I am interested in makeing some outdoor signs using my router. I
have cut out the letters and words on some finished redwood - but my
question is how do I color - or paint the routed out area like in black,
then have an unfinished surface so the writing stands out?

i have tried spraying it then sanding the surface, but the paint soks in
so much and the redwood is soft enough so that sandng the surface al but
takes out the routed letters.

I use redwood because it is good for outdoors, and is soft enough as to
easily route freehand - which is what I did.

Does anyone know the best method for this?

Someone suggested covering the face of the board with "blue tape" like for
painting - then routhing thru the tape,. spraying after the routing, then
removing the tape. I have not tried this yet.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

THANKS!
Milt

In article ,
Milt wrote:

I am interested in makeing some outdoor signs using my router. I
have cut out the letters and words on some finished redwood - but my
question is how do I color - or paint the routed out area like in black,
then have an unfinished surface so the writing stands out?

i have tried spraying it then sanding the surface, but the paint soks in
so much and the redwood is soft enough so that sandng the surface al but
takes out the routed letters.

I use redwood because it is good for outdoors, and is soft enough as to
easily route freehand - which is what I did.

Does anyone know the best method for this?

Someone suggested covering the face of the board with "blue tape" like for
painting - then routhing thru the tape,. spraying after the routing, then
removing the tape. I have not tried this yet.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

THANKS!
Milt

Spray the surface first with a clear sealer, then paint, then sand off
the paint (and sealer, if desired) on the flat surface.

If planning ahead rather than fixing later, seal the flat part before
routing the sign out. Wax may also work in this case, as you are not
trying to have paint stick to the surface.

Or, practice a bit with a small paintbrush, and just paint the inside of
the letters.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by

"Milt" wrote......


I am interested in makeing some outdoor signs using my router. I
have cut out the letters and words on some finished redwood - but my
question is how do I color - or paint the routed out area like in black,
then have an unfinished surface so the writing stands out?

i have tried spraying it then sanding the surface, but the paint soks in
so much and the redwood is soft enough so that sandng the surface al but
takes out the routed letters.

I use redwood because it is good for outdoors, and is soft enough as to
easily route freehand - which is what I did.

Does anyone know the best method for this?

Someone suggested covering the face of the board with "blue tape" like for
painting - then routhing thru the tape,. spraying after the routing, then
removing the tape. I have not tried this yet.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

THANKS!
Milt


The tape you want is a "low-tack mask" available at sign supply stores. You
can buy it in 24" wide rolls. Roll it on, carve through it, paint the carve
outs and remove the mask. Sometimes you still have to sand paint that's
sprayed/ran under the tape. The brands that I have used have worked just OK.
I know of a guy who swears by Avery brand mask for it's "easy carving".

If you're having just too much trouble painting with a small brush after
you route, you can mask the area, route through the masking, then spray
paint. If you want as much coverage as possible in a single application,
you can try the following:
- painting on a thin layer of rubber cement - this will stick, but can be
easily peeled up after painting (or use liquid frisket, see below)
- using sheet frisket, a masking material used in airbrushing, available at
hobby stores or on-line (or use rubber cement to glue on a sheet of acetate
film)
- using sheets of self-adhesive label material. Avery makes 8x10 sheets of
the stuff

Milt wrote in
om:

...snipppppp........

Does anyone know the best method for this?

Someone suggested covering the face of the board with "blue tape" like
for painting - then routhing thru the tape,. spraying after the
routing, then removing the tape. I have not tried this yet.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

THANKS!
Milt

In article , Milt wrote:
I am interested in makeing some outdoor signs using my router. I
have cut out the letters and words on some finished redwood - but my
question is how do I color - or paint the routed out area like in black,
then have an unfinished surface so the writing stands out?

Ummmm.... with a paintbrush?

It'll stand out better if you use yellow, by the way.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

(Doug Miller) wrote in
:

In article , Milt
wrote:
I am interested in makeing some outdoor signs using my router.
I
have cut out the letters and words on some finished redwood - but my
question is how do I color - or paint the routed out area like in
black, then have an unfinished surface so the writing stands out?

Ummmm.... with a paintbrush?

It'll stand out better if you use yellow, by the way.


