How to color Epoxy

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chartle

chartle

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Not really a casting question but I need to color a small amount of epoxy since the way I want to turn this pen it may be exposed. I'll probably get into casing and at that point I'll invest in some real color but not for this experiment.

Its just normal 5 minute stuff. I saw a youtube video and someone used alcohol ink so I got some on sale at JoAnn's mixed it up and got some good clear color. It just never fully hardened and its still flexible.

I then tried chalk, first chalk line chalk but there are limited colors and then sidewalk chalk. They both mostly worked but I think I read here you can use latex paint? If thats the case I have a huge selection of craft paint.

Though its possible I could use polymer clay to fill the void but not sure it can replace epoxy to glue the tube in. Something was looking into at the craft store even before seeing all the wonderful blanks that it can make.
 
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Cliff, I use Testors model paint to paint the hole in acrylic blanks so the tube doesn't show, and add a drop of the same color paint to the epoxy for good measure. I am not sure how much paint you can add to the epoxy before the strength of the glue is compromised, but I have never had a tube come loose, plus there are plenty of colors to choose from. This is the only way I have ever added color to epoxy so I hope this helps,

Bill
 
Thanks but in my test the epoxy will be probably be exposed and finished. So I need it to be just like PR or Alumilite.
 
Experimenting is great and looks like your still buying product to test. I was just pointing out from my experience what works to possibly save you time/money. The testors paint works as well but in my case the cost of the little bottles was more than the mica I had been using for years.

I look forward to seeing your results and the pen.
 
Alcohol based ink, tints epoxy just fine, but you want to limit the Ink to 5% of the total or the epoxy will be soft. The more alcohol in the epoxy resin the softer it will be. I've tinted epoxy with everything from enamel paint, food coloring, Kool Aid dissolved in xylene, Rit clothing die, Testors paint, polyester based die, analine die, graphite powder. They all work...some better than others. Keep the pigment to less than 5 parts per 100 parts epoxy resin and you should be fine.

I should add that I've never attempted to die 5 min epoxy but these pigments/dies/paints all worked with longer cure Bis A epoxy resin and Amine curatives.

If you have a spray can of engine enamel in the garage that would be my 1st choice. Spray a shot on a nail and stir it into the resin then mix in the hardener.
 
I've used the dyes / colorants that I use when casting polyester resin. Not sure if this is the right stuff to use with 5 min epoxy, but it's worked out okay. I do give the epoxy plenty of time to cure (usually overnight).

As for percentages, I usually try for a drop or two but one time a whole bunch ran out. It was pretty messy but the epoxy set fine and the pen turned out successfully.
 
I have used lots of 5 minute epoxy glue with the Pearlex powders I use for my PR castings and you can't tell it appart from the actual PR resin. Sometimes we need to make a fill that is almost impossible to make a mold for and the coloured epoxy is what I use.

To see what it looks, I bring a pic of a piece that salvaged from wood separation and lots of cracks, that I worked on with a Dramel tool. There is a piece on wire wrap around the neck of this vessel, the wood totally separated to almost unrepairable but, I got it done...!

PS: Pearlex normally sells small 3gr containers with sample powders, they cost about $3 here in Australia and are a grate thing to have in the most base colours to take care of any needed repair/fill...!

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Cheers
George
 
Craft stores sell little 3gm containers of pigment for $3...works really well. I bought a heap of different colours for use with the expoxy when turning with the Beall Pen Wizard...
 
Do a test.

Mix a bit of epoxy on wax paper. Add a couple of drops of the craft acrylic paint and mix thoroughly.

Let it stand for a couple of days and see how hard it becomes. Should be hard and easy to remove from the wax paper.
 
Try pearl ex in 1 gram bags fro Woodnwhimsies.com. They have the best prices for pearl ex that I have found.
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I used Mixol white dye added to 5 minute epoxy to fill in some engrave greek symbols on a fraternity pen I made for someone. I was able to finish the epoxy to a high finish and added CA to the wood that was used for the blank.

Mixol costs about $6.00 for each color, but there is enough in each tube to color a lot of epoxy.
 
Look like this thread popped back up.

Just to complete the thread. I have cast a few blanks so I have both perlex collections from Micheal's and a number of alcohol inks for coloring resin.

I now just want to remember what that project was. :)
 
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