Advice

[Lee Jones]

Hi all.

I'm seeking advice. A friend of mine has built his own bike and has a plywood panel stitched into the frame. He would like me to hand-paint his business name onto the panel.

I asked him if the wood was varnished but all he's used on it is beeswax. I'm not sure if I can use 1-shot enamel on this though. If not I'm thinking I would need to remove the wax and then maybe use a clear varnish on the panel prior to writing (I wouldn't be able to paint directly to ply as the paint would surely bleed into the grain).

Has anyone here come across a similar issue? Any suggestions for achieving a good finish?

I'm hoping this will be my very first sign commission and I really want to do a good job.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Lee

[Roderick Treece]

Hi Lee,
Unless your planing on doing a "Rustic" looking sign and want the background paint to crackle I don't think you will be able to clean the wax off of the wood enough to get the paint to bond. I would suggest having a new piece of ply cut and start fresh.

Roderick

[Lee Littlewood]

Hi Lee - good name, that. I think you're doomed. If the wax is into the pores of the plywood there is no way to get it out, and I don't know of any solvent-based paint that would not react to it. Maybe an acrylic could bond, but I'm doubtful. Same for shellac.
If he had used an oil-based clear (Watco oil, linseed oil, tung oil...) you could put varnish over it and then letter on the varnish.

You could use a wood-burning tool. Kind of limited in its effects, but permanent.

Cut out a plaque or scroll of thin metal or plastic, letter it and attach with screws or through-bolts. Possible to change the plaques: winter/summer signs; new partners, ....

Good luck, keep us posted

[Doug Bernhardt]

All that is perfectly correct except to also mention that the paint might take a few weeks to dry. Thats is also the reason you'd never used waxed paper cups to mix paint in.

[joe cieslowski]

When I worked in a pattern shop we always used bees wax for fillets.......and then the pattern was coated out with lacquer. No problem.

And you can use enamels over lacquer.

Of course lacquer isn't an exterior coating.

This advice is worth what you paid for it.

joe

[Kent Smith]

While what Joe says can be true and also of shellac, there must be some raw wood to adhere to. Bees Wax is a great repellant and is not effected by many known solvents and cannot be completely removed. I would go with a panel attached where you have control over the coatings.

[Lee Jones]

Thanks for your input on this.
Unfortunately the panel has been stitched to the bike frame. It's a wonderful look but it means it's pretty much fixed on there and I can't really resolve this by producing a new panel.

Thanks for the advice anyway. I'll have to have a chat to the guy and see what he wants to do about this, discuss his options.

I'll keep you all posted anyway.

L