Finishing Instructions
Misplace the instructions for how to finish your raw dice? Wanting to spruce up an old set you have? Or maybe you're just starting to make dice yourself and are looking for some help on the sanding part? Whatever brought you here, welcome! Below are instructions and best practices for sanding, polishing, and inking dice based on my own experiences and process. This is not necessarily the only way to get it done, but it is how I've done it.
Sanding/Polishing
You will need a pack of Zona Polishing Papers (they are finer than sandpaper), a cup of water, a small towel, and a flat water-safe surface such as a pane of glass from a picture frame or a smooth unmarked cutting board. Gloves are recommended but not required.
- Place your paper on your work surface and dampen a section of it.
- Place the die on the wet part of the paper. Using only enough pressure to keep the die in your hand, move it slowly in a circular motion against the paper. Re-wet the paper as needed.
- Continue until the surface has a uniform finish. Repeat for each die face that needs it. Note that not all faces may need sanding/polishing, or need it to the same degree!
- Once all faces have been completed, move on to the next paper in the order and repeat. Do not move on to the next paper if there are still visible differences in the finish of the face.
I always sand/polish a die in number order so I don't accidentally skip a face.
After sanding for a while, grit may build up on the paper. If you notice extra "junk", give the paper a good rinse in the sink to remove it before continuing. You should also rinse the papers before storing them once you are done.
Do not use more pressure than you need to! More pressure will remove more material faster, but it will also create deeper scratches that will take longer to remove.
Green is the roughest Zona and will take off a good amount of material. for faces that have flashing edges or more pronounced mold scars, start on the Green. For faces that only need a little bit of help, you can easily start on the Grey or even Blue.
If you want matte finish dice, stop at the Grey. For a traditional shiny polish, go all the way to White. For extra shine, pick up a plastics polishing compound (such as Meguiar's) and use a small amount of that in addition to water on the White paper.
If you have a low-speed dremel, you can also use polishing compound with a buffing wheel for a really good shine.
Number Inking
To ink the numbers, you can use just about any acrylic paint (craft paint, hobby paint, paint pens, you name it). You do not need a small/fine brush to apply it! You can literally just slap it on and shove it into all the crevices with your brush, no finesse needed. Any paint that ends up on the die face can be removed either with a standard household cleaner (I use diluted LA Awesome) or by revisiting the final polishing step.
Do not use rubbing alcohol, acetone, or other harsh cleaners. They can damage the resin.
If you decide you don't like the ink color you chose (or have an old set of dice you want to change the number color on), soaking the dice in LA Awesome or Simple Green will remove it. Stubborn paint may just be loosened and need some help with a toothpick.
These instructions apply only to resin dice; I do not know if you can safely soak dice made from other materials to re-ink them.