane finish which dries fairly fast, looks good, and is easy to apply.

  11. #11

    Thumbs up

    Thank you everyone for your great feedback. We finally finished the job but found that pledge and/or water warped the wood. Our wood piece was only 1/8" thick, which might be why it warped from the water and/or pledge.We finally conquered it by running another pass at 100% speed. Cleaned up nicely. Then just sprayed a soft rag with some pledge and wiped the non-engraved areas.

    This forum is a GREAT place for brain-storming!!

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Maui, Hawaii
    Posts
    182
    Kim,
    Use the pledge or a similar wax BEFORE you engrave. That will help seal the surface a bit from the "residue".
    I also will use rubbing alcohol after I am done. Used in small amounts and not rubbed to hard, it does not appear to damage the finish.

    chuck burke
    American Pacific Awards

  13. #13
    I use Behold or Pledge on unfinished oak, poplar and birch with no problems using an old tooth brush. 15 seconds max.. It is definitely faster than sanding and gets into the corners better.
    I have used alcohol but it seems to warp the work sometimes.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Long Island, NY
    Posts
    256
    We use a wet cahmois cloth, it works great for us, and does not leave lint. (as a matter of fact, I think we got that idea here in saw mill creek).

    Barbara

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    North English, Iowa
    Posts
    130
    Lee,

    I apply the wax, laser, and wipe off. I do not apply any other finish.

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