Dying epoxy

WaltE99

WaltE99

Fickle Bastard Blades
Joined
Oct 5, 2015
Messages
179
Yesterday I attempted to dye some epoxy. I was using Blade Bond Ultra and added a little Birchwood Casey water based gun stock stain. The resulting glob looked disgusting, to say the least, and really was not mixing very well. Since I also have some West Systems 105/206 and some oil based leather dye, I decided to try an experiment. I added both types of stain/dye to both types of epoxy resulting in 4 test samples. After about 18 hours of cure time, initial results were:

Best - West Systems with water based gun stock stain (This resulted in the hardest test result in which I could not make an impression when pressing my thumb nail into the surface)
2nd and 3rd - Pretty much a tie between the both epoxy types with the oil stain, with maybe a slight advantage to the West Systems but that may have been due to the difference in sample sizes (thumb nail made impression which then bounced back to original state)
Worst - was the original mixture of Blade Bond with water based gun stock stain (thumb nail made an impression which did not bounce back...I think I really could have dug out a little piece if I had tried)

So, all this being said, how do others dye epoxy when necessary? Based on the results above, my plan is to use the West Systems with the water based stain. Does anyone have any input relative to this in terms of long term holding ability, etc.?

Thanks
 
I only mix epoxy with dye meant for it. In my case system 3 T-88 epoxy and system 3 epoxy dye.
 
I second that. Mixing unknown dyes with epoxy can only result in disappointment.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 
OK, thanks. I've never heard of System 3 more than 1 or 2 other times and will research to find out more.

As far as this knife goes, I will either go with no dye or may experiment for this reason...I am making this one for myself to use fishing for catfish in the river and I don't want to spend any more $$ on it nor have it take any longer. Do you ever have a knife that just refuses to be made or did you when you first started making? Well this is that knife! It's on its 2nd blade and 2nd set of scales and is the first one I've made with bolsters since a kit knife many years ago. I just want to finish it, go fishing, and move on to other knives!

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk
 
I've had no problems using the cast & craft alumilite dyes for you can get from Hobby Lobby with GFlex. It mixes very well and I haven't had any issues with my epoxy joints.
 
Most epoxy's will not play well with water base or solvent based anything. A powder dye or one made for the epoxy is the best way to go.
 
I had a bark inclusion to fill in the most recent ironwood I did. Decided to use some ironwood sanding dust, colloidal silica as a flow-modifier & some inletting black I've had in the shop for 20 years. You can mix a lamp black compound (black carbon) to do a black knot area like I had.

Otherwise, the fine sanding dust from the wood type you are using will be pretty close for color. I wouldn't use an oil or water based product for color in a chemical bonding situation, without some real testing first. For a colored filler, it's not as critical as long as the epoxy cures properly.
 
I've used finely crushed powdered charcoal in epoxy before, and it works fine. But now I only use dedicated epoxy dyes. It's very cheap, and you only need a single drop at a time. So why not just use the stuff designed for the task at hand?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top