Hello! How can I engrave a image in the tile and color it? Can I ask specific detail in doing it? Thanks.
We just did a 2 color job over the weekend into black granite. Because I was using the laser engraver on another job, we cut the resist with the vinyl cutter. Once we got the resist cut on the tile, we sand blasted it fairly deeply. Then with the mask still one, we painted the colors by hand with “sign painters enamel” from the local dick blick art store. While the paint is only half set, we pulled the mask. Since we used too much paint and pulled it too quick, we had to clean up the extra with a rag and enamel reducer.
When you paint, put it on thin. You either need to pull the mask when it’s still pretty fresh, or wait a few days till it’s very dry. Pulling it on the next day tends to pull the paint off the piece. Spray paint works too, but we only had the colors we needed in cans.
We use laser tape that we got from laser sketch and then spray paint and once dry remove the tape. You will want to only do outlines .014- .028 lines. Works great.
Once you engrave a tile you will have taken the top layer off and exposed the porous tile. You will take some liquid ink and smear it over the whole thing. Where the tile was engraved the ink will soak into. When the tile wasn’t engraved, it still had the protective coating on and the ink will not soak into it. You will let the ink get to the point of almost being dry (this may take some practice), you will then take some alcohol and clean it all off. Where the tile wasn’t engraved the ink will come right off. Where it was engraved you won’t be able to wipe the ink off. Then you take some spray clear coat and spray over the whole tile. This completely seals in the ink.
It gives the tile and older antique look to it. Pictures come out awesome on it.
What type of liquid ink? I’m in the Philippines so I can’t order any of the laser specific products (too costly with shipping).