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TIPS OF THE WEEK 
by Vicki Peters
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NAIL TIP OF THE WEEK: #1 BACKFILLS

This nail tip is lengthy - sorry - some will not be a so long. 
You may want to print this out and read or keep.
I have a book called "Drilltalk" that tells more about bits and backfilling 
techniques that you can order for $25 if anyone is interested. Check out my 
web site for more info on my books. There are tons of photos so you can see 
what I am talking about.
- Vicki

DISCLAIMER
Any products mentioned in the "Tip Of The Week by Vicki Peters" is not an 
endorsement of any kind.

BACKFILLS
There are really five basic ways to backfill using a variety of bits and 
files. 

By hand
This can be tedious but can be done. Using a course file you must thin out 
all the product from the stress/smile line area. If you view the nail from 
the side it should angle down without a ridge. You will apply the white tip 
powder to replace the smile line and white just as you would a new sculptured 
or tip and overlay nail. 

This is not as difficult as it seems. Some acrylic products are softer than 
others and this technique comes quickly. Use a 100 grit file when filing down 
or you will be there all day!

With a backfill carbide small bit 
Backfills bits come is different sizes, a one week, two week and a half 
barrel. All perform the same thing - it is preference only on which one you 
use. You can also use a diamond backfill bit but it is not as aggressive as 
carbide but may be good to practice with. Negative is if your working with a 
small bit you must change bits to remove the remainder of the old white tip 
product. This can take extra time.

With a full barrel bit 
The full barrel has it benefits. One is to do the cutting and the other is 
that you do not have to change the bit to remove the remainder of the old 
white product once you have made the cut. The negative is that you're 
working with a larger full bit than a smaller backfill bit and you cannot see 
what your doing well. Again it's just preference. 

With a soft rounded edged carbide tapered barrel bit 
This soft rounded edge carbide bit allows you to remove the product from the 
tip to the smile line area by holding the bit flat to the nail. Again you 
will replace the white tip product as you would when you hand file. 

The French fill bit
Lysa Comfort from EZ Flow developed this bit and knows how to use it better 
than I. It is a diamond shaped diamond bit that trenches out the perfect "v" 
for backfills. It is made from the finest diamond products and has a perfect 
cutting edge. It is large and aggressive but gives you the smoothest cuts 
of all. Smaller versions are made by other companies, however they are not 
as precise in their cutting quality.

STEP 1
Prep the nails as you would for a fill. Do all the procedures up to applying 
the dehydrator and primer. Dust the nails. 
STEP 2
With your preferred bit cut the smile line. I usually start on the right side 
and work toward the left side as I view the nail. Hold the sharp edged side 
of the bit at a 45% angle as you cut in. I line to make three cuts, one on 
the side to the center, across the center, then the third from the center to 
the left side. 

Hold the finger your working on steady. I usually balance my left ring finger 
against the finger so I have more control. I am right handed. Move and rock 
the finger you are working on, as you go, so your not doing all the work 
with your right hand, assuming your right handed of course. 

Be sure to balance your right hand on your left as you work to be more in 
control. By not balancing your hand all the pressure is on the bit. Balancing 
on the fulcrum finger takes the pressure off the bit - producing negative 
pressure and giving you more Control. Hold the handpiece like a pencil when 
you work. 

STEP 3
Remove the backfill bit and replace with a barrel. Holding the nail sideways 
so you can see the ledge you will remove the remaining tip product. 


OPTIONAL STEP
Instead of cutting the smile line out first in the thick acrylic thin it out 
first, then cut the smile line out - it is much easier.

STEP 4
If you cut down to the natural nail's free edge and expose it be sure to 
prime the exposed natural nail when priming. Remove as much product as you 
can but do not re-prime acrylic - it will turn it yellow.

If your precise enough when cutting the smile line with your bit - you will 
create a perfect wall to apply the product up against and not have to wipe 
the smile line. It will be a guide to apply against. 

APPLYING THE WHITE TIP POWDER
After you have primed the nails and your ready to re-apply the white powder, 
pour enough liquid to do all ten tips. Apply 1 medium to dry ball of product 
to the tip. Wipe your brush to get any product out of it and bring your 
brush back to a perfect point. You may need to re-dip but wipe the liquid 
out. While your doing this, the product has spread out a bit and started to 
set. Press the product up against the "wall" of the smile line and push the 
product up into the corners then with your brush and without wiping the 
product out (you need a real light touch) pull the product down to the tip. 

Here are your goals:
Apply the 1 ball of white with the perfect liquid to powder ratio so it does 
not run or is too dry. This takes practice and is not an exact science so I 
am not going to tell you it is a 2-1 or 1-1 ratio - it is different for all 
of us because we are all using different products and brushes. The goal here 
is to get the consistency so you can apply in 1 ball with "control"
Build the white tall enough to meet the pink so when you apply the pink you 
do not have to pull it over the white and mute it.


Do all ten whites first and let them dry for four reasons:
Your more focused on 1 thing at a time
You're allowing the white to dry so when you apply the pink you don't smoosh 
the white.
Your not using milky liquid to apply the pink. I said earlier to pour only 
enough liquid into the dappan dish to do the white tips, throw it out and 
pour fresh liquid for the pink - it will keep the pink clearer looking.
Your working within a system which will save time.
I am not saying you should do this my way - but you need to devise a 
consistent system of working. This will save you time, the client will know 
what is next and work with you - instead of against you.


SUGGESTED BITS FOR BACKFILLS:
Medicool ½ barrel carbide backfill bit - 800/433-2469
Kupa's Tornado - new very sharp carbide - 800/994-5872
Aspetico's silver carbide soft tipped tapered barrel bit - 800/426-5913
EZ Flows French Fill Bit - 800/552-1477



GENERAL COMMENTS:
When you first start to do backfills it should only take 15 extra minutes so 
schedule accordingly. Over time you should be able to shorten your time back 
down to the time scheduled for a regular fill. This took me about six 
months when I first started doing backfills 15 years ago. My goal was to get 
good enough so no matter what I faced with a client I could get it done in an 
hour. 

I started practicing by doing one backfill nail per client - back then I was 
polishing them all and needed the practice and they didn't care. It also was 
a good selling point that when I got good enough they too could have pink and 
white nails and understood how they were fixed when grown out.

Another way to practice is to glue a nail to a wooden dowel and cover with 
acrylic. Practice cutting new smile lines until you have no more room and 
break the tip off and glue on another. 

Vicki Peters 
"When you stop learning your career ends and your job begins"
Visit my new web site: http:// vickipeters.com 

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