Making colored acrylic blanks

[Phil Labowski]

Okay, I know some of you do this. I found a couple compounds to make the blanks out of, but I can't seem to find out what you use to color them. All the videos I find the person is just like "i'm using purple, gold and teal...etc.", but they don't say what those colors are. Most of them are some kind of powder is about all I've been able to make out. Thanks in advance you wonderful turners you!

[Dan Hintz]

Several different types out there... Pearl-Ex is one.

[Bruce Pratt]

Lots of choices - basically any non-aqueous based pigment or dye. If you are using Silmar 41, the same company sells a spectrum of opaque and translucent colors. I have also used Testor's model paint, oil paints, Pearl Ex powered pigments, Inlace pigments, etc. If you are doing a single color, any color source will do. However, if you are wanting to have two colors in your blank, be aware that different pigments/dyes can change the resin density... so much so that the partially mixed colored regions will attempt to separate and will migrate to top or bottom of the blank, depending on their density.

[James Combs]

I use Alumilite clear resin and Alumilite dyes. I augment the dyes with Pearl Ex powder pigments to give the blanks a pearly look. A "little" Pearl Ex powder goes a long way so don't get carried away with it. If you want solid color blanks Alumilite is available in black and in white. The white can be dyed like the clear but will be opaque. Other solid colors can be made using powdered paint pigments. Harbor freight has a few of the basic colors of powdered paint, red, yellow, black, and white, other colors can be found on the web.

Good luck and BTW, you don't really say, but if you are referring to "pen" blanks you can find all kinds of info on making pen blanks over on the IAP(International Association of Penturners) at penturners dot org. Visit their library for all kinds of DIY tutorials. If you are referring to other types of blanks such as bottle stopper or other larger blanks the same processes covered for pens will work for them as well.

[Phil Labowski]

Thanks again to all of you.

[Jim Burr]

Coastal Scents mica powder is a close second to Pearl ex and about 1\3 the cost. It doesn't have the bang that pearl ex does...but the cost makes it well worth it