What do you use to color poly resin?

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preacherman

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I was just wondering what are some other mediums that could be used to tint or color poly resin. I have been using pearl-ex and really like the effect. I know that mica powder can be used as well as certain dyes but how about things not intended for such uses. I'm just wondering what have you used successfully and unsuccessfully.

Can acrylic paint be used? Fingernail polish? How about oil based paints? I'm sure that there are many other I'm not even thinking about.
 
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I know some will have a problem with this, but I use the Apple Barrel paint from wall-mart with the casting craft from hobby lobby. I have used over 2 gallons of resin so far and had no problems. I have done multi-color pours with paint alone and some with paint and pearl-ex. I have even mixed the paint and some pearl-ex on single color pours and every one has turned out fine.

Others will recommend against it, but it has worked for me. One .88 bottle of paint goes a long ways. Just sayin.
 
Woodkiller said:
I know some will have a problem with this, but I use the Apple Barrel paint from wall-mart with the casting craft from hobby lobby. I have used over 2 gallons of resin so far and had no problems. I have done multi-color pours with paint alone and some with paint and pearl-ex. I have even mixed the paint and some pearl-ex on single color pours and every one has turned out fine.

Others will recommend against it, but it has worked for me. One .88 bottle of paint goes a long ways. Just sayin.
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I'm not familiar with this paint. I'm guessing it's enamel. I may have to get some & give it a try.


I have tried oil paint that's used on canvas. While it did work, it wasn't nearly as colorful as I'd hoped. It was too washed out. It may just be the amount I used wasn't enough, but it didn't give me anything I wanted to use. And for the price, it sure wasn't economical.
 
Woodkiller said:
I know some will have a problem with this, but I use the Apple Barrel paint from wall-mart with the casting craft from hobby lobby. I have used over 2 gallons of resin so far and had no problems. I have done multi-color pours with paint alone and some with paint and pearl-ex. I have even mixed the paint and some pearl-ex on single color pours and every one has turned out fine.

Others will recommend against it, but it has worked for me. One .88 bottle of paint goes a long ways. Just sayin.
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Would you please post some pics of your blanks for viewing? Seems like a great idea to share. Thanks.......Jan
 
Left to right. Blue and silver with pearl ex macro pearl, black and gold, red-white-blue, silver and gold, blue and green with purple. Bottom is red and silver.
 

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Jim Burr said:
1) Powder coat powder...HF brand works good for flat colors.
2) Pearl-ex and Mica powder are interchangeable...not one or the other.
3) Try something and let us know how it works!
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will powder work with alumilite as well?
 
Ok first off thanks for the replies!!!

First test underway! I stopped in Walmart today and bought some folk art brand paint. It is acrylic water based paint. I like the color better than the apple barn that was available. When I added it to the poly resin ( silmar41) it thickened very quickly. Enough that it did not mix with the 2nd color, I was using pearlex. So I poured I to molds and put it in pot.
Potential problem!!! There was a little more resin than my molds could hold so I just left it in the cup. It's been over 3 hours and it is about twice as thick as when I poured into molds. Considering its in the upper 80s it should've pretty hard by now. If it ever hardens it will make a pretty color but not holding my breath on this one!

More test and pics to come.
 
preacherman said:
Ok first off thanks for the replies!!!

First test underway! I stopped in Walmart today and bought some folk art brand paint. It is acrylic water based paint. I like the color better than the apple barn that was available. When I added it to the poly resin ( silmar41) it thickened very quickly. Enough that it did not mix with the 2nd color, I was using pearlex. So I poured I to molds and put it in pot.
Potential problem!!! There was a little more resin than my molds could hold so I just left it in the cup. It's been over 3 hours and it is about twice as thick as when I poured into molds. Considering its in the upper 80s it should've pretty hard by now. If it ever hardens it will make a pretty color but not holding my breath on this one!

More test and pics to come.
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PR can be very finicky. It will do the same with some mica powders. Sometimes they absolutely refuse to harden without outside help from a toaster oven. You might try setting the cast in the sun. Maybe put it under some black plastic or something.
 
