Painting "embossed" letters

[sgtrisk]

I don't think "embossed" is the right term. "Engraved" might be more acurate. I'm talking about the lettering on items like the fueld shutoff and throttle handles on a deuce. Anyone have any good tips on painting those? (And "a tiny brush and a steady hand" doesnt' count!)

Perhaps a water-based paint which can be wiped off with a stiff sponge or something, leaving the lettering "filled" with paint. Then a clear coat over it?

Any ideas would be VERY helpful.

 

[Jones]

If the controls are off then position them with the lettering up. Thin your paint and use a small bruch to 'flow' the paint into the letters.
If the controls are installed in the dash then the small brush/steady hand is about what you're left with.
Testors makes markers filled with paint instead of ink and they have pretty small tips. You can find them at hobby shops.
For clean-up use a q-tip dipped in paint thinner.

 

[319]

Paint the handle/knob then quickly wipe the excess off leaving the print filled in. Have thinner or similar product handy just in case. I've used this method many times.

 

[emmado22]

use a toothpick...

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'd also go with the toothpick.

 

[Whiterabbit]

Used laqstick. ( prob misspelled)Works real good. It's like a grease pencil but its paint. A china pencil works ok too. You can find the laqsticks in Grainger or MSC. Sometimes a good industrial supply co has them. Rub it in, wipe off excess with dry paper. You might find them at an art store. Good stuff, I use them to highlight the markings on guns. All diffrent colors too.

 

[maddawg308]

I learned this from gunplumber on FalFiles.com...

Use a normal hobby paintbrush, paint the whole lettered area, don't worry about going outside the lines. When the paint is dried a bit, but still tacky, take a piece of cloth like a worn hankerchief, something that doesn't have a lot of "fuzz" or "nap" to it, and soak an area of it in nail polish remover. Then, with your cloth firmly wrapped around your thumb, wipe the top of the painted part, leaving the paint in the recessed area unremoved.

Works well on gun parts, probably work well here too.

 

[sgtrisk]

I wouldn't have thought of nail polish remover. I'll try that!

 

[Kennay]

It's basically just acetone.

 

[Maverick1701]

I saw a military vehicle resto show on the history channel and they just painted a big white swath over the lettering then used their thumb up wipe over the embossing and the paint stayed in the embossing and was cleaned off the dash

 

[Maverick1701]

Paint the handle/knob then quickly wipe the excess off leaving the print filled in. Have thinner or similar product handy just in case. I've used this method many times.

X2! Seen this done on that tank rebuilt show on discovery channel...worked very well