What fine-tip pens or markers are recommended for writing on blanks?
Is it necessary to cover the writing with clear rod finish epoxy?
Thanks Guys & Gals
I use gel-pens – available at crafts stores. Comes in different colors. Practice on an old piece of blank or an arrow. Writing on a curves surface is strange
If you heat the blank a little with a hair dryer, the “ink” takes a little better.
Then, I cover it with epoxy like flex coat light or thread master
Do you sand or “rough-up” or “dull down” the shiny blank using steel wool before writing?
Thanks
i use a bic markit permanent marker… they have fine tips but ya gota have a light hand when using them cause the harder ya push the wider the lines git… i wait about 15 minutes after wrighting on a blank before applying any finnish… never had to sand or prepair the marking area on the blank using theese markers and never had a problem with the wrighting bleeding… i use the gudbrod finnish… you might try on a scrap peice of bamboo using your finnish over a test wrighting if you use a different finnish…
“Sharpie” markers, India ink, thinned down acrylic paints, "Liquid Gold (or silver) … all of these work, and I feel sure there’s probably a bazillion other things that work, too!! A paint brush, a quill, a fine tipped dip pen work to apply it. You can add “tooth” to the surface with a spray fixative, or just write. Let it dry, then add another coat of fixative, or just use your regular finish.
I use gel pens, paint pens or custom decals. I use Krylon crystal clear after the ink dries. I had one ink that would dissolve when the finish hit it, even when dry. The clear coat is a cheap insurance policy, IMO.
I have tried a bunch of the above mentioned things and they never seem to dry for me. I leave them set for 12-24 hours and they wipe right off. Any suggestions?
I picked up two Leroy lettering kits several years ago on E-Bay.
I made a fixture that positions the rod and lettering guide.
With the guides I have many options of font and type of lettering.
I found my penmanship was not really what I wanted to allow out into the public. With these guides I can and do produce perfect lettering.
I use India ink and do a cover of the material I am using for the guides on a particular rod. Either white or black depending on the blank color.
New add to post. 10/11/09
Here are a few photos of my Leroy Lettering set with fixture, Sorry the photos are not as good as they should be.
We even letter on the Rod Tube so we know which rod to grab on the way out the door.
The rod pictured is a Sir “D” 7’ 1", 5wt. I had planed it out a year before Kenny came to live and be part of the Ranch. He glued it up and did the rest of the work on it as a learning project. We both fish it and do like it though we now each have a Quad, same taper that we prefer to fish.
The fixture is simple. Has a sliding fit for the template. (lots of choices of templates, different widths, the reason the fixture has two rabbits, as deep as the template is thick. It is moved and the rod is taped in a “V” grove for the hex. Different fixture for the Quad. Another fixture for the rod tubes. (Cabinet maker showing). Keep them simple. A table saw works fine of one could use a router. (they are not pieces of furniture.)
I suggest one practices on paper until you get to the point where you feel comfortable with operating the Leroy. There are a lot of adjustments which are simple, so play first.
We have tried several different mediums. India Ink works best for us. We do overcoat with the same product we dip the rods in. “Spar Varnish”
I will have to add below a couple photos as I am sure I will not be able to post all I took.
Denny
I use Farber Castell artist pens. They are available in several tip sizes and colors. I will let them dry and then coat them with epoxy.
I went to Michaels, got a pen holder http://www.michaels.com/art/online/displayProductPage?productNum=fa0416
And some nibs like this. They have finer points, but I thought this might help.
http://www.michaels.com/art/online/displayProductPage?productNum=fa0414
Then some ink http://www.michaels.com/art/online/search?pageNumber=1&channel=0&search=yes&type=0&searchWords=india+ink&x=0&y=0&as_fid=12
I found a package with white, black, silver and gold ink and some cleaner.
I always put a thin coat of varnish or epoxy on first, let it dry and write on the blank. Let it dry overnight and coat it. I haven’t had any problems at all.
Wish I could write like some of these. http://www.speedballart.com/uploadedFiles/pdf_lesson/letteringcharts.pdf
No, I don’t rough up the area although it doesn’t hurt anything.
I just heat it a little and then write
I like this idea. I still have Dad’s old Leroy sets that I was quite proficient with 40 years ago. It is a distinctive lettering style.
There are a number of the Leroy sets available on ebay right now … BUT … I have NO idea what they are or how they work! Any body fill me in?
Betty,
These sets are comprised of a pen tracer/pen tip (different sizes)/lettering guides of different fonts and scripts.
They were, are? used in mechanical drafting. (Before computers) One can do perfect lettering with not much of a learning curve.
One would need to have a fixture to hold the rod blank in position and it would also have a slot that holds the guide.
Kinda hard to describe. This afternoon if anyone wants to see it, I will get mine out and take a couple pic and post?
Sure is a blessing for one such as myself who has very poor penmanship.
Denny
KEWL!! I’ll be looking forward to that!! Thank you, Denny!!
Take the photos so we can all learn how Denny, much appreciated!
betty,
i have a complete Leroy set you can have if you would like it. its been collecting dust since college many moons ago!
WOW!!! Thank you!! Name your price!!
You mention having a fixture to hold the blank in positon. Would modeling clay work? If you put some saran wrap on the clay and press the blank into the clay or am I way off base on the kind of guide you’re referring to?
I added all but one photo, up above someplace. Will add the last one here.
If anyone has any problems with my poor photography or unskilled use of the Kings English, please ask, I will try to clear up any questions.
On the Rod tubes, we do the lettering, mask it off with blue tape, spray a cover of the Spar Varnish. Holds up quite well. Eventually we may need to take off the lettering and re do it. The Aluminum tube is not as friendly as the bamboo.
We letter on the rods before dipping the finish. We do spray one coat over the lettered area and allow to dry before it goes to the dip tube. All of our rods get two coats in the dip tube. Works for us.
You may note the Winding check on this rod. We make all of ours out of NS.
(I once did a lot of jewelry) I have a dap block and punches. Just cut out a round piece of the size needed, dap it 1/2 round. Drill the size hole needed for the rod that is to be fitted. Gently file until the fit is perfect. (hex)
For the Quad we do a square hole. Simple and looks ok.
Denny
