inletting black - cleaning up

[serenget]

Any genius ideas out there on how to clean over-used inletting black from areas where it's not required, including wooden tool handles. That is without sanding!

 

[Grizzly Adams]

Without scraping/sanding, I am not too sure. Might have to leave it as a sign of gun building experience. Looking forward to suggestions though.

 

[garra]

I found a thread on the ALR site, some suggested denatured alcohol. I would try it on the tools first, hate to have it penetrate more on the stock.

 

[Vaino]

The first time I used inletting black, I went upstairs and my wife thought my basement shop was a coal mine. No longer use the stuff.....Permatex spotting compound mixed half and half w/ blue wheel bearing grease. Doesn't penetrate hard maple and when it's time to stain the stock, no prep.....Fred

 

[tenngun]

I always used candle black, how do you put on inletting black? Don't they have a white for walnut?my extra black smudges always cleaned up while whiskering the stock.

 

[Tinker2]

Don't they have a white for walnut?

There is an inletting gold for dark wood that I have used on ebony and rosewood


I do use black for all other wood including walnut

I clean up tools with alcohol or soap and water



William Alexander

 

[Crewdawg445]

I always used candle black, how do you put on inletting black? Don't they have a white for walnut?my extra black smudges always cleaned up while whiskering the stock.

Absolutely, a 100 count bag of tea lights cost about a $1.99 at wally world versus the cost and mess of inlet black. Lipstick works great as well, but candle black for me always seems to be the ticket.

 

[Eric Krewson]

It is hard to beat an oil lamp for smudging up your parts, turn it up to black stuff, turn it down while you do a fitting.

 

[Crewdawg445]

Oooo oil lamp, very good idea! :thumbsup:

 

[Col. Batguano]

Sandpaper pushes it back in to the wood. Scrapers cut it away.

 

[serenget]

Thanks all, I won't be using inletting black again. Too easy to misread. I've found out that acetone (nail polish remover) is pretty good at getting the stuff off without sanding.

 

[Doug Lykins]

Jarros inletting black is an oil based product that will clean up somewhat with mineral spirits but will still leave a stain. Use Jarros very sparingly, you just need enough to lightly mark the wood. I occasionally use it but prefer a candle or oil lamp.

 

[Devodud]

I've got plenty of inletting black left here that I will never get near again, anybody want it?

 

[nhmoose]

I use the wife's lipstick I swipe from her. Acetone takes it away.

 

[Stophel]

Inlet black is the nastiest substance known to man.

I use a pigment, a burnt Umber, or whatever is closest to me at the time (I have several pigments) and with a piece of paper towel, mix it up on an old board with paint thinner to make a light paste and use that for inlet marking. No fuss, very little muss. When the paint thinner dries, it simply leaves dry powdered pigment which can simply be wiped off. No greasy kids' stuff. :wink:

 

[Onojutta]

It is hard to beat an oil lamp for smudging up your parts, turn it up to black stuff, turn it down while you do a fitting.

This is exactly what I use and works great. Haven't tried a candle yet.

Before I used the oil lamp, I had the same issues with inletting black. Haven't found a way to remove inletting black from wood. Black that is left on unfinished wood is taken care of by removing more wood as the stock is finished, but I have learned to live with inletting black inside mortises. I have found that rubbing alcohol is good for cleaning up the oil soot.

 

[Obi-Wan Cannoli]

I use rubbing alcohol, q-tips, and patience to remove it. The main problem I encounter with inletting black is when it is applied on to thick to the part as this causes it to bleed into the wood giving you a false indication regarding depth and width to remove. I barely touch a q-tip into the inletting black and apply many fast passes to the part, this will give you a very light black cotton fiber dusting over the area that will greatly reduce misreads. The lamp black is still probably better, but for me I am clumsy and averse to bursting into flames.

 

[Vaino]

Somehow the Permatex mixed w/ blue bearing grease I use for "spotting" disappears along the way...after whiskering, the wood is clean w/o ever using a solvent......Fred

 

[Dave Marsh]

Somehow the Permatex mixed w/ blue bearing grease I use for "spotting" disappears along the way...after whiskering, the wood is clean w/o ever using a solvent......Fred

Fred, do you have a recipe for that or more details?

Dave

 

[Vaino]

Permatex is a widely used spotting compound that I first used when building plastic molds. Should be available from tool supply cos and others. Look it up on the internet. It's mixed w/ 1/3 blue bearing grease or can be used alone. It doesn't penetrate hard maple to any extent and just wipes off of tools. Never needed a solvent of any kind to clean it off of stocks....final sanding or scraping and whiskering just makes it disappear......Fred