try the glue/water/td paint method. You use 1part school glue to 2 parts water to 1part smidge more of TD you can also add food die to the mix to make sure you get a good even coat over the tiles and the paint helps bond the td better than just laying on the tile.
I started with a spray bottle and abandoned it. I moved to an airbrush and use 3 parts ISO with 1 part TIO2 and a tiny drop of dawn in my experience helps suspend the mineral. I also have a booth that exhausts outside and still wear a mask. It may be food grade but a mineral that doesn't dissolve probably isn't good in the lungs. The air brush allows the particles in droplets are much smaller. When you laser the TIO2 on a ceramic, your fusing the mineral to the glaze. Large puddles will be black but the surface will be lumpy and un-uniform matching the splatter applied. With 2 coats with an airbrush I get a very fine coating that dries immediately and when finished the surface has a smooth feel and you get nice shimmer from the titanium particles. I also clean off in a small container first, then rinse in running water. Less of the mineral to build up in the plumbing. I recover most of what I use but treat it as waste as it cakes to hard forms when dry and the very fine powder is key to the result I want. Pulverizing to the level I can buy is probably not worth the time or safety risk IMO.
I have the LP4 used TiO2 with the Blue laser and it comes black like yours. But!!! I also tried the 1064 laser at 100% power, 100% depth and multiple passes and it comes out looking like tarnished chrome! The tile is smooth, even where engraved. I can now engrave metal onto the tile and then do a black border. Looks like a mirror. A dirty mirror but still a mirror.
@@SteveMakesEverything I do have a quick question about liquid medium...can you use mineral spirits in lieu of Alcohol? I've ordered the Alcohol but have a large quantity of mineral spirits around for my cutting boards and other wood products.
@@Bogbrew You can try it but mineral spirits are a bit oily, so I'm not sure it will work. Alcohol evaporates quickly, leaving nothing but the TiO2. Look through the video comments because another viewer suggested painting the TiO2 on, but I can't remember what his email said for the life of me, and I can't seem to find it.
@@SteveMakesEverything I may give it a shot, always a good idea to have more than one way to skin a cat :D. For this initial test tile I brushed it on, print's about 60% complete and I can already tell it is not going to turn out nearly as cool. I may need a wider brush (used one that came with my liquid resin).
Hey Steve! This video is incredible! I have tried it myself but I’m having a rough time trying myself, maybe you can help me. I purchased glazed ceramic tiles from Home Depot. 4.25” x 4.25” Titanium dioxide mixture is sprayed onto the tile. I have tried at various speeds and every time the engravement will wash away once I rinse off the mixture with water. I’ve heard I have to prepare the tile by submerging the tile in acetone for a hour and giving it a few days to dry off. What is your experience with this process? Or do you purchase tiles that bypass treating the tiles and allow you to go straight to covering in titanium dioxide? Thank you. Awesome video! I’m inspired.
@@SteveMakesEverything “not enough power on subject” Perhaps this is the reason. I have a fairly inexpensive diode laser. 20 W power with 4 W optical power. Maybe that is not strong enough.
Wonderful technique, especially when you can skip the aceton part of cleaning. Wearing a respirator when mixing seems advisable, but also when using a spray paint. So no difference there 😀
Great video, I have a very left-field idea... Titanium Dioxide is quite a common ingredient in a lot of sunscreens, many of which are available in spray form. I wonder how a thin mix of sunscreen sprayed on a tile would work, probably not concentrated enough, but I may give it a whirl.
@@SteveMakesEverything Right I'll give this a go tomorrow, I've never needed to engrave on tiles (most of my work is wood/acrylic), but I happen to have some white tiles left over from a kitchen re-fit and came across your video. I have various spray sunscreens at home so I'll let you know how I get on.
Just been researching... a lot of sunscreens use zinc dioxide, however 'Ambre Solaire' from Garnier list Titanium Dioxide on the bottle, and it's available in spray form. I would imagine it's very low PPM, but it's so cheap. I've got to give it a go.
