striker

Hey guys, I'm stuck on a problem I hope you can help with.

I'm building a warping board for a friend who's into weaving. It's basically a rectangular wood frame made by 4 long boards. At the corners, I've got the boards joined and fastened using lap joints.

The frame can be taken apart for transportation by removing the thumbscrews joining the corners. I'd like to color-code the insides of the lap joints, so it's easy to figure out what part goes where. So, we're talking about eight 3.5" square areas (4 colors total - one at each corner).

Basically, I've got two ideas so far:
1) Paint the inside of the lap joints - the wood is red oak, and I've never painted hardwood before, so I don't even know where to begin here. Also, I'm worried that the paint will rub off, because the two sides of the painted lap joints will be clamped together, touching.
2) Cover the inside of the lap joints with contact paper - this is my favorite idea so far, since it's just cut & stick. My big problem here is I can't find the small amount of contact paper I need. All I've found is the big rolls, 95% of which will go unused.

What do you guys think? Any ideas, even something I might be overlooking? Any help is definitely appreciated, since I'm real close to being done with this project.

Thanks!

BHOFM

Buy a package of thumb tacks that have four different colors.
drill a small indent in each joint and put matching color tacks
in each corner.

http://www.officeworld.com/Worlds-Bi...UNV51001/09Q1/

PS; If you can't find a use for the rest of the tacks, send them to me.

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GeorgeC

Use a "Majic Marker" and just number the joints. The ink will penetrate the wood and leave a "permanent" stain. At least the stains that I get in cloths are permanent as they do not wash out.

George

creative novice

do u have any oil based paint leftover at home? testers model car paint? finger nail polish (weakened)? take the oil based paint and weaken it with paint thinner to make a stain..... if u need four colors , remember, you can mix colors to come up with new ones....u could use 3 colors, not placing any color on one corner. this tool u made ...i assume will be around longer than we...make your code last that amount of time! contact paper won't. drilling little holes might work also......1 indent, 2 indents.... thats how my parents 1950's house screens were coded. WE LUV PICTURES
jj

Gerry KIERNAN

Buy, or make, small stick on circles. Colour code with felt markers. Stick them inside matching corners, and coat with varnish or any other clear coating to protect them.
Gerry

johnv51

Use a small (1/4" or less) Forstner bit to make a shallow indentation or two at each joint. Paint the inside of the indentations and you won't have to worry about it wearing off.

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Spilling wine on oak does not make it purpleheart!

striker

Wow, thanks for the advice, guys! This is my first real woodworking project, and I've learned a lot from it. I was hoping to cover up inside of the lap joints, because I made some marks in a few spots where I cut the nails I used to fasten the T-nuts. My initial plan was to cover the marks with filler & paint over them. However, I can't paint worth a damn, and the insides of the lap joints will be hidden 99% of the time anyway.

Another idea I had was to paint a thin stripe (1/2" or so) on the insides of the joints. I could recess a very shallow line in the lap joints, like johnv51 said, and it would still come out looking pretty nice. However, I'm stuck on finding paint & primer in amounts that small. I know auto touch up paint comes in little 1/2 oz. bottles. Will that work?

striker

P.S. Since I hear you guys love pictures, here's a shot of one of the lap joints with a T-nut through it: http://i41.tinypic.com/33u2xxh.jpg

creative novice

nice picture/project....you could go buy a kids set of water colors or use mom's food coloring.....make your paint "thick" paint it on and then once dried, poly or shellac or varnish over it. careful not too close to sides..it could bleedover

BHOFM

Woodburning tool? Soldering iron, gun? Heat an old screw
driver on the stove?

"A" "B" "C" "D"

Auto touch up paint is expensive!

Food coloring is organic and could have bacteria grow?

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striker

Alright, on second thought, you're right. Auto touch up paint IS expensive. How bout enamel hobby paint (http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/tes/tes1749.htm)? I plan on covering the project with a few coats of wipe on poly after sanding. Could I just throw a couple coats of the enamel on my hypothetical indented stripe without primer, then poly over it?

BHOFM

The hobby paint is $2.09 per bottle, X4! The thumb
tacks are still 69 cents!

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johnv51

Paint for plastic model cars & such should work. Check the toy dept at Walmart.

__________________
Spilling wine on oak does not make it purpleheart!

wonderwoman

Use a drill to to make shallow recesses. 1, 2, 3, 4. FREE! Heather

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If everything were smooth, sandpaper would be obsolete.
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Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius.
-Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

striker

Alright everyone, I think i'm going to try to use a combination of a few tips I've heard here. So tell me how it sounds:

1. Use a forstner bit to drill 1-4 shallow 1/4-1/2" indents in the lap joints, with the corresponding number on the paired joint.
2. 1 coat spray can primer + 3 coats Krylon black spray paint, with recommended drying time between coats (using a washer with the same diameter as the indent to control overspray).
3. Whole project is covered with Wipe-On Poly.

Alternate idea:
1. Buy stencils. Put two coats of black spray paint over stencil, so paint soaks into wood.
2. Cover whole project with Wipe-On Poly.

Questions:
1. Will the Wipe-On Poly protect the paint, or should I be using something else over those areas?
2. Does the alternate idea sound better?

I already have black spray paint & Wipe-On Poly. So, my total investment here would be under $2. Any thoughts, experts?

creative novice

why the need for the blck spray paint? just the holes and the poly will do...afarid the paint will "stick"

striker

Just wanted to make the indents stand out a little more. Was also thinking about staining the inside of the lap joints a different color, since the wood filler I'm using stains darker than the rest of the wood.

JohnQuest

Another option for this would be to use a metal stamping set and label each part however you feel best suits you.