New tile engraving method

looks great, I’m envious of your images.

Can you provide a link to the HVLP unit you use?

Thanks… :wink:

:smile_cat:

This is the one I am using:https://www.harborfreight.com/painting/paint-sprayers/120cc-hvlp-touch-up-air-spray-gun-61473.html
I tried the cheaper 4 oz HVLP detail sprayer and it worked ok but this one is way better. The adjustment knobs are easier to turn and it is just better quality. It has a 0.8mm spray tip vs the 0.6mm which I think has less tendency to clog from the Ti mixture. Thanks for the compliments. You can find that little mixer in the coffee section of most grocery stores and WalMart.

I probably just got a good one. I know sometimes I have to take things back to get a better one. I have a better one but was afraid to mess it up so I used the el-cheapo. I know some people make the orifice larger to spray different materials like thick primers and things that could also work for some people. how ever you do it, as long as it works for you.

Great images, especially those containing people. Do you charge for lessons?

Check out some of @Bulldog images… These were from his fiber, but you can find other threads of ntm method…

:smile_cat:

Honestly folk, try the gum arabic, you can get it anywhere that sells decent watercolour paints, it dries super quick and it goes on smooth. You can re-constitute it when dry, so you don’t have to worry about PVA drying out or going gluggy and wasting your mix. The quantities don’t have to be exact at all; because the medium dries so thin that it won’t get in your way, and it takes very little to be an effective binder. Just add a few of drops of the gum arabic to a couple of spoons of the TO2 and a lil water to bring it to a paint-like consistency and apply with a wide brush.

Gum arabic is the medium that turns pigment into paint (watercolour or gouache).

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I’ll have to give that a go when I get some time. I’ve tried Natrosol which works similarly and planned to try out some gums so that sound promising.

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@BillieRuben , How does this affect the integrity of the residual coating after laser treatment? Does the gum interfere with the final hardness?

I would think that because she said it can be reconstituted when dry that would include washing away the reconstituted layer on the tile. At least that’s what I got out of it.

I was asking if the TiO2 left behind (intended image) was less durable.

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Is this the dry food quality or is it liquid… maybe a link to what you use and quantity used…?

:smile_cat:

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I don’t think anyone has done any in depth analysis of the TiO2 left behind after being excited enough to char and etch the tile surface. Most of the time we just see the dark/light results and vote on the process from there. Interesting question though.

Russ Sadler did a pretty good investigation of what happens during lasing with the NTM and TiO2… If you can’t find the video, let me know…

I have my microscope out to see what it looks like… nether of us are chemists, but he’s got a pretty good engineering background to satisfy himself. I see the same under my microscope…


Gum Arabic has been suggested and a few of us have used it… I’ve ordered it twice and it’s always failed to materialize… Have just ordered some powdered type. Keeping my fingers crossed…

This is used in food preparation also and it’s supposed to just wash off… It’s a thickening agent for soft drinks and is used in both hard and soft gummy candies…

@BillieRuben missed your comment about a couple drops… would like a link…? :pray:

:smile_cat:

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I just used the stuff made by Windsor and Newton (liquid form) but the crystals should be fine too! Maybe just dissolve some of them in warm water before mixing in the TO2 (because they take a bit of time to dissolve and you might end up with lumps otherwise).

I hope the gum+TiO2+H2O+HF spray gun works. Everything will arrive Friday, gun already bought, but power supply for new 3" duct fan arrived DOA. Fan runs, but I bought it for the variable speed. I hooked the fan up to a 12v bench supply and it nearly cleaned off the bench. The moral of this dialog is that I am willing to do some “hardness” testing of the TiO2 method once I get the venting completed.

Reading this thread brings Metallica “Enter Sandman” into my brain :slight_smile:
I like the TiO2 method but it is SO messy. Anything it gets on you can touch and get it all over your hands, clothes, etc. I mixed mine with IPA so maybe that is why but for new people wanting to try it, make sure spray it on something you can either throw away or is easy to clean.

Do like I do. mix it with PVA glue and paint it on with a brush. Never had any problems cleaning up.

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@CharlieAnderson Ok, I bought the improved model. However, I have a part that is not in the exploded view, not mentioned, and does not seem to fit anything on the gun. It is a small strainer thingie with a stem and ball at the end. Help?

I guess that must be the “bonus mystery part”. I couldn’t figure it out either. It has threads on the open end but like you said doesn’t fit anything. It is intended to be inserted into a funnel to strain the paint into the gun cup and is not a part that fits onto the spray gun. I don’t know if HF has a paint funnel with threads to fit that strainer or not, but I think the tempera/Ti mixture would take forever to strain through. I just ran the sprayer at full blast and it worked well, I might try throttling it down a bit on the next batch. These last two tiles turned out nice and black. A couple of letters on the first one look faint, but I think it is the light, the tile looks great.

The U and A on the second one are a little faint, I think I accidently touched the tile right there or something.


Good luck