SX-28 Panel and Lacquer Stik

[W7SOE]

I am trying to fill the white lettering on my SX-28 panel with a lacquer stik.  The engraving is shallow and so when I wipe away the excess it cleans out the lettering as well.

I have decided not to repaint the panel, it has the original blue-grey paint which is in okay shape so I decided to keep it authentic.

Anyone have a trick to keeping the lacquer in the lettering?

Thanks

Rich

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

That's a tough one, Rich. Most solutions are trial and error. In the past for such situations I've used a block of wood with a crisp edge wrapped tightly in a layer of old T-shirt. For smaller areas a dowel works pretty well. Pick a size or two that feel comfortable in your fingers and are easy to manipulte, stretch some cloth over the end and give it a go.

Another thing I've had to do is let the paint set up a bit so it doesn't wick right back out. On a Collins 30K emblem a few years back I applied multiple coats or layers, dried, wiped, added more.

The trick is to keep the cloth material very taut over and if needed, work slowly and deliberately around each character.

BTW, I thought my SX-28A had silver lettering? It's been a while, so maybe not.

[W7SOE]

Todd,
I let it dry overnight before wiping and that seemed to help though a lot still came out.  I will try letting it setup for a day or two and see how that goes.

Thanks

rich

[KE5YTV]

You're correct Todd. The lettering should be  MATTE SILVER. White just looks wrong.

[W7SOE]

Mine is original and looks white but I could be wrong!

I am assuming that the white lacquer stick is the only option.

Rich

[KB2WIG]

Somewhere on the web is a side by side comparison of the lettering..... If I remember correctly.

klc


here it is

http://www.radioblvd.com/SX28Notes.html

[Jim, W5JO]

A method described

http://www.wa5cmi.com/sx28_3.html

[W7SOE]

I am thinking of trying to re-paint the lettering with silver paint.  Maybe with a toothpick?
http://www.dickblick.com/items/01037-2830/

Rich

[KB1VWC]

  Get a plastic Squeegee type of applicator; the kind that are used for putting Bondo on cars. You need to heat the lacquer stick up a little so that it becomes more "pliable". Rub it right into the engraving. Wait 2-3 mins or so for the crayon to harden up. Then use the plastic bondo scraper to remove the excess. It does take some practice. With the leather type of front paneling on an SX-28, it can be challenging to get all of the white in the letters and out of the leather look. You might need to use some "mineral Spirits" to get some of the lacquer stick out of the leather. But it can be done.

  Steve
  KB1VWC

[W7SOE]

Steve,
Thank you for the advice. That is a good looking panel. I am having trouble deciding what to do. I have toyed with the idea of using toothpicks to paint the lettering with dull silver paint but my intuition is telling me that that would probably be a fiasco.

My wife says to leave it as it is, rusty lettering and all.

I have attached pictures.

Rich

[WBear2GCR]

I have been using the acrylic "paint"/stuff they sell in various forms at the crafts stores.
It comes in a wide range of colors.

Water based, it cleans up easy.
Excess polishes off with basic car buffing compound...
...also it typically takes a few applications to properly fill engraved lettering/shapes, it goes on
pretty high and drops as it dries. Takes at least 24hrs for most of them to get hard (which can help
for clean up of mistakes too)

I've gotten terrific results so far.

                            _-_-

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Was going to suggest that as well. A bit more work but easier to clean up 'outside the margins'.

Tough call, Rich - provided you keep it in a very dry environment, the rust shouldn't get much worse in the short term. But it won't ever get any better. Maybe you could torment yourself with a dremel and magnifier to clean out all the lettering then repaint?

Checked my 28A last night - it is indeed silver, though aging makes it look almost like an opaque gray color. Reminds me a bit of the dull silver-gray used on the later black & silver cabinets like the SX-42, 101, etc.

[W7SOE]

Thanks guys for the advice.  I am using one of these with success:

http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/584057/Sharpie-Extra-Fine-Oil-Base-Paint/?cm_mmc=PLA-_-Google-_-Pens_Pencils_Markers-_-584057-VQ6-51615794036-VQ16-c-VQ17-pla-VQ18-online-VQ19-584057-VQ20-119778963407-VQ21--VQ22-624117019-VQ27-33993143420&adpos=1o1&creative=51615794036&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CjwKEAiA-rfDBRDeyOybg8jd2U4SJAAoE5XqImojKkarTcivyb5OoJhqdDCYA9oyax0G1JDUqO0rUhoCzVHw_wcB

It is not dull silver but the letters are too small to show any shininess.  The pen works well, flowing into the engraving.  I let it dry for 30-60 minutes and then wipe lightly with a paper towel with a tiny amount of mineral spirits.  Then buff with a dry paper towel.  Working well so far.

Rich

[KL7OF]

That pen looks like a neat way to do the lettering...What is on the tip???  fibre or a ball or?

[W7SOE]

That pen looks like a neat way to do the lettering...What is on the tip???  fibre or a ball or?

The tip is hard fiber.  I don't "draw" with it, the paint just flows into the engraving.

rich

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Nice! Be sure to post some 'after' photos, sounds like you may have come across another solution to an old problem.

[Joe Connor]

What WBear said. You can get the acrylics at Wal-Mart. The technique takes a little getting used to but the results are good. Some people like to mix white and off-white so the lettering doesn't look too new.

This also works really well for SP-600s and BC-342s. It's amazing how fresh lettering spruces up the appearance of a set.

[W7SOE]

Here are some pics of the ink pen method I am using.   Before, during and after.

My panel is fairly rusty so the edges are not as defined as they could be.  The "after" picture could use some more cleanup...

Rich

[W7SOE]

Inking video:

https://youtu.be/rzBbc9tzM4k

[KL7OF]

Looks good......

[KE5YTV]

Rich,

Great job, looks good. I had forgotten about the Sharpie silver paint pen. We used those in the Sears rebuild center to touch-up the paint on rebuilt power tools. Thanks for sharing your find. I'm going to pickup a few.

[WBear2GCR]

Ok, while they are "Sharpie" branded, any good art supply house will have paint markers in the same "extra fine" denominations.

I do prefer the acrylic stuff, and the crafts supply (not the art supply) seem to have a variety of them in different viscousities and some
translucent or transparent (useful for topcoat!) sold for other applications like "stained glass" or "fabric"...

...I was able to find a few "off white" (slightly ivory, slightly "bone" and some other variants) that were slightly metallic, actually a bit "pearlescent" to the eye. I used one of them (after comparing some colors) on the front panel of the the SP-200/BC-779 rebuild. Anything straight "white" or "silver" just looked wrong to the eye. The newly filled in engraving looks sharp!

I'd never use a dremel to remove old paint for fear of slipping and doing damage! Unless there is a good trick to make that safe?
A sharpened hardwood stick, or maybe a hard plastic would do a pretty good job with a lot of the stuff they used to put in the engraving...
although I have used a sharp dental pick working closeup with an eye loupe or magnifier.

        

[KE5YTV]

Bear, That maybe true but we never found another brand that the paint flowed out like the Sharpie.

[WBear2GCR]

Oh, now that is an interesting bit of information!!

I'll go and try one!