Liquid Diamonds

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jttheclockman

jttheclockman

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2005
Messages
19,449
Location
NJ, USA.
OK I have not been casting long with Liquid Diamonds for I mainly have used Silmar41 But wanted to try some blanks with color. I need the epoxy quality but I need a colored blank. I need to color the blanks one blue and one black. I used mica powders. My question is that the proper thing to use for color?? Also do you add the color to the resin and mix this and then add the hardener?? Or do you mix hardener and resin and then add color or does it matter?? How do you adjust for adding color if weighing or does it not matter??

I have no problem with doing clear pours and love the results. My colored pours will be turned tomorrow and from what I see already I am not going to like the blue because it looks like there are dark streaks within the pour when it should have been all one color.

Any other tidbits would be helpful. Thanks.
 
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John,

I mainly clear cast but I have done several color pours with Mica powder with great results. I have used casting craft dyes if I want more of an opaque color. I mix the resin first and then add the color. I have never adjusted for weight of mica. If doing a two color pour you have to wait till the resin temperature gets to about 120 degrees F or they will blend together. It takes about 20 minutes or more. I use an infrared thermometer to check temp. ( one from Home Depot not a medical one) I wait to pour even when doing a single color pour as I don't want to have the mica settle. ( theoretical as I have never tested). I mix periodically while resin is warming.

Good luck

Jason
 
John,

with the long pot time of Liquid Diamond, if you are going to use mic powders, you will need to wait until the part A and part B mixture, which are mixed together first, reaches at least 120 degrees. Otherwise you're mica powder will sink to the bottom of the mixture. Also, if you plan to mix multiple colors together you need to wait for that temperature otherwise the colors will blend together. If you want to sped up the heat up, you can put the mixture of A and B into a hot water bath. Just for the record, you do not need to use a pressure pot but can if you want to.
 
I always use a pressure pot so that is not a problem. I did not think of the separating thing. I never mix more than one color. Too many blanks and other casters out there doing this I have no need. But every once in awhile I need solid color blanks. I will turn these 2 blanks today hopefully and see how they came out. If I need to readjust I will make new blanks. I need to buy a heat thingy. Never had to wait with Silmar when I did color pours. I guess because it kicks faster. I need to make a ton of black blanks soon too. I do that with Silmar though. Thanks for the replys.
 
John I played a little with some epoxy last year for a project and used the liquid pigment they sold for colouring. It only takes a couple drops or so to make a solid colour and because it is a liquid it is dissolved evenly through the resin and doesn't precipitate out even for slow curing epoxy. I wasn't trying for any sparkle or shimmer so didn't use any mica etc. Black was very black if that makes sense. I was using Eco Poxy but your favourite brand should have similar liquid pigments.
 
Thanks everyone. I may need to play around with coloring blanks some and try both mica and liquids. The 2 I did yesterday turned out pretty well and you can see them in my latest pen posting. The blue and the black. A friend saw these and wants a green so I need to play around abit.
 
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