IMHO, I vote for the thread to be split to one expressly focused on the epoxy fill that you use… I’ll follow along… never know when it or something similar will be needed.
Well, got my new tiles on Sunday and got to work.
I have not had any problems with vector or text files and wanted to work on images.
I have also updated the mix the first post about it.
Trashed a lot of tiles, however, I think I am getting there.
Image files take a lot or tweaking to get right, and to be honest, I do not think I have it 100% yet.
The camera exaggerates the banding a lot, it looks a lot better in real life.
I did this tile at 2500 mm/m at 40% on a 10 w diode.
That seems very fast. Is that 10w output? I etch at 1200mm/m 80% power. My laser is a 20w machine upgraded to 40w by Atomstack. I don’t know what the laser head puts out. I guess it is much less than 10w.
What mix are you using ? That is impressive to say the least.
I revised my mix at the start of this thread.
Pour 100ml of white acrylic craft paint, (cheap at any dollar store or walmart) into a container after mixing very well. Non toxic and cleans up very easy with water
Then in another container put in 25ml water
Now mix in 2 1/4 teaspoons (us) titanium dioxide and mix very well.
While stirring the paint, slowly add the water and TI02 mix.
after that I used a 3D printed mini paint mixer from thingiverse to mix very well.
I use a 1.5 inch foam brush and it flows out and smooths the thicker areas.
1 Like
Looks great… Are you making batches that are larger than you are posting, like 125ml? I’m still waiting on the acrylic paint… live in a small town … not available locally… not driving 200 miles for it… 
Thanks for updating the formula… this would be helpful for the rest of us…
Stick a link in here to the post # with the changes… If you look at the url, it’s the last digits, so you could post the url and add a /4 at the end… Or go to that post and copy the url directly… there is no confusion about which post you are referring.
There are already 50 posts and it will grow… just makes it easier to find the right post… One of these is over 220 posts, so finding a single thread isn’t easy… this takes you right to it.
That has let me paint around 20 tiles so far, and I still have 1/2 of it left. So probably just mix a single batch and make more as needed.
Was going to do that, thought I would just copy and paste and changes to the end of the thread.
My paint has shipped, but I think it’s on a slow boat from the Midwest…
Mine does not do that, but when you are editing it, change the post number in the edit screen after you paste it…
When painting the tile I load up the brush pretty good to the point I have to keep turning it to keep the paint from running off.
Then use the diagram to paint and I do not have to get any more paint on the brush. It don’t take much.
I try to let it flow and dry by it’s self, but am working on a tile drier that will dry the paint from the tile up. Detail’s on that coming soon.
Do you use a pre-wet (water) sponge brush or just dip and go?
I have a heat gun and use it to quickly dry these tiles… You can see where it’s thicker, as it takes longer to dry with the food coloring, it really changes color as it’s drying.
I’m also doing some of these with the fiber… it’s inside where it’s warm, next to the pc…
I have done both ways, and there doesn’t seem to be much difference. It is pretty thin to begin with and probably why there is no difference.
If you find it is not flowing out flat after 15 min or so, thin it out a bit more with water.
I always let it flow out before I speed up the drying.
I’ll keep this in mind… 
I’m very pleased to see your new mix has been so successful. I’m really looking forward to trying it, but as I made a bulk batch of my PVA it will be some time before I get to ordering any more titanium. I will be following this thread with great interest. Meanwhile I’ll just have to use second best. 
No way can I say second best. You have had great results.
TOGETHER, we will get it right!
1 Like
Mike I believe you are probably streets ahead of me now with this process. I am losing track of what has been tried and what has been suggested. Somewhere in the back of my mine is the use of a microwave to dry tiles. Where that came from or who suggested it I can’t remember. Maybe that would help speed up the process. I presently have about 20+ tiles painted with PVA and stored with paper tissues between them ready to laser, so am now thinking of the final stages of finishing off the edges of the tiles that have a raw face showing. One of my projects that has been on hold due to the cold weather and my health, is gnawing at me to get finished. It’s a picture I split into six parts and now lasered will be the base of a wooden tea tray. All apart from a final coat of paint and gluing the tiles in place is done. Just need some nice warm weather to let me get out to my workshop. What is the final destination of your lasered tiles. How do you finish them regards the edges and the underneath? My wife uses a lot of mine to stand pot plants on.
Here are a few suggestions for tile drying.
This is a warming plate I made for accelerating the curing of silicone when refurbishing my 3D printer tanks. This is what I would usually use for drying tiles etc.:
It uses a self-adhesive heating pad (I got mine from Ebay and AliExpress):
It’s controlled by a cheap temperature controller, again easily sourced from Ebay etc.:
I also made a cover for it with my laser:
Here’s a microwave that’s been converted for curing my 3D prints but can be utilised for drying small items after painting etc…:
Fan and heater sourced from Ebay with ducting printed on my Form 2.:
Or there’s a small tabletop oven which is a lot more expensive but will go to much higher temperatures.:
Hope this gives you some ideas.
Just had a look at the label on my laser head and it states 5w max output. Guess that is why yours is so much faster than mine. My original head was just 2.5w.
I usually don;t do anything to the tile after burning them.
For pot holders I do put self adhesive felt pads on the bottom so they don’t scratch anything.
Looking forward to the warm weather as well so I can start some wood projects I have been thinking of trying and etching.
For drying the tiles, I have one of those lights that you put the scented wax in the top and the bulb melts it. I took the wax bowl out and put a tile on it. Worked like a charm. Bit slow, so I plan to make one with a higher wattage bulb and see how that works.
1 Like
Yes, that would explain it.