Question for the Envirotex Experts

[bcalla]

I just put decals on an enclosure that I will finish with ET.  In the process of manhandling the decal as I applied it, some of the black laser toner chipped off in a few spots.  No big deal, but I'd like to fill in the spots before I pour the ET.  I tried once to use a felt tip which was a disaster.  The ET lifted the ink off the decal and smudged and swirled it all over the place.

Is there something I can use to fill spots that is compatible with ET?  Thanks.

[HamSandwich]

I have used a sharpee to color in black mistakes before using envirotex without a lifting problem, but black sharpee is a very different black than black print, so there's a good chance you'd see it even if it worked. Doesn't really help you though, sorry.

[alanp]

Experimentation!

Or, to put it another way, find something you don't hugely care about.

Put a big streak of felt ink down. Then sharpie. Then vivid. Then a luvverly streak of India Ink.

Leave for a few days in sunlight, to make sure they're all DRY.

Apply Envirotex.

Report back to us, so's we knows what goes on

[TNblueshawk]

Never had the occasion to repair it in this scenario but if you have some black enamel paint you could try that. No way the ET lifts that off once it dries. Again, different shade of black maybe but it still might look better than what you have.

[AntKnee]

Ive only had that happen when I apply ET before the touch up has dried.  Let it sit overnight before you ET, no matter what ink you use.

[davent]

Black Sharpies aren't black they're blue. Find a good permanent marker out of Germany or Japan, Steadler(?) or Micron are two good ones you can get with extremely tiny tips.

No experience with Envirotex but you need to get a clearcoat over your rework before applying the epoxy. Mist coats of clear, mist coats or you risk desolving the inks and making a mess. Maybe spray can shellac or lacquer would work. An acrylic medium like GAC 200 maybe if you've got the equipment to spray it.

Like Alan pointed out you'll need to experiment with the various materials on something other then the project itself.

Another decal over top?

dave

[Muadzin]

Out of curiosity, anyone know how well envirotex and acrylic paint go together?

[AntKnee]

I seal all my inkjet decals with Duplicolor clear acrylic spray enamel, from an auto parts store and let it dry overnight. Then after I apply the decal and it dries overnight, I add ET. I have not had any problems.

[juansolo]

I don't, I E-tex straight over the inkjet print. Never had any issues.

[Martan]

Any chance you could print a black patch just a bit bigger than where you need to fill in on the same printer and overlap the goof slightly? I thought I saw on Smallbear some kind of liquid to soften up the decal (but it was for either laser or inkjet) that might help mask the edges.

[add4]

you can try vinegar before buying liquids that will basically be vinegar

put a little white vinegar on the water before your decal is used. or you can also try to soften the edges with vinegar, both worked for me

[bcalla]

I've begun the experiment.  I put 2 decals - 1 clear background, 1 white background - on a sheet of plastic.  I wrote on them both with black Ultra Fine Sharpie, black Fine Sharpie, black ball point.  The ball point wouldn't transfer ink onto the decals, so scratch that.  I waited 2 days for them to dry and then poured ET.  So far, no lifting of ink.  However, the Ultra Fine turned brown under the ET (there's a part of the decal with no ET and the Ultra Fine is still black there).  The Fine Sharpie is still black, so that looks promising.  I just poured about 2 hours ago, so I'll update this in a couple days, but I doubt anything will change.  Prior to this, I probably touched up with a Sharpie immediately before pouring ET which might explain the ink lifting.

[AntKnee]

Prior to this, I probably touched up with a Sharpie immediately before pouring ET which might explain the ink lifting.

That has happened to me. I touched up an edge and immediately poured ET. The ink lifted and floated into the ET.

[slacker775]

Out of curiosity, anyone know how well envirotex and acrylic paint go together?

My wife uses acrylics when she paints my enclosures and ET has never been an issue for those.  My only problem only tends to be if I label controls with a sharpee, the text might run a little bit no matter how long I let it sit/cure

[alanp]

I use either a black marker (rare), or India Ink to do my labelling. (Increasingly rarely, Dymo labelling.) Sometimes acrylic paint, if I'm feeling posh.

I do my clearcoating with clear nailpolish. (It's TOUGH, and does not come off without harsh chemicals.)

I've got to be bloody quick with marker pen, or India Ink, to get the clearcoat across before the ink goes 'wet' again. Sometimes it's easier to blob it on, and let the still-liquid nailpolish flatten itself. The marker pen is a lot worse than the India Ink for running.

With acrylic, I can be as lazy and sloppy as I want.