Something better than masking tape from HD?

[Rich Harman]

I just don't get it??? Why use tape at ALL on wood????

I use transfer tape when I cut out kit parts that will be assembled by the customer. It takes me about two minutes to apply it to a 24"x 48" piece. The tape keeps residue off the parts and protects the parts until the customer gets them.

[Mike Audleman]

I use transfer tape when I cut out kit parts that will be assembled by the customer. It takes me about two minutes to apply it to a 24"x 48" piece. The tape keeps residue off the parts and protects the parts until the customer gets them.

And how does it work with engraving of those parts, such as these keychains I am making? As you can see, at least 50% or more of the surface area is being engraved. How would the transfer tape work in a situation like that?

[Rich Harman]

And how does it work with engraving of those parts, such as these keychains I am making? As you can see, at least 50% or more of the surface area is being engraved. How would the transfer tape work in a situation like that?

It works fine. It does take a couple minutes to remove all the little bits but since the end user does that and not me, well, it does't really matter.

[Mike Audleman]

Thanks for the write up, good info!

Did you try diluting the DNA?

Nope. At that point, isn't it just rubbing alcohol ? I thought that was just alcohol + water.

Its only $7 or so for a quart can of DNA. And I needed it anyway for the Cermark. And I think I could do hundreds of batches from one quart. I barely used half a cap full on a wash rag doing a full batch of 49.

And, adding water could raise the risk of grain raising would it not? Even though its mixed with alcohol? I haven't personally tested it. Guess I should before I make that assumption.

This works. Gets me through to the weekend. After that, I got time to fool with mix ratios, different clear coats and even the soap idea.

[hugh bunker]

I just lightly sand after. I use a festool random orbit sander and place the parts on a foam cabinet liner. Takes just seconds and it cleans up the engraved edges real smooth.

[Bert Kemp]

Not to sound insensitive, but I wouldn't do anything except mask, engrave, and peel. You'll spend more time (and money) prepping for an easy peel that just peeling would take.

Peeling masking of laser engraved items comes with the job. Like Steve says, plastic razor blades work well...

Kev I think were all suggesting a clear coat instead of masking.No just as a pre for masking.

[Mark Maslonkowski]

I make groups of key chains all the time. I laser a little deeper then needed, cut them out, pull the whole sheet put the cut outs back in the sheet then just hit the whole sheet with the sander cleans them up in minutes. Followed up with a blast of compressed air. No tape required.

[Mike Audleman]

Well, I made 150ish of them. Sold almost all of the 100 for the adults, and kids got 50 of them at the picnic. No way I could have done this with tape. Tape is too time consuming.

To be honest, it seems like it would have been faster. And it would be for larger parts with minimal engraving. But with so much of the surface being engraved like these keychains, clear coat was absolutely the way to go. No final sanding needed. No final coat needed.

I am still going to investigate some of the other methods suggested here as well as different clear coat sprays and diluting the DNA or try rubbing alcohol.

Sanding didn't seem prudent as the smoke resin would have quickly clogged the paper.

[Scott Shepherd]

Oh, I don't know, masking with transfer tape is pretty quick. Did this one recently. Took about 15 seconds to mask it, and about 15 seconds to remove the mask, scrape it with a plastic razor and be done.

Masking.jpgMasking1.jpgMasking2.jpg

[Mike Audleman]

Oh, I don't know, masking with transfer tape is pretty quick. Did this one recently. Took about 15 seconds to mask it, and about 15 seconds to remove the mask, scrape it with a plastic razor and be done.

Masking.jpgMasking1.jpgMasking2.jpg

Don't think the idea to wash it would be good. Its plywood. Water would soak into where the laser etched out the design and would swell the wood and raise the grain. If it were plastic then yea, maybe the soap idea might be a go.

