I have noticed that several of you fellas have marbelized the guide wraps on rods. I think that sometimes it might be nice to be able to just color epoxy by adding pigment to it. But I wonder what adding pigment does to the strength of epoxy. I would expect it to weaken it a little but not significantly but I do not really know. Anybody with any knowledge or experience???

Most add aditional layers of clear epoxy over the colored epoxy.

Adding too much pigment to epoxy could cause it not to set up.

So...when mixing colors to get another....mix the two pigments first before adding it to the epoxy.

It doesn't hurt the strength but it is impossible to match the pattern when the guide needs changing. Jesse

That's the nice thing about it. Nobody can tell if you matched it because no two of your guides will match anyway!!

Emory, I have also tinted finish a solid color without marbling. Just a tiny bit of pigment on a toothpick

Mike

It takes very little pigment to change to an opaque color or shade. I asked Ralph about this same thing and he said the effect it would have on the epoxy would have to do with the particular type and amount of pigment, but that for all practical purposes, within reason it's not going to change the working properties or structural make up of your finish. Obviously, you can ruin anything if you go overboard, but colored epoxy seems to be fine.

I have noticed that the epoxy I have colored white, even with Flex Coat, has not turned amber or brown, yet. Six months and counting.

............

Just to be safe I swirl the pattern colors color into the second coat of of clear. The background color is the thread you use to do the wrap. I have adopted a procedure as follows:

1. First coat LS Supreme on light color thread or Flexcoat Lite on darker colors. I do not use CP on guides and the nylon thread gives a nice irredescent color to the background color. I added pigment to some of the finish for background color but I found that it seemed to dull the finish down. I have used some white pigment on White NCP in decal areas in it worked really well on dark colored blanks.

2. Second coat of clear applied to all guides and trim edges of guides with either LS or Flexcoat Lite in the clear condition.

3. Wait for a few minutes. Add pigment colors to remaining second coat in aluminum pan. Apply swirls. I wait about 20 minutes from time of initial mixing of finish. LS seems to fan out more than Flexcoat. I do this while the rod is off the turner by slowly hand turning. The faster you rotate the more spread you get with secondary colors. I have not been able to do a guide that I felt had too little swirleys - the real task is to keep them at a minimum to prevent the swirleys from looking gaudy.

4. Top coat always Glass Coat so that I can let the rods out the door sooner without fear of scratching.

Gon Fishn

Bills method also adds a look of depth, I use it quite often. John

What type of pigments would one need?

Hi Cindy,

Most use TAP resin pigments [www.tapplastics.com] they are made for coloring resins and are inexpensive. Also very popular are Testor's model paints (the metallics are very striking) with the paints, you want to let the jar set for awile afrer you get it and let the pigment settle to the bottom and pour off the solvents . You only want to use a lttle of the piment on a toothpick to added to your finish. Any questions, holler

Mike

Bookmarking that TapPlastics site.

The reason I asked is because I've got assorted colorants here, both oil and water based. Just curious if any of those would work. Some of these may never be used for the intended purpose anyway.

As you can tell, I'm a craft-aholic. Tons of stuff laying around. If I can use for another purpose, I'm always up to the challenge.

Cindy

I think (my opinion only) that with the tiny amount of colorant that would be added to the epoxy that it would be OK and not affect the epoxy . As much as you do with crafts, get your self a piece of 1/2 PVC or dowel, paint it black and experiment to your hearts content (and let us all know what works and what doesn't!) A lot of what we do and use is a result of someone on this board tring something new and sharing the results!

Mike

Mike,

I've got a broken rod laying around somewhere. I was going to use it as my "practice stick" anyway. Sounds like it's time to go dig up my stuff and see what happens.

I'll post my results here and let ya know what did and didn't work.

Cindy