After a number of trials, a hardware replacement, installation of new ring system, design iterations, depths of cuts, and ultimately material options, I opted for a color-core product that I purchased online in a 4x8 sheet for about $200.
It’s a neat material, with a 1/10th inch blue surface on both sides, with a white 1/2 inch base beneath. This allowed me to do a two sided cut to .12 inch depth in a single pass with a 1/8 inch bit for little details which was then mounted in treated lumber. It should provide years of durable weatherproof directions to our site!
I didn’t know it did either! It was hard to bite the bullet, and certainly had me nervous, with very little room for error, but it turned out crisp and beautiful.
A low budget guy like me could be stupid enough to try and spray paint a sheet before engraving.
Expected result is tear-out and sled scratches on the paint.
A paint layer and a clear hard finish perhaps?
paint things, and then cover it all with a layer of painter’s tape (the blue
stuff), that will avoid scratches, and will even help with tear-out a bit.
I tried the blue-tape method and it just created a mess… some wrapped around the router bit, other bits tore off and then got bound up under the sled… a real mess.
Wow and I got that machine at home. 2 do theses wonderful things I’m amazed Everytime somebody post something I can’t wait for my day to share great job @Arichards
Ha. Don’t think for a minute I didn’t entertain every one of these options! I may give some of the others (glue, epoxy, paint) a shot at a later point for future projects, but as my event deadline was approaching, I bit the bullet and went for a sure shot. Should last outside for a very long time.