Here is the project..
Attachment 295482

Yea, and look at the % of engraved area of your project opposed to the % of my project. Yours, looks to be maybe 5-10% engraved area. Mine was close to 50% with a lot of cut off areas. Yours has vast areas where the transfer sheet would pull right off in a single big chunk. Mine required a lot of digging at it with fingernails to get hold of lots of small areas. Yours also appears to be physically larger than my 1-1/2" diameter disk and I think that plays into the situation as well.

So, as I said, its project dependent as to whether tape is faster or not. Some projects, like yours, yea, its lots faster than waiting for paint to dry plus the wipe down after cut/engrave. On mine, clear coat was substantially faster.

I am not saying tape is bad. Nor am I saying clear coat will always be faster. What I am saying is you need to look at the project and judge whether tape or clear coating will be faster in the long run.

My other weekend project, the IDPA target stands would have been faster with tape as there were simple straight areas of tape to remove. Had I not already had a sheet (from another project) already sanded and clear coated, I would have opted for tape on that project.

[Scott Shepherd]

I showed it as an example as to how the process works, for reference. As to it being relative to the engraving area, that's nonsense. In my experience, the smaller it is, the easier it is to deal with. Those plastic razor blades take it off in 1 swipe.

Also keep in mind, you haven't tried transfer tape, I don't believe. There's a huge difference in transfer tape and blue tape.

[Mike Audleman]

I showed it as an example as to how the process works, for reference. As to it being relative to the engraving area, that's nonsense. In my experience, the smaller it is, the easier it is to deal with. Those plastic razor blades take it off in 1 swipe.

Also keep in mind, you haven't tried transfer tape, I don't believe. There's a huge difference in transfer tape and blue tape.

I tried the blue tape at first. It didn't work out well at all. Yea, I missed you said transfer tape, sorry buddy. I am betting its much easier than masking tape. And remember, I was operating without the blades. They may indeed change things up.

Now that the "I gotta get it done for the weekend" issue is done, I can get some of these supplies yall suggested ordered and see where that leads.

BTW, I asked some friends at the picnic about those blades as I was curious if anyone else had heard of them. And I got nothing but bewildered looks and "they actually make such a thing?" type responses. They must be seriously underground only!

[David Somers]

Mike,

Plastic razor blades are mostly used by those of us with synthetic beards held on with spirit gum. Just FYI.

Scott...just curious, when you use the blades are you scraping it like you would a cabinet scraper? Or are you pushing it at a very low angle?

Dave

[Scott Shepherd]

Very low angle. I can't answer in reference to the cabinet scraper, never used one of those. Believe me, as much stuff as I have engraved over the years, I can promise you I wouldn't be doing something if I hadn't try just about every other imaginable way. I did a lot of engraved baltic birch at one time. Extreme levels of detailed engraving. The customer supplied the material and I wasn't about to sand and finish all his material for free and he wasn't interested in paying for it to make my life easier. Imagine detail like on the back of a playing card. It's just so simple, one swipe across it and it pops off everything in it's path. The transfer tape isn't stuck well enough to hold really tight.

Even when I have finished wood, I always use transfer tape. It makes for no clean up. Just scrape it and go.

Your mileage may vary or your work type may vary. I can only speak for what I have had to do.

[David Somers]

Thanks Scott!

Just so you know. A cabinet scraper is a funny device. It looks remarkably like a rectangular piece of sheet metal, but only because it is a rectangular piece of sheet metal. <grin> You run a burnishing tool, or even a fine file across one edge and that creates a burr on the edge. Then you rest the tool on the wood with the burr on the wood and towards you. Angle the piece towards you 10 or 15 degrees worth, put a little pressure on your thumbs to give it a slight bit of an arc, and pull it to you. The burr will take off the tiniest smidgeon of wood. A very very thin shaving. A really simple but effective tool.

I can see what you are doing with the plastic razor being effective on the tape. Will have to pop into some auto parts stores and see if I can find some and play with it.

So many ways to do the same thing. Just like on the wood lathe. Nice to have exposure to a number of methods and see what clicks best for you.

Thanks again Scott!!