Thanks, guys, for these suggestions. I'll try some but the jury is still
out. I just sent for some DVD's I found online at Davesigns.com. They
are supposed to give directions. THe signs you can buy at the Fair are
really good and they do this some way - so there has to be a reasonable
method.

Thanks again - and still looking for even more ideas.

Milt

On 24 Jul 2007 22:03:06 GMT, Milt wrote:

I am interested in makeing some outdoor signs using my router. I
have cut out the letters and words on some finished redwood - but my
question is how do I color - or paint the routed out area like in black,
then have an unfinished surface so the writing stands out?

i have tried spraying it then sanding the surface, but the paint soks in
so much and the redwood is soft enough so that sandng the surface al but
takes out the routed letters.

I use redwood because it is good for outdoors, and is soft enough as to
easily route freehand - which is what I did.

Does anyone know the best method for this?

Someone suggested covering the face of the board with "blue tape" like for
painting - then routhing thru the tape,. spraying after the routing, then
removing the tape. I have not tried this yet.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

THANKS!
Milt

Rather than using tape, I think an easier method would be to first get
yourself a can of 3M "77" spray contact adhesive.

Then cut a piece of paper of some kind heavy enough to prevent the
paint from bleeding thru. Make this slightly larger than your sign
blank.

Spray one side of the paper with the contact adhesive, and let it dry.
This will only take 2-3 minutes, and all you need is a very light
coat.

Stick the paper to the blank, and route your letters. Spray with the
color of your choice, then peel the paper from the blank. The "77"
will have enough tack to keep the paper in place but easily releases
when you're done.

Your problem sounds like one I had years ago in that the paint is tracking
along the grain of the wood. If this is the case no amount of masking will
work.

We solved the problem by cutting the across the grain, firstly with a craft
knife or scalpel and then with a pyrography kit. We were using ink to colour
our timbers, mainly white birch, and being thin it leached away from the
areas we needed to colour into the surrounding timber. Even very heavy
sanding failed to remove all the affected areas.

Hope this works for you.

Alan
"Milt" wrote in message
om...
I am interested in makeing some outdoor signs using my router. I
have cut out the letters and words on some finished redwood - but my
question is how do I color - or paint the routed out area like in black,
then have an unfinished surface so the writing stands out?

i have tried spraying it then sanding the surface, but the paint soks in
so much and the redwood is soft enough so that sandng the surface al but
takes out the routed letters.

I use redwood because it is good for outdoors, and is soft enough as to
easily route freehand - which is what I did.

Does anyone know the best method for this?

Someone suggested covering the face of the board with "blue tape" like for
painting - then routhing thru the tape,. spraying after the routing, then
removing the tape. I have not tried this yet.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

THANKS!
Milt

"Alan Squires" wrote in
:

Your problem sounds like one I had years ago in that the paint is
tracking along the grain of the wood. If this is the case no amount of
masking will work.

We solved the problem by cutting the across the grain, firstly with a
craft knife or scalpel and then with a pyrography kit. We were using
ink to colour our timbers, mainly white birch, and being thin it
leached away from the areas we needed to colour into the surrounding
timber. Even very heavy sanding failed to remove all the affected
areas.

Hope this works for you.

Alan
"Milt" wrote in message
om...
I am interested in makeing some outdoor signs using my router. I
have cut out the letters and words on some finished redwood - but my
question is how do I color - or paint the routed out area like in
black, then have an unfinished surface so the writing stands out?

i have tried spraying it then sanding the surface, but the paint soks
in so much and the redwood is soft enough so that sandng the surface
al but takes out the routed letters.

I use redwood because it is good for outdoors, and is soft enough as
to easily route freehand - which is what I did.

Does anyone know the best method for this?

Someone suggested covering the face of the board with "blue tape"
like for painting - then routhing thru the tape,. spraying after the
routing, then removing the tape. I have not tried this yet.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

THANKS!
Milt




thanks.

I'm hearing to use stencel ink insted of paint and to sand that off
afterwards. It is not supossed to soak in deep.

Milt

In article ,
milt wrote:

I'm hearing to use stencel ink insted of paint and to sand that off
afterwards. It is not supossed to soak in deep.

If bleeding up the grain is your problem, seal with clear (shellac or
similar) first, then paint. The various masking methods mentioned
earlier still help with the face.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by