I wasn’t happy with the performance of the HF detail HVLP sprayer, the adjustment knobs were hard to turn and the spray seemed to pulsate instead of a steady spray. Maybe it was a lemon. I upgraded to the more $$ HVLP Touch Up spray gun. For under $40 it works great.
I made a new batch of Ti/Tempera Juga but used a little more water and a little less Tempera. The recipe was 10.5 g TiO2, 40 g H20 30 g Tempera.
I bought a WalMart coffee frother $5.99 that worked really well to mix instead of the drill-mounted wisk (remember Tim Allen, Tool Time, Binford 5000 ha).
The HF HVLP Touch Up sprayer works like a champ. In my opinion it is worth the extra $$. I burned some images in grayscale mode which is the hardest image mode for me to nail.
This was a photo from my cell phone maybe could be better but not bad for first try, especially with grayscale.
I know cut settings are unique for each laser but at least the coating formula can be shared. I don’t think any of the Liquitex airbrush BS additives did anything so I will omit for laser and leave it to the airbrush painting endeavors. I am trying for a minimum of 15% Ti up to 20% in the recipe. My juga gets like cake batter at 20% and it is hard to mix and spray at that point. My laser is an XTool D1 10W.
If anyone has any tips on optimizing grayscale IM, I would appreciate all the help I can get.
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.
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).
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 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…?
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
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.
