Coloring West Systems Epoxy

[Eugene Knopp]

What is a good way to color West Systems 105? I would like to make it black to fill some knots. TransTint doesn't work. It impacts the hardening and I get a gooey mess that never hardens.

Thanks

[sheldon pettit]

What is a good way to color West Systems 105? I would like to make it black to fill some knots. TransTint doesn't work. It impacts the hardening and I get a gooey mess that never hardens.

Thanks

They sell epoxy and polyester colorants and dyes at almost all marine coatings supply houses, i would think west marine themselves would also? I got mine locally from joes auto marine, but you should be able find them online easily ok?, You can also use dry powder pigments from the art store to do it, usually no more than 5% is reccomended.

[Damon Stathatos]

I've used acrylic paint (florescent) and had no hardening issues. I also routinely mix sawdust with epoxy which hides the epoxy better. Using sawdust from the same piece of wood, it always comes out darker than the original wood and the finer the sawdust used to mix, the darker it goes. I can get to almost black using very fine sawdust from mid (to mid-to-darkish) woods. If your wood is lighter, use (fine) sawdust from a darker wood and you'll get a 'natural' black fill. The sawdust also acts to thicken the epoxy, the more sawdust you add, and you can get to an almost paste-like consistency which helps to keep the mix from running or sinking below your wood surface.

This is a piece of cocobolo that had some deep face and minor end cracks. It ended up as a 'slab' style bookend.

[Eugene Knopp]

Thanks. I'll try a powdered pigment and the sawdust suggestion from Damon. Now, I just have to figure out how to get sawdust...I spent so much time making my setup as sawdust free as possible I'm going to have to go old school and dig out an old sander.

[Todd Burch]

I use carbon black. A little goes a long way. I got a free sample gallon from Columbia Chemicals a few years ago.

[sheldon pettit]

Carbon blacks a good choice!!Most black lacquers and paint are made with carbon black. So is Spinel black but much more expensive. Most industrial companies are willing to sample thier wares if your a legitimate business, home owners - not so much if ever.

[Marty Paulus]

West systems has a web site with all you could ever want to learn.

http://www.westsystem.com/ss/additives