This is the biggest challenge with this method. If your sprayer is clogging up then thin out the mixture and keep shaking the bottle as you’re spraying it will mean doing a couple of coats but should clog less often.
The TIO2 can fuse with the glaze, so its as permanent as the ceramic. I test my settings by grinding two face to face together and never lost a particle. However if your layer is thick you may only darken the top and not get fusion. This is why I use an airbrush.
Do Brasil venho lhe parabenizar pelo excelente vídeo. Você já tentou utilizar está mesma cobertura de dióxido de titânio em cima da parte reflexiva de um espelho para gravar uma foto nele? Ou o risco de reflexão é tão grande que você nunca ousou? Você sabe se alguém já fez isto ou se faz?
@@SteveMakesEverything Eu já vi pessoas fazendo isto, mas o resultado final você não obtêm uma imagem como uma foto. Eu queria ter uma foto impressa no espelho, mas não na área total dele e aí ficaria uma borda espelhada em torno da imagem e também eu pensei na possibilidade de utilizar imagens vazadas que teriam o fundo espelhado aparecendo atrás delas. O que você acha do que eu disse?
@@naildonunesoliveira4037 You would definitely need to use Stucki or Jarvis to engrave because you won't be able to get a grayscale engraving on the mirror reflector. This would also apply if you are engraving the glass itself.
@SteveMakesEverything I'm really looking forward to it!! Still so much to learn. Slowly building confidence with the diode laser. Can't wait to learn more. Thanks again mate.
@@SteveMakesEverything ok yeah as the paint won’t stick to the glossy part. Nice. How well does that stand up to washing though. Like on ceramic serving trays.
@@geauxracerx That's more a function of the paint than the tile. The engraved surface will be rough so it will grip paint well. I've done painted tile engraving for outside use and it has lasted for years - even in places where winter is a thing.
@@SteveMakesEverything I tried using glue and it worked pretty well. I used a foam brush to apply the mixture and needed to apply a couple of coats to get even coverage
I have a stupid question. Can you use acrylic paint instead a spray paint since it would be easier to wipe off at the end? I'm new to the laser machine, I got the xtool d1 pro for Christmas so I'm learning.
@SteveMakesEverything My tiles look gritty and not smooth after I have sprayed them and they have dried. Do I need more alcohol in the mist or is this the way it will look? My engrave came out really splotchy as well.
Probably more alcohol. The TiO2 won’t dissolve regardless, but it takes enough alcohol to thin it out so you can spray it easier. A bit of grit won’t really matter too much though as long as the surface is covered fairly lightly it will engrave regardless.
Got it at a local hardware store. I’ve had blockages but that might be an indication that the solution too concentrated. Dilute it a bit to reduce this.
I assume you are asking what happens if you don't put titanium dioxide on the tile. Well, pretty much nothing. The coating offer a layer where the laser light can be absorbed and heat up the tile surface enough to cause bonding.
I wish it was this simple.😀 The problem isn't the masking, but rather the material. Standard white tile won't be engraved by a diode laser unless you treat it in some way. The Titanium Dioxide is part of a reaction process that bonds to the surface of the when it is hit with laser light.
@@SteveMakesEverything ah ok. I haven`t got a laser yet. looking at 36w Ikier, or maybe the 24/48w version once I`ve seen a review. I know some material you can use paint or masking tape on. I presume acrylic paint wouldn`t work on tile either
@@johngibbins939 The Ikier laser is by all accounts a great laser, though I believe it is the same laser as the Atezr L2. Pretty much and white spray paint will work (because these contain titantium dioxide), but then you have a different, more difficult clean-up problem.
Thank you for the tip on the titanium powder
Happy to help
This is a great tutorial; very informative and helpful. We haven’t yet tried tile but I really like the ease of clean up with your process. Thank you!