Well after nearly 24 hours under pressure I opened pot to find a gooey mess. It looks like the colors blended but I cannot tell from mold. I used 3/4 PVC pipe. It's sitting under a heat lamp now to see of it hardens.

Certainly would not suggest acrylic paint for color unless you want to cure it with a heat source.
 
I have used the ink refill kits from walgreens to make up any color you choose.
You cannot just add the ink to the PR. You add it to denatured alcohol to make the color you want and just add that color to the PR.
 
Failure!
They did harden after a couple hours under a heat lamp. But the color is a different story.
Here is a pic of the blanks I poured with the acrylic paint. The color separated and the purple which was pearlex went to the bottom of the mold. I'll try something different tommorow. Experiment continued...

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Looks like a good fade to me. Not a failure at all because now you have something unique.

Use it.
 
I don't understand it. :( I just poured some more a couple days ago and set them in the sun the next day and they cured just fine. Here is the block and a pen I just finished from it.
 

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Here is the pen. I usually cure them either in the sun if I am doing something else, or with a spare heat pad because I am impatient.
 

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Ihave used Pearl-X and oil artist's oil paint that comes in tubes The oil paint requires only a very small amouts. I have also used the dyes used for aluminite. The oil paint tends toward more opaque and aluminite dyes are more transparent. Depending on the effect you want using Pearl-X with either works. I made a simulated turquoise with white oil and some blues to give a turquoise color, when it began to gel I streaked some black with gold Pearl-X through it. looked pretty good. I made a pen from it for my grandaughter whose favorite color is turquoise!
 
Also the artist oil can be used with epoxy. I fill cracks in some of my bowls, vases and platters with epoxy colored to match some colored feature in the wood.
 
mhbeauford said:
Ihave used Pearl-X and oil artist's oil paint that comes in tubes The oil paint requires only a very small amouts. I have also used the dyes used for aluminite. The oil paint tends toward more opaque and aluminite dyes are more transparent. Depending on the effect you want using Pearl-X with either works. I made a simulated turquoise with white oil and some blues to give a turquoise color, when it began to gel I streaked some black with gold Pearl-X through it. looked pretty good. I made a pen from it for my grandaughter whose favorite color is turquoise!
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I only tried once with artist oil paints, and it was a failure. I could have been the color (dark purple). But I could never get the color anywhere close to what I wanted. And it was not opaque at all, and I used a lot of it. Maybe it was the brand. What brand do you use, and what colors have worked for you?
 
Test #2 included nail polish and liquid tempera paint. I could not find and powder tempera so I thought I would continue this experiment with what was available.

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The liquid tempera did not color. It mixed then separated from the resin.
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The nail polish mixed well and looked great.
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Unfortunately, due to a distraction by my two year old this did not yield any usuable blanks. It set before I could pour into molds. So the conclusions of this test: nail polish seems to yield useable results. It does require quite a bit to color the resin sufficiently; therefore, probably not cost efficient. Tempera (at least liquid) is a waste of resin, it will not mix.
 
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Test #3 Tried again last night with nail polish. This was some cheap stuff from dollar general that was at the register so I thought I give it a shot. I was going for a volunteer orange and white. It's pretty close but the orange is not exactly right.


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Overall test result: mixed 6 oz of resin; yielded 4 usable pen blanks. 2 full size, 1 executive/ zen, 1 Sierra size. The amount of nail polish required is significant to produce opaque blanks. (Possibly as much as 1/3 of bottle). Cost of bottle of polish makes this a costly blank by comparison of powders, mica, etc. If transparency is desired it is a good color medium. These blanks would require reverse painting.
 
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Question

Woodkiller said:
I know some will have a problem with this, but I use the Apple Barrel paint from wall-mart with the casting craft from hobby lobby. I have used over 2 gallons of resin so far and had no problems. I have done multi-color pours with paint alone and some with paint and pearl-ex. I have even mixed the paint and some pearl-ex on single color pours and every one has turned out fine.

