Engravings on Betax No. 3 shutter

[campy51]

I can barely read the speeds and f stops and want to know what can be done to make them clearly readable. Is there a special paint

 

[loccdor]

Oil based metal paint (like Rustoleum) works fine on things like this. They do sell it in small cans in colors like safety yellow. The technique I've seen is to paint over the whole area of the letters and then use a clean flat sponge to remove the paint from the outside of the lettering. I think you would want to practice on something else recessed before you do it on your shutter. You may need to thin the paint a little.

 

[Kino]

There are also paint pens; more of a crayon. They work, but aren't as durable as regular oil based paint. Freestyle used to sell them, but I don't remember seeing them for quite a while.

Check McMaster Carr; they should have something.

 

[Dan Daniel]

Michaels Art (or a real model store if such things exist in Boston), Testor's model paint. Small bottles, 1/4. Use a toothpick to fill the engravings. Let dry for a few hours. Put a layer of cotton clothe on a stick, like a chopstick. I know people who use makeup wipes. I use hard cotton swabs; they are shaped like bullets when you buy them. Moisten lightly, not dripping, with naphtha. Lightly wipe off excess, moving across the engraving. Go slow, wipe wipe wipe wipe...You'll probably need to refill some spots, such is life.

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[BrianShaw]

For any of these methods, it seems really important to clean and degrease first. That substantially improved my limited success with the engraving fill crayons.

 

[campy51]

Thanks Dan, there's a Michaels a few miles from me.

 

[AnselMortensen]

Betax shutters use white lettering against a black background.
I'd recommend using a white paint stick (crayon-type) as recommended above.
It also works well for reconditioning the white numbers and notches on black safe dials.

 

[OAPOli]

Acrylic paint also works. You can find some at the Dollar store.

 

[Dan Daniel]

Thanks Dan, there's a Michaels a few miles from me.

Of course there is! For every Walmart, there will be .7 Michaels, 2.5 McDonalds, 67.8 Dunkin Donuts, and a statistically insignificant number of produce stands. It's a Federal law.