I updated my powder eye painting method...... introducing the Eye Dotter 2000 
First off, this machine is NOT built for speed - i don't sell anything so can take my merry 'ol time. Got to have paitence. But, if only doing single color dots, you can knock them out pretty quickly. The base is made of some old marble trophy bases and threaded rods aquired from work. The aluminium is also scraps from work re-purposed. I created a lever/fulcrum out of the alum. sheets and attached the circle stencil plates by magnets so they can easily be changed out. Picture does not show it the best, but the alum. plate runs between the bases and acts similar to a teeter-toter.
I use the lever action for recessed eye sockets and tap on the powder cold. You can bump it a little using the recessed sockets with out messing up the powder before you heat it - just don't sneeze. Will explain my process a little.....
- Cold Tap Eyes - Recessed Sockets -
Paint the head however. This is with paint brush tapped on, i try to avoid heating the head too hot and just leave the paint bubbly like in the photo tll the very end to keep from over heating it. Jist enough heat for it to stick and make sure you have it covered. While powder is still warm and soft, use a nail to put a mark for the center of the eye.
For tapping the eyes on cold, have found that it is easiest to have something hold the jig for you, otherwise shaky hands make it almost impossible to do. I use a different trophy block with several magnets attached to it - its heavy and can stick hemostats to the magnets.
Get it lined up so the stencil plate lays flat to the recessed socket and centered with the eye.
LIGHTLY tap on your color.
Then use the lever of the base to lift off the plate. It comes straight up pretty smooth.
Carefully pull the hemostats from the magnets and re-heat the head JUST ENOUGH to get the eye paint to stick - don't need it to gloss over. Then you can flip it and do the other side the same.
If you want 2-colors eyes, can just switch out to the smaller stencil for the pupil and do the same process.
Once both the eyes are totally finished, THEN i will finally keep the head over the heat and let it gloss over most of the way before i hang it. Ready to cure.
First off, this machine is NOT built for speed - i don't sell anything so can take my merry 'ol time. Got to have paitence. But, if only doing single color dots, you can knock them out pretty quickly. The base is made of some old marble trophy bases and threaded rods aquired from work. The aluminium is also scraps from work re-purposed. I created a lever/fulcrum out of the alum. sheets and attached the circle stencil plates by magnets so they can easily be changed out. Picture does not show it the best, but the alum. plate runs between the bases and acts similar to a teeter-toter.
I use the lever action for recessed eye sockets and tap on the powder cold. You can bump it a little using the recessed sockets with out messing up the powder before you heat it - just don't sneeze. Will explain my process a little.....
- Cold Tap Eyes - Recessed Sockets -
Paint the head however. This is with paint brush tapped on, i try to avoid heating the head too hot and just leave the paint bubbly like in the photo tll the very end to keep from over heating it. Jist enough heat for it to stick and make sure you have it covered. While powder is still warm and soft, use a nail to put a mark for the center of the eye.
For tapping the eyes on cold, have found that it is easiest to have something hold the jig for you, otherwise shaky hands make it almost impossible to do. I use a different trophy block with several magnets attached to it - its heavy and can stick hemostats to the magnets.
Get it lined up so the stencil plate lays flat to the recessed socket and centered with the eye.
LIGHTLY tap on your color.
Then use the lever of the base to lift off the plate. It comes straight up pretty smooth.
Carefully pull the hemostats from the magnets and re-heat the head JUST ENOUGH to get the eye paint to stick - don't need it to gloss over. Then you can flip it and do the other side the same.
If you want 2-colors eyes, can just switch out to the smaller stencil for the pupil and do the same process.
Once both the eyes are totally finished, THEN i will finally keep the head over the heat and let it gloss over most of the way before i hang it. Ready to cure.
The perfect mousetrap is on my short list.