Others will recommend against it, but it has worked for me. One .88 bottle of paint goes a long ways. Just sayin.
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Woodkiller what is the formula for paint to resin? Thanks
 
I never have understood why pigments and dyes sold by resin suppliers that are formulated for use with polyester resin seem to be left out. Everything under the sun is suggested and tried but seems to me the resin specific dyes, pigments, and powders would be the ones to use. Mica powders of work very well. To each his own...have fun.
Do a good turn daily!
Don
 
its_virgil said:
I never have understood why pigments and dyes sold by resin suppliers that are formulated for use with polyester resin seem to be left out. Everything under the sun is suggested and tried but seems to me the resin specific dyes, pigments, and powders would be the ones to use. Mica powders of work very well. To each his own...have fun.
Do a good turn daily!
Don
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I agree. There are hundreds of Mica powder colors, and probably over 25 dyes for PR, and another 25 or so for alumilite. And the colors can be mixed to get new colors. Now I do have problems if the customer wants an exact match. I'll do my best, but I won't guarantee an exact match. When you are dealing with such small amounts of dye to change a color, exact matches will rarely happen. And repeating them is next to impossible. You see this everyday in fabric, tile, carpet, and probably hundreds of items that I can't think of.

However, there are ways around the problem if you need an exact color. For example, the Tennessee Orange that preacherman is trying to copy can be done easily if you can get paint that is an exact match. All you have to do is mix a blank using white & clear. Then just back paint the blank volunteer orange.

Now I realize that people wanting to do 50 pens a weekend don't have time for this except if you drill and paint 50 during the week, and do the pens on the weekend. But how many want 50 pens the same color. Especially Tennessee orange. :rolleyes:.

Now, Razorback red would make more sense. :tongue:
 
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its_virgil said:
I never have understood why pigments and dyes sold by resin suppliers that are formulated for use with polyester resin seem to be left out. Everything under the sun is suggested and tried but seems to me the resin specific dyes, pigments, and powders would be the ones to use. Mica powders of work very well. To each his own...have fun.
Do a good turn daily!
Don
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I use dyes and mica and pearlex. All with very good success. I am just playing with testing to see whatelse I can use. This is a hobby for me something to get away from it all. I like to experiment and see what happens. You never know what you might come up with.

BSea said:
its_virgil said:
However, there are ways around the problem if you need an exact color. For example, the Tennessee Orange that preacherman is trying to copy can be done easily if you can get paint that is an exact match. All you have to do is mix a blank using white & clear. Then just back paint the blank volunteer orange.

Now I realize that people wanting to do 50 pens a weekend don't have time for this except if you drill and paint 50 during the week, and do the pens on the weekend. But how many want 50 pens the same color. Especially Tennessee orange. :rolleyes:.

Now, Razorback red would make more sense. :tongue:
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50 in Tennessee orange would not even be enough! I will make some of these within the next few week that are a better match ( I have the paint) and I will have very good success selling them. But when it comes to red, I think I would rather see one in Crimson :tongue:
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preacherman said:
I use dyes and mica and pearlex. All with very good success. I am just playing with testing to see what else I can use. This is a hobby for me something to get away from it all. I like to experiment and see what happens. You never know what you might come up with.
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I get that too. Like I said earlier, I tried to use other things. I just gave up. Instead, I've tried to use different pouring techniques, and work on mixing colors. That in itself takes a lot of time to get right. You'd think it's just a matter of learning basic colors and going from there. But I recently did an ivory blank for a customer. To make 6 blanks,I used white, and just a little dark brown. And when I say a little, I mean maybe 1/4 of a drop. One drop would have been way too much.

Casting can easily be as addicting as turning . . . . . and as frustrating at times.
 
triw51 said:
Woodkiller said:
I know some will have a problem with this, but I use the Apple Barrel paint from wall-mart with the casting craft from hobby lobby. I have used over 2 gallons of resin so far and had no problems. I have done multi-color pours with paint alone and some with paint and pearl-ex. I have even mixed the paint and some pearl-ex on single color pours and every one has turned out fine.

Others will recommend against it, but it has worked for me. One .88 bottle of paint goes a long ways. Just sayin.
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Woodkiller what is the formula for paint to resin? Thanks
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It varies by the look I am going after. Basically as I start mixing it I look at the stick and see how opaque or not it I and adjust as necessary. I'll try and measure some tonight when I make some more.
 
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