enamel inlay

[blighty]

i may of got the subject wrong but this is what I'm after..

lets say i have a bit of material 6"x2" 1/4 thick. on the top face i'm going to mill a pattern of some sort 1/8 deep. then i would like to fill the pattern with coloured enamel or coloured resin. then face cut it all smooth like.

so the question would be, can you just mix a bit of enamel paint with some clear resin, just use enamel paint and wait a month for it to dry. or is there something on the market just for this sort of thing.



thx in advance

TEL blighty

 

[krv3000]

Hi yep plastic resin kits its a clear resin which you ad proper coloring to then mix in the hardener then pore in to your Paten leev to dry over night sum where worm hay presto but the Paten must be absolutely spotless no oil or the resin will lift keep the Base of the mode as ruff as possible the help the resin bond and don't put to much hardener in the mix to speed up the hardening time as this will only mack the resin shrink back from the sides of the Paten and the resin gets hot in the hardening proses and can start to crack this it a paper Wat that i made with the same kit

 

[krv3000]

pics

 

[mklotz]

What you're describing is essentially the same as the Chinese process of cloisonne used to produce decorative badges and brooches.

Unfortunately, I know nothing about it. The best I can suggest is to google the various jewelry supply houses for "cloisonne enamel". Good luck in your quest.

 

[blighty]

quote "cloisonne used to produce decorative badges and brooches."

nail, head bang on. now i know whats is called i'll have a look see.

Frv3000

think i know the stuff your on about. they tend to use the same stuff in model train lay outs for ponds, lakes and other water based stuff.
i'll have a hunt on the net see what i can find.

thx guys ;D

 

[Blogwitch]

Blighty,

Before now, I have used to good effect, epoxy glue.

Get a bit of hard plastic surface to scribble on with any colour felt tip then mix your epoxy over the scribbling, before before the ink dries too much.

The epoxy gets coloured by the ink and you just fill up the area you want with the coloured epoxy mix.

No use for large areas, but for the odd place for putting a hi-light on, it is a quick and easy method. It sticks and colours at the same time. To thin the epoxy down a bit, you can put in a bit of meths (only a couple of drops), that allows it to auto level itself.

You can see the two epoxy inlays I did on a guitar, between the ali and the brass. Leave it a day or two and it is hard enough to polish up to a glass like lustre. The black in this mix was done with a permanent marker.

John

 

[Jasonb]

I've done similar with resins though mostly using metal powders as this gives a "metal look" but you can add pigments as well, this bowl is just GP Resin (usual used for fibreglass work) with aluminium powder mixed in then turned & sanded off once set.

Have a look at Tiranti's and East Coast FG, ive used them both, the pigment can be had in small amounts like 100g for a few quid.

http://www.ecfibreglasssupplies.co.uk/ click on the colour to set sizes etc from the colour charts
http://www.tiranti.co.uk/subdivisio...t=Polyester+Resin&Subcategory=57&Subdivision=

 

[steamer]

If you use epoxy, make sure you put a UV inhibitive varnish over it or it will cloud up over time

Dave

 

[Sshire]

Glass enameling may be what you want.
Brief explanation here. Although I haven't done this since my undergraduate days, it's quite easy.
http://www.glass-on-metal.com/intro_to_enamel/index.htm

Not sure about using a torch, but a heat treating oven would work.
I just saw a small enameling oven at a few online art supply stores (up to 6" in diameter) for under $40 and the powder is not expensive. Like ceramic glazes, it is a completely different color post-firing. The range of colors is excellent and it is a proven technology (centuries).

Best
Stan

 

[Sshire]

Correction

The kiln that I saw was used. New 6" kilns are in the $300-500 range.
Torch works fine.
IIRC, you need to get 1200-1500F range

Stan

 

[blighty]

thx for the replies gent's.

not to keen on the kiln way, don't think that's really what I'm after. plus, don't think my milling cutter will last to long when i machine over the top of it.

been having a go over the weekend with epoxy resin mixed with a few drops of enamel paint. end result looks OK, but it seems to be taking a bit longer for the epoxy to go off. tonight i will machine over the top and see how it turns out.

like the sound of using glass resin. I'll try that next.

 

[Ed T]

A visit to the local craft store might get you what you're looking for. There are colored clays which you bake to cure. Sculpey is one brand and there's another, but I don't recall the name. There are also enamel paints for the same purpose, but I suspect that they would take forever to cure at 1/8" thick. Lastly, there is a line of colored epoxy made for this purpose, I just can't come up with the name. It is sold by jewelry suppliers as an alternative to the stuff that's fired. Santa Fe is one supplier that comes to mind.