Tiles can be used to make things like coasters or plates for teapots. The engraving adds a nice touch to these, and it’s a cheap/easy product to build
try the glue/water/td paint method. You use 1part school glue to 2 parts water to 1part smidge more of TD you can also add food die to the mix to make sure you get a good even coat over the tiles and the paint helps bond the td better than just laying on the tile.
I started with a spray bottle and abandoned it. I moved to an airbrush and use 3 parts ISO with 1 part TIO2 and a tiny drop of dawn in my experience helps suspend the mineral. I also have a booth that exhausts outside and still wear a mask. It may be food grade but a mineral that doesn't dissolve probably isn't good in the lungs. The air brush allows the particles in droplets are much smaller. When you laser the TIO2 on a ceramic, your fusing the mineral to the glaze. Large puddles will be black but the surface will be lumpy and un-uniform matching the splatter applied. With 2 coats with an airbrush I get a very fine coating that dries immediately and when finished the surface has a smooth feel and you get nice shimmer from the titanium particles. I also clean off in a small container first, then rinse in running water. Less of the mineral to build up in the plumbing. I recover most of what I use but treat it as waste as it cakes to hard forms when dry and the very fine powder is key to the result I want. Pulverizing to the level I can buy is probably not worth the time or safety risk IMO.
Yes, do whatever works best for you. Definitely an overly thick coating will mess with the bonding - I use a complete but thin coat.
I have the LP4 used TiO2 with the Blue laser and it comes black like yours. But!!! I also tried the 1064 laser at 100% power, 100% depth and multiple passes and it comes out looking like tarnished chrome! The tile is smooth, even where engraved. I can now engrave metal onto the tile and then do a black border. Looks like a mirror. A dirty mirror but still a mirror.
Nice! I love when people are willing to experiment. You never know what you’ll get and sometimes it’s awesome 😁
Hey Steve! As always thanks for the video! You're tutorials are quick, simple and always easy to follow.
Glad you like them!
@@SteveMakesEverything I do have a quick question about liquid medium...can you use mineral spirits in lieu of Alcohol? I've ordered the Alcohol but have a large quantity of mineral spirits around for my cutting boards and other wood products.
@@Bogbrew You can try it but mineral spirits are a bit oily, so I'm not sure it will work. Alcohol evaporates quickly, leaving nothing but the TiO2.
Look through the video comments because another viewer suggested painting the TiO2 on, but I can't remember what his email said for the life of me, and I can't seem to find it.
@@SteveMakesEverything I may give it a shot, always a good idea to have more than one way to skin a cat :D. For this initial test tile I brushed it on, print's about 60% complete and I can already tell it is not going to turn out nearly as cool. I may need a wider brush (used one that came with my liquid resin).
Thanks for responding!
I have learned quite a bit from wat your videos
Thanks
Glad to hear that!
Absolutely best way to go
Glad this was useful
SUPER NICE RESULTS THANK YOU
So nice of you
excellent video
Glad you liked it!
Hey Steve! This video is incredible! I have tried it myself but I’m having a rough time trying myself, maybe you can help me.
I purchased glazed ceramic tiles from Home Depot. 4.25” x 4.25”
Titanium dioxide mixture is sprayed onto the tile. I have tried at various speeds and every time the engravement will wash away once I rinse off the mixture with water.
I’ve heard I have to prepare the tile by submerging the tile in acetone for a hour and giving it a few days to dry off.
What is your experience with this process? Or do you purchase tiles that bypass treating the tiles and allow you to go straight to covering in titanium dioxide?
Thank you. Awesome video! I’m inspired.
Sound like the TiO2 is laid on too thick or you don’t have enough power on the subject when engraving
@@SteveMakesEverything “not enough power on subject”
Perhaps this is the reason. I have a fairly inexpensive diode laser.
20 W power with 4 W optical power. Maybe that is not strong enough.
@@jamesr169 That is most likely the issue. 4W wouldn't be enough to do this unless the laser is moving very slowly (maybe).
Thanks for the video.
You are welcome!
