Black letters on white board

[KeystoneChuck]

Can anyone tell me a finishing method on getting black colored letters on a colored (white) board. I am using the centerline program with a 60 degree V carve bit. To get black letters I dab (I'm no painter) black paint in all of the recessed text, let dry, and sand to take of excess on board face and reveal black font. I see projects where they have black font with a white or other colored board face. How are the getting the color on there without getting it in the black font? Or if anyone has a different technique for painting V carve signs I would appreciate insight. Had thought of painting board first then carving; good idea or not?

[gregsolano]

One trick is to paint the board first and then use removable shelf paper (really cheap at dollar stores or big lots). Put the shelf paper over the board then carve. Before removing the shelf paper paint the fonts then remove the shelf paper. Some touch up may be required but overall it works great.

[KeystoneChuck]

Thanks a ton! I know what I am trying tomorrow or shoud I say today (2:07am).

[KeystoneChuck]

Do you recommend a certain paint? Gloss/Flat/Satin? Latex/Satin?

[Deolman]

I usually carve the letters, use a good sealer on the board, and then paint the letters with a brush. If I go outside the letters I can just wipe off the excess because of the sealer. My boards have all been finished and or stained with only the letters painted.

[Kenm810]

Here's one from a few years ago when I would use Sanding Sealer on the face of the project,
carve the text and paint it with Satin Latex paint. Then wipe or clean of any excess paint with a
damp clean cloth. "Bounty Toweling also worked fine" Then when the text was dry,
I would use a 4" fine nap -1/8" or 1/4" roller to lightly paint the surface -- with a contrasting Latex Paint.

Just another way to Get'er-Done

[Ton80]

When you use a sanding sealer you generally are going to either paint or polyurethane over top. What about if you want to stain the surface after you have painted your vcarve text?

I have tried a number of things all with varying degrees of success. I've used an acrylic sealer which sits on the surface of the wood and prevents the paint from getting into the pores but you have to plane this off because it will completely clog up a sanding pad or belt. I generally plane my boards BEFORE running them in the machine because I'm making glued up panels which need to be leveled so I would prefer to not plane them again if possible.

I tried something similar to the shelf paper by using clear packing tape. This was a tip given here in another thread. It was a mess trying to get that tape off though and I finally got frustrated and ran it through the planer.

I have thought about the sanding sealer but after calling Minwax yesterday, I don't think that is such a great idea if you want to STAIN the surface of the wood after your letters are painted. Minwax tells me that the product is designed to penetrate approximately 1/8" into the wood which would cause issues with the stain I think. They suggested that maybe using their Wood Conditioner and letting it completely dry would seal off the pores. The thing about this product is that it's designed to work with stain so this might be a better alternative than sanding sealer.

I was also thinking that maybe applying a coat of natural ( no tint ) stain may work and still allow the surface to still accept stain once the lettering is done.


I have gotten my best results by brushing in a semi-gloss latex paint like Rust-oleum's Painter Touch black. This can take a while though when working with complicated vCarves like I do.
54686

Projects like this I prefer to use a spray can of semi-gloss paint. But this means a large portion of the project is going to get covered in paint and the spray tends to work it's way into the pores of a wood like oak or a softwood like pine. This ends up sometimes requiring a few extra passes in the planer which can mean I'm bringing the thickness close to 5/8" by the time I'm done.


I haven't tried the Wood Conditioner yet and I am just finishing up a V-carve project right now and I think I will give this a shot this time around and see what happens. I'm going to end up using a spray can to paint everything black since it's a fairly involved project and I just don't have the time to hand paint all the lines. I'll post my results but I would love to hear some responses from anyone that has used something like the Wood Conditioner or other product application.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Thanks a ton! I know what I am trying tomorrow or should I say today (2:07am).

Another Night Owl like ME......

My trick to paint V Text is to use small Syringes.... Without the metal needle... Works great.... Just push the paint around. I paint them 3 times.... Normal let it dry, then spin the sign 180 degrees paint again, the a 3rd time to do any touch up.

Brown Signs, White Letters. I also use LATEX Paint.

