Confirmation on dye for alumilite

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doddman70

doddman70

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I'm getting ready to move over to the "dark side" :biggrin: I have an order of Alumilite on the way it should be getting here by Friday. I just wanted to double check I'm pretty sure I have read somewhere here on the forum that I can use the powdered pigments that I get from Artstuf.com that I use with PR am I correct? If not then crap no casting for me this weekend I'll have to place another order from alumilite for some dye's. If I can use the powders I already have does anybody have any advice as to mixing them in the alumilite? Do I have to change the ratio of the alumilite with the powders?
 
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thanks guys that is what i thought but i just wanted to make sure. I still have about 5 gal of PR and will still use PR but i have been having not the greatest results with using PR for Worthless wood casts. I have never tried Alumilite but from everything I have read i think i will get better results using Alumilite.
 
Some alumilite dyeing observations.

I have found much better luck putting the dye in Part A.

With the powdered dye from Artstuff I had some clumping in Part B which did not occur with Part A.

With Transtint, it went into solution in Part A, but formed an emulsion in Part B, the effect of which was to make blanks initially tinted in Part B end up looking somewhat speckled while the blanks with the tint placed in Part A were more uniform in color.
 
Don't put your dye in eithe part alone. Mix the 2 parts and then add your dye. When you first pour the 2 parts together, they will be cloudy. Once they have been thoroughly mixed, they will be completely clear with no streaks. Alumilite gives out my phone number to folks that call in with pen casting problems and out of the 15 or so that I have helped, 98% of the problems have been due to not getting it mixed completely. If you add the dye to one part, you will not be able to see into the resin to tell when it is properly mixed.

BTW, Mike at Alumilite is working on changing their instruction to reflect what I suggest above.

Shane, to answer your question...any dry powder should work with Alumilite. I have tried stuff you would not normally think about such as various colors of chalk for chalk lines as well as a little flour to get some white (before the white dye was available). Use the same amount you used with PR and do not change the ratio of of part A to part B. Like I said above, mix the 2 parts together, THEN add your color and you will get the optimum results with no failures.
 
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