Wonderful technique, especially when you can skip the aceton part of cleaning.
Wearing a respirator when mixing seems advisable, but also when using a spray paint. So no difference there 😀
With Titanium Dioxide, you would really only need a mask when mixing the powder. Once it is in solution it won't float around.
Great video, I have a very left-field idea...
Titanium Dioxide is quite a common ingredient in a lot of sunscreens, many of which are available in spray form.
I wonder how a thin mix of sunscreen sprayed on a tile would work, probably not concentrated enough, but I may give it a whirl.
Sounds like an experiment in the making to me😏
@@SteveMakesEverything Right I'll give this a go tomorrow, I've never needed to engrave on tiles (most of my work is wood/acrylic), but I happen to have some white tiles left over from a kitchen re-fit and came across your video.
I have various spray sunscreens at home so I'll let you know how I get on.
Just been researching... a lot of sunscreens use zinc dioxide, however 'Ambre Solaire' from Garnier list Titanium Dioxide on the bottle, and it's available in spray form.
I would imagine it's very low PPM, but it's so cheap. I've got to give it a go.
Thank you for this. Love the results. Do you need to seal the image after? Sorry if this is a duplicate question.
No need. The image is more or less embedded into the surface of the tile?
Nice! DIY Brilliance!
TY
Thank you! 😊
Thanks
Welcome
What’s the secret to applying the titanium dioxide/alcohol mixture to the tiles? I can’t seem to find the correct type of sprayer to accomplish this.
This is the biggest challenge with this method. If your sprayer is clogging up then thin out the mixture and keep shaking the bottle as you’re spraying it will mean doing a couple of coats but should clog less often.
Thank you.
You're welcome! Hope it helps you.
Thank you Steve great video!
After the tile is etched do you need a sealer?
No need, though you can do this if you want. Not much sticks to tile though.
The TIO2 can fuse with the glaze, so its as permanent as the ceramic. I test my settings by grinding two face to face together and never lost a particle. However if your layer is thick you may only darken the top and not get fusion. This is why I use an airbrush.
Thanks for the vid
You bet
Your opinion on this vs tempera paint? Ty for your videos
For ceramic tile I would use Titanium dioxide over Tempera paint
Hey Steve, can this method be used on other material, specifically mason jar lids? Great video BTW!
Not sure, but can’t you just engrave a mason jar lid anyway?
Do Brasil venho lhe parabenizar pelo excelente vídeo.
Você já tentou utilizar está mesma cobertura de dióxido de titânio em cima da parte reflexiva de um espelho para gravar uma foto nele? Ou o risco de reflexão é tão grande que você nunca ousou? Você sabe se alguém já fez isto ou se faz?
You can just use the laser on the back of the mirror by reversing your image. Then you don’t need anything on the glass to engrave
@@SteveMakesEverything Eu já vi pessoas fazendo isto, mas o resultado final você não obtêm uma imagem como uma foto. Eu queria ter uma foto impressa no espelho, mas não na área total dele e aí ficaria uma borda espelhada em torno da imagem e também eu pensei na possibilidade de utilizar imagens vazadas que teriam o fundo espelhado aparecendo atrás delas.
O que você acha do que eu disse?
@@naildonunesoliveira4037 You would definitely need to use Stucki or Jarvis to engrave because you won't be able to get a grayscale engraving on the mirror reflector. This would also apply if you are engraving the glass itself.
@@SteveMakesEverything Thank you.
Hey Steve!! Another great video. Just wondering how we would go using the tape masking instead of painting the tiles instead?
You can certainly do this. Paint the tiles black and engrave the paint off. Maybe that’s the subject of a different video 😉
@SteveMakesEverything I'm really looking forward to it!! Still so much to learn. Slowly building confidence with the diode laser. Can't wait to learn more. Thanks again mate.
What dot interval did you use on this project?
I typically set this to the maximum resolution for the laser I'm working with - roughly the interval of the spot size's height
Thanks Steve, this is gold!
