Resin and Colouring

[Alexam]

I am about to try some deep resin filling, but would like to add a colour that 'streaks. Rather than completly mix the added colour, would the streaking effect be possible by just adding a few drops and simply swirling it in to leave a streak effect, or would that not work?

Never used resin before but habe purchased some West 105/205 to try this with but dont have any colour yet. Thinking a streaked emerald green or blue? Anyone tried this please and where to get the colouring?
Malcolm

 

[Droogs]

Try using a syringe to inject the dye/colour after pouring the resin. You will need to work fairly quickly though. I would think other ways would mix the dye to much otherwise

 

[Alexam]

Thanks for the quick reply. Have you actually tried this yourself or guessing? Does the syringe method give that 'streaking' effect with the colours blending at the edges?
Malcolm

 

[Glynne]

Hi Malcolm,
I can't answer your question specifically but I have been experimenting with resin and metallic powder (brass) for filling holes in burr oak.

I bought the materials from http://www.easycomposites.co.uk/#!/resin-gel-silicone-adhesive
but I emailed them initially for advice as to what I was trying to achieve.
They were extremely helpful and came back very quickly so it might be worth an email?

 

[Alexam]

Hi Glynne,
nice table and finish. As mentioned, I have not done this before and simply seking advice. I thought a streaked effect would liik good, maybe a bright deep blue and white, or other colours. Wanted to see if any mambers had tried this.

I have several nice bits of timber with voids and this nwould be a nice way to go if it works. Just sen this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaODH5GIlT4 which looks good in a large size but may not be so effective in small inserts.
Malcolm

 

[ED65]

No don't do that Malcolm. This will result in pure dye/paint pockets in the resin, rather than coloured resin swirls intermingling with the clear resin where the whole mass cures equally hard. Whether you're using dye, paint or any dry powders you need to fully incorporate the colouring matter with the epoxy so that they become intrinsically mixed. So here you'd colour a portion of the mixed epoxy and then add that to the main batch (already fully mixed) and swirl.

Obviously it's standard advice to do a practice piece or two before embarking on a completely new technique, absolutely vital here to get the degree of swirling you want.

Having done my fair share of part-mixing over the years in various media (paints, cake icing and doing paper marbling) if there's one secret it's in knowing when to stop. Or I should say forcing yourself to stop. It's incredibly easy to mix just that smidge too far and there's no going back. Hope you bought enough resin!

 

[Alexam]

Thanks for that advice.
So if I mix the blue in the normal way with resin (and hardener?) and lay that down, but just a smidge short of the level needed, but then mix, say, white with resin and hardner and add, just a small 'slick' and move it gently with a stick, would that be more like the correct way of it?
Malcolm

or would it be better to start with the white and add a slick of blue?

 

[ED65]

So if I mix the blue in the normal way with resin (and hardener?)

Most sources say to mix the epoxy fully first then blend it with any powder or colouring agent, so that should probably be considered best practice. In terms of how things turn out it's not absolutely vital to do it in that order but it helps to prevent an accident where you forget to blend in the hardener, or you blend in more resin and not hardener!

or would it be better to start with the white and add a slick of blue?

50 50 or does the white dominate? If it's half and half I don't think it matters, but if the blue is just the added colour (that's what I was assuming) then you'd normally add it to the main colour, in little dabs or droplets.

 

[Droogs]

Sorry Alex, didn't explain myself very well there. As Ed65 says Mix up 2 sets of resin in the colour amounts you need, add the main first and then put small drops of the highlight colour and swirl with the needle. I did this with a couple of years ago for 2 projects. 1 to put "golden" veins in a paper weight and the other to make the flute colour pieces in a larger marble made from Liquidclear resin. I did put a little less hardner than the usual ratio, just to give me a little more open time and put up with the extra day to cure.

hth

 

[custard]

http://neilscottfurniture.com/product/swan-card-table/

Give Neil a phone call or drop him an email. He does this stuff all day everyday, plus he's a decent bloke so I'm sure he'd give you some tips.