Paint under alumilite clear slow

[hooked]

I am trying to 3D print an object to embed in a finial. The problem is that to get the detail I need, I have to use a special tan color material for the print. I would like to paint this object in the color I need before I cast it in alumilite. I have tried to search but I am not finding any positive results. Can anyone recommend a specific brand or type of paint that would work well in this situation?

I was planning on Testors oil-based enamel, but I have read that it will not work with casting. I am trying to verify this as well. Paint the object, let it cure, and then cast it in clear resin.

Thanks!

 

[NJturner]

I am not totally sure I am answering this correctly, but I use Testor's acrylic model paint a lot for painting the inside of my alumilite clear slow pen blanks and have had good success. No chemical reactions between the paint and the resin and the resin seems to adhere to the paint and vice versa. The acrylic versus the oil also dries much faster, but I still do the painting and let it sit overnight before using it just to be sure.

 

[hooked]

Thank you. Do you mean that you paint the tube and then cast, or are you talking about painting the tube and inserting into a drilled hole of a casted blank? My concern is finding a paint that will not bleed or cause a reaction during the casting process.

 

[JohnU]

If you're casting over a painted tube use a high temperature paint like engine or grill paint. The can will say "high temperature". If not the paint may wrinkle or dissolve in the resin.

 

[sorcerertd]

Since you are talking finial, I'll share my one experience (so far) with doing something similar. I used a decal on a wafer thin piece of scrap resin having been turned to the finial diameter. Once it was epoxied in place, I filled the finial area with UV resin and cured it. I'm not sure how that would work with a 3d object regarding air bubbles, though. Here's a picture of my result.

 

[hooked]

Thanks for the advice.

I have a resin mold for my finials. I print out 3D finial coins (pictured below), fit them tightly in the mold at the bottom, and fill the mold with resin to cover the finial. I have tested them with unpainted prints, and they come out fine and bubble free once out of the pressure pot. I did a quick test using nail polish on one and it did not come out well. I will try some high-heat spray paint on my coin to see if it improves.

 

[anthonyd]

Some of the guys that make bottle stoppers using real burl and faux burl paint the burl surface with clear resin. They then use a small brush to paint on some micro pearl etc. They then place the burl in a mold and pour clear resin over it. You could experiment with resin mixed with mica to paint your 3D prints with. Let them dry and then cast them. I was thinking of doing the same thing but I was going to make the finial molds by drilling out a sheet of HDPE.

 

[egnald]

If you could find a special white filament that would produce the detail that you are after, you could add a small amount of translucent dye to your resin before pouring to add the color. I suppose you could still go that route even with a tan filament, but of course the color would be altered by the tan.

The only other alternative I can think of is to first spray paint the tan with flat white high temperature rustoleum followed by the tinted Alumilite. (I just don't think Krylon high temperature paint comes in too many colors - black, white, beige, brown, and silver/aluminum ).

 

[Hippie3180]

Thanks for the advice.

I have a resin mold for my finials. I print out 3D finial coins (pictured below), fit them tightly in the mold at the bottom, and fill the mold with resin to cover the finial. I have tested them with unpainted prints, and they come out fine and bubble free once out of the pressure pot. I did a quick test using nail polish on one and it did not come out well. I will try some high-heat spray paint on my coin to see if it improves.


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I wonder how UV resin would work out for you? Have you considered giving it a try? Very easy to use, polishes up well.