I also transfer all the paint from the cans into Ketchup Bottles... No Drying Crust Problem, Easy to Shake up, and I insert the Syringe into the bottle, tilt up, Fill the Syringe, then shoot some back into the bottle to "Burp" any air. Properly Capped the Syringes can store paint between paintings. The all plastic syringes used to give KIDS Liquid Medicine work the BEST.... Easy to clean and no rubber to get hard.

AL

[TerryT]

I am curious as to the reason you need to paint the letters first and stain second. Is there something about the project that makes it necessary?

[Ton80]

I am curious as to the reason you need to paint the letters first and stain second. Is there something about the project that makes it necessary?

If this question was for me I would say the reason is this. I have stained a project like this one first and then painted in the vCarve. It takes
F O R E V E R to complete the painting job !!! I find it much faster to spray the paint into the line and plane away the surface and then come back and rag on my stain. It also ensures nice crisp paint lines by planing the top 1/32" - 1/16" of surface wood after spray painting.

[ebrown17]

Could a person not stain and topcoat (laquer, poly whatever) first, carve, then spray the letters...........effectively wiping off the overspray much like the sanding sealer method? Or would the thin layer of topcoat, clog/accumulate on the bit?

[Digitalwoodshop]

If I am staining then I use Latex and paint the V Text and over paint the letter. When dry, Sand off the excess. Stain over the letters and use a Air Gun to blow out the excess stain from the letters while wearing a Filter. Same with the Spar Poly, blow out the letters if I get too much. Seldom do I paint White letters when Staining.

That first 2007 Bear Clock was coated with Sanding Sealer after cutting the letters then Spray Paint of the letters then sanded again to remove the over spray. Previous I had the thin spray paint wick up the grain on each side of the letters.... When I switched to Latex Paint no more wicking. The Sanding Sealer made the Stain lighter and I stopped using the Sanding Sealer.

The Last Picture shows touch up of the Red. This shows the effect of the Stain on the Brightness of the Red. I re stained this before delivery to make the Red match.

I no longer use the Thickness Sander to remove the Over paint as it plugs up the paper. I use worn Orbital Sander paper that I save for this removal of paint.

I was watching a new "This Old House" where they were running old floor boards through a double drum thickness sander. Someone opened the Cover showing the 2 drums and the center of the paper was packed with paint, finish or something.... Norm ran the boards and standing at the Out feed side, the camera just caught the BLUE BILLOWING SMOKE.... I laughed.... Not the Normal NORM...

AL

[Hasher]

I have used a different method, let me say that I am a hobbyist not a pro sign person. Most of my centerline text is in a carved region, could not use shelf paper method. After painting the background or using sanding sealer, I would sprinkle, dry, water soluble, tempera paint in to the text, wipe off excess with a dry foam brush, then brush with another foam brush that was wet, used paper towel to soak excess water, sometimes I do it twice. After the water dried in text I spray with clear.

[wlkjr]

Before the CW when using a router with V bit, I just spray with a flat or semi, brush on a craft paint, and let dry for about 5 minutes. Then I run through the drum sander lightly until the paint on the top is gone and blow out the dust. Not sure what my approach will be on carvings now.

[Ton80]

Before the CW when using a router with V bit, I just spray with a flat or semi, brush on a craft paint, and let dry for about 5 minutes. Then I run through the drum sander lightly until the paint on the top is gone and blow out the dust. Not sure what my approach will be on carvings now.

When you say you spray with a flat or semi are you talking about the paint or a varnish being used to seal the surrounding pores from absorbing the craft paint?

As far as painting carved areas this I generally do my staining work first and then paint, wiping away any unwanted paint.

[wlkjr]

When you say you spray with a flat or semi are you talking about the paint or a varnish being used to seal the surrounding pores from absorbing the craft paint?

As far as painting carved areas this I generally do my staining work first and then paint, wiping away any unwanted paint.

I meant or craft paint. No, not a sealer but putting paint in the grooves cut with the V bit. I just spray it down in the grooves and let it absorb, then sand off the layer on top of the wood. Usually I'm doing that on red cedar.