Thread: Clear or white runny filler that dries hard

I've seen Techniglue stained with powder pigment used successfully, but didn't have much joy getting it into the slots when I tried it. You could try the same pigment with casting resin.
Depending on what colours you want, you can get it from hardware stores (brickies ochre etc) or art shops. I haven't tried it, but spirit based pigments may also work in casting resin. Maybe even oil paint? Try it and see.

Epoxy adhesive or casting resin - either of those will give you clear, along with a pour-on like application. You can use a bulking filler (like talc) in them to get them white (paint is not a good way of colouring something that is clear), or you can thin something like Timbermate with a little water to make it easier to work into the grooves - but 2x5mm shouldn't present any difficulty at its normal thickness.

Originally Posted by Master Splinter

Epoxy adhesive or casting resin - either of those will give you clear, along with a pour-on like application. You can use a bulking filler (like talc) in them to get them white (paint is not a good way of colouring something that is clear), or you can thin something like Timbermate with a little water to make it easier to work into the grooves - but 2x5mm shouldn't present any difficulty at its normal thickness.

I have tried Smooth-Cast 327 which is a liquid plastic. Unfortunately too expensive. I have ordered some Epoxy casting resin to try it out but I think the price also is too expensive. Has anyone here tried either Lecol 8500 Filler or CrystaLac® Clear Waterborne Wood Grain Filler?

I mentioned earlier that I had tried Polycell wood filler mixed with some acrylic paint but when dry you end up with small holes. I was wondering if there is some other material/compound/product that I can mix in which would stop this problem. I have tried wood glue which helped a bit but didn't solve the problem completely.I would prefer to not use a resin type product because the clean up is far more difficult and the smell/fumes is a big issue. Polycell wood filler with acrylic paint would be absolutely perfect because you don't have these issues at all but at the moment is just not quite working. I prefer to colour the compound with acrylic paint because it's far easier to get close to the exact colour I need. With dyes it's almost impossible to get a colour match.

Unfortunately with paint, you are adding a whole load of other stuff along with the colour, including evaporating solvents that will adversely affect the filler. Dyes will give you a transparent finish - if you are trying for an opaque finish, you'll need to add an opaque filler to the mix.

Any reason you can't just fill and paint over?? Or get the paint store to mix up just the universal tinter (without the paint) and use the universal tinter as your colouring agent?

(You could pour some paint out, leave it to set, grind it to a powder and use that....)

Bote Cote epoxy will cost you about $34 for 750ml.

Originally Posted by Icestation2

I have tried Smooth-Cast 327 which is a liquid plastic. Unfortunately too expensive. I have ordered some Epoxy casting resin to try it out but I think the price also is too expensive. Has anyone here tried either Lecol 8500 Filler or CrystaLac® Clear Waterborne Wood Grain Filler?

I mentioned earlier that I had tried Polycell wood filler mixed with some acrylic paint but when dry you end up with small holes. I was wondering if there is some other material/compound/product that I can mix in which would stop this problem. I have tried wood glue which helped a bit but didn't solve the problem completely.I would prefer to not use a resin type product because the clean up is far more difficult and the smell/fumes is a big issue. Polycell wood filler with acrylic paint would be absolutely perfect because you don't have these issues at all but at the moment is just not quite working. I prefer to colour the compound with acrylic paint because it's far easier to get close to the exact colour I need. With dyes it's almost impossible to get a colour match.

I was worried about the fumes from epoxy, but someone gave ne a bit of techniglue to try, and there are no fumes to speak of. I thought it would be like a surfboard factory, which makes me nearly pass out. Areldite doesn't really have fumes either, and there is a crystal clear version of that. (If it is clear though you then have little bubbles to contend with.People use vaccuum chambers to suck the air out. That is a whole nother kettle of fish. )

As for the colour it is better to add dry poster colour to it. Or I have used ceramic stains cos I have some on hand. WHat type of paint are you using. There are paints and paints. Wall paint has other carriers and fillers to make it plasticy, so would not be very compatable with epoxy I reckon. I think I have read about someone mixing water colour paints with epoxy. To get white you could just add some talc from the bathroom cupboard, or titanium oxide from an artists supply shop. You only need about 10% to colour it.

There was a tip somewhere or other for mixing epoxy. You squeeze it into a zip lock bag with the additives and close it up, than knead it about till its mixed nice. Cut the corner off and squeeze it out like icing. Mess? What mess.

Hope that helps.

To get the little bubbles out, hit it with hot air gun. I've also heard of it being done with an oxy flame.

Originally Posted by AlexS

To get the little bubbles out, hit it with hot air gun. I've also heard of it being done with an oxy flame.

Kneading it in a bag might get less bubbles in it than stirring anyway.

Casting resin coloured with builders oxide is the way I would go. You can mix your oxide dry to get your colour then add it to the Casting resin. That goes in like honey and I have used it with a large vetenary syringe for worm holes.

I find oxide powder colours can be too coarse/gritty in resins, if you want a good super fine solid colourant try synthetic type tile grout... works a treat!

Originally Posted by Master Splinter

Any reason you can't just fill and paint over?? Or get the paint store to mix up just the universal tinter (without the paint) and use the universal tinter as your colouring agent?

I'm very interested in obtaining some universal tinter. If I wanted to create a colour that wasn't a standard universal tint colour, is it just a case of mixing two or more different tints together to obtain the right colour. But how is it possible to know exactly what mix of tints creates the colour I need. Obviously the Dulux colour paint machine at my local B&Q or Homebase automatically calculates the right amount of each tint required but I don't have that equipment.

Originally Posted by Icestation2

I'm very interested in obtaining some universal tinter. If I wanted to create a colour that wasn't a standard universal tint colour, is it just a case of mixing two or more different tints together to obtain the right colour. But how is it possible to know exactly what mix of tints creates the colour I need. Obviously the Dulux colour paint machine at my local B&Q or Homebase automatically calculates the right amount of each tint required but I don't have that equipment.

Yes well.That's a whole 'nother science. Line blends and test batches. Maybe there is a calculator somewhere for water colour paint mixing. Any mix you make would have to be tested to see if it dries the right colour. There are some recipes around for pottery glaze colours, but there is always colour variations in everything, and you have to test and see.

I think it would be easier to come up with an easily repeatable epoxy or resin colour, then get the paint shop to match that rather than the other way around - at least at the paint shop they have a spectrophotometer to accurately read the colour, and a matching database with a huge stack of real-world data points and they know the variables in the paint, rather than you having to work it all out from scratch.

Have you thought of using a contrasting colour???

Originally Posted by Master Splinter

I think it would be easier to come up with an easily repeatable epoxy or resin colour, then get the paint shop to match that rather than the other way around - at least at the paint shop they have a spectrophotometer to accurately read the colour, and a matching database with a huge stack of real-world data points and they know the variables in the paint, rather than you having to work it all out from scratch.

Have you thought of using a contrasting colour???

If I have understood correctly - probably not - I can go to a paint store which has one of those colour matching machines (normally Dulux or ICI) and instead of the tint being deposited into the paint as usual they will place an empty container into the machine (underneath where the tint is dispensed) and collect just the tint.

I think you can buy the paint stain only. You would have to enquire.

How about telling us exactly what you are doing. Maybe we would have other suggestions of ways to get the effect you want. Sometimes its a lot of work trying to avoid a little bit of work. Have you got a drawing or something?