By any chance does it work with a co2 laser as well?
CO2 lasers can engrave tile without any treatment
@@SteveMakesEverythingI mean you can, but you end up with a ghost image, not this same dark markings.
@@geauxracerx True, but typically you can paint the engraved surfaces on tile and make them any color you want.
@@SteveMakesEverything ok yeah as the paint won’t stick to the glossy part. Nice. How well does that stand up to washing though. Like on ceramic serving trays.
@@geauxracerx That's more a function of the paint than the tile. The engraved surface will be rough so it will grip paint well. I've done painted tile engraving for outside use and it has lasted for years - even in places where winter is a thing.
Would that look darker on unglazed raw ceramic?
Most likely not. It really depends how well the tile absorbs blue light. It may just engrave deeper rather than darker.
Nice technique. Will this work with the D1 10 watt? New subscriber…Thank you
Yes it will. Any diode laser can do this.
Welcome aboard!
Have you tried equal parts of titanium dioxide, water and white glue? The glue allows the titanium dioxide to adhere to the tile. Thanks for the video
This sounds like a great suggestion. I'll give it a try.
@@SteveMakesEverything I tried using glue and it worked pretty well. I used a foam brush to apply the mixture and needed to apply a couple of coats to get even coverage
Mine turned out like garbage. It was super pale and blotchy
@@thelurewasher you may need to adjust your settings
@gregj2647 that was a test grid from 250 mm/m -3000mm/m and 10%-100% power
That spray paint method is the Nicky Norton method
So many people have taken credit for this method, but I will believe you. Paint works, but it is hard to clean up after.
will 20W do this
It should if you have the speed set fairly slow
im waiting for my ortur 10w laser.. is there any suggestions if mine is only 10w
You will be fine with a 10W. You can engrave anything that a 40W laser can and cutting will be a bit slower but more than capable
I have a stupid question. Can you use acrylic paint instead a spray paint since it would be easier to wipe off at the end? I'm new to the laser machine, I got the xtool d1 pro for Christmas so I'm learning.
Yes pretty much any paint will work. Make sure you have good ventilation though.
@@SteveMakesEverything I have an enclosure and a fan that goes out the window. Would that be okay?
@@michelleochart6617 Perfect! 🙂
@@SteveMakesEverything thank you so much for your quick reply ❤️
@SteveMakesEverything My tiles look gritty and not smooth after I have sprayed them and they have dried. Do I need more alcohol in the mist or is this the way it will look? My engrave came out really splotchy as well.
Probably more alcohol. The TiO2 won’t dissolve regardless, but it takes enough alcohol to thin it out so you can spray it easier. A bit of grit won’t really matter too much though as long as the surface is covered fairly lightly it will engrave regardless.
where to get that spray bottle? i tried 2 spray bottles and they jammed instantly with TiO2 inside
Got it at a local hardware store. I’ve had blockages but that might be an indication that the solution too concentrated. Dilute it a bit to reduce this.
What is the idea of painting the tile? what is the result if not used?
I assume you are asking what happens if you don't put titanium dioxide on the tile. Well, pretty much nothing. The coating offer a layer where the laser light can be absorbed and heat up the tile surface enough to cause bonding.
Couldn’t you use masking tape instead ? No clean up at all
I wish it was this simple.😀 The problem isn't the masking, but rather the material. Standard white tile won't be engraved by a diode laser unless you treat it in some way. The Titanium Dioxide is part of a reaction process that bonds to the surface of the when it is hit with laser light.
@@SteveMakesEverything ah ok. I haven`t got a laser yet. looking at 36w Ikier, or maybe the 24/48w version once I`ve seen a review. I know some material you can use paint or masking tape on. I presume acrylic paint wouldn`t work on tile either
@@johngibbins939 The Ikier laser is by all accounts a great laser, though I believe it is the same laser as the Atezr L2.
Pretty much and white spray paint will work (because these contain titantium dioxide), but then you have a different, more difficult clean-up problem.