adding dye to epoxy

[Dan Barr]

just wondering if i can safely add dye to epoxy glue and it still work fine.

I'm thinking about using transtint dye and adding it to a 5 minute epoxy.

any advice?

thanks,

dan

[Eric Gustafson]

Yes. You can add Transtint to epoxy according to their datasheet.

[Mike Schmalzer]

Tints-All works great and comes in a variety of colors. I mostly use black but it does not effect the integrity of the epoxy. A little goes a long way. Are you planning to fill a large void or cracks?

http://3rdeyecameraworks.com/images/pictures/tintsall.jpg

[Peter Quinn]

Any utc (universal tinting colorant) should work fine. Carefull measuring is in order as are test pieces. You only get one shot at it with 5 min epoxy.

Transtint or Mixol should both be fine.

[Chris Padilla]

If you want the epoxy 'stainable', I suggest mixing in sawdust but experiment for color. You might be surprised to find that nice white maple sawdust mixed in epoxy actually comes out brown!

[Jacob Reverb]

If anything, I've found that adding wood flour to epoxy usually makes it too dark, and I end up having to lighten it with lighter colored fillers such as cabosil (fumed silica) or hydrated lime powder, etc.

For special purposes, you can dye epoxy with dry tempera pigments and a surprising variety of different things (toner from a copier, charcoal powder, chalk dust, red or blue chalk from a chalk box, etc etc etc)

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Transtint makes some stuff they call "water based" I'd not try adding thst to an epoxy mix.
They makes some stuff with what they call a "special solvent" and I have not one clue what that is or if it'll be non destructive to the catylization process

Some epoxies can thin with Naptha or Xylene but nothing else will do it to my knowledge.

[Chris Padilla]

If anything, I've found that adding wood flour to epoxy usually makes it too dark, and I end up having to lighten it with lighter colored fillers such as cabosil (fumed silica) or hydrated lime powder, etc.

For special purposes, you can dye epoxy with dry tempera pigments and a surprising variety of different things (toner from a copier, charcoal powder, chalk dust, red or blue chalk from a chalk box, etc etc etc)

Pine wood flour doesn't get too dark...have you tried that?

[Paul A. Clark]

System Three Epoxy Paste Pigment from Woodcraft

[Dan Barr]

Thanks all,

I glued some broken pieces back on to a china cabinet for a friend. I used Mixol dark brown universal colorant and the System Three, 5-minute epoxy. both from woodcraft. it came out fine and my friend is very happy with the results.

pretty good to know for the future as well.

Thanks again,

Dan

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Dan...turners fill cracks with epoxy all the time. I like to mix crushed instant coffee crystals with 5 minute epoxy. Others will fill cracks with dry coffee grounds and then put epoxy in it. You can thin epoxy with DNA and pour it into thinner cracks and use it to harden punky wood too!

[Chris Padilla]

I usually just warm up (i.e. nuke) epoxy to thin it out. It soaks up nicely in end-grain for outdoor furniture applications. Poly glues (like Gorilla Glue) also reach near water viscosity when warmed up a bit. DNA? Denatured alcohol? Deoxyribonucleic Acid?

[george scarlett]

just wondering if i can safely add dye to epoxy glue and it still work fine.

I'm thinking about using transtint dye and adding it to a 5 minute epoxy.

any advice?

thanks,

dan
Hey Dan, I just tried adding Stewmac's black Mixol to J.B. Weld 5 min. Epoxy. After 30 min. it STILL feels tacky, so, yes, it seems that (opinions to the contrary), it D O E S take a specially formulated coloring agent, so as not to Interfere/Hamper with the NORMAL cure-out times. I found this product, and ordered 2 of them (2 0z.)! OUCH--Shipping is $8.00, so it came to just over $20.00!!! I am a Luthier, and do some pretty "High-End" repairs, particularly on vintage Ovations, so I went for it! Worth it (to me) to get the RIGHT product! Hope this helps? Liquid Epoxy Dye (https://www.stonecoatcountertops.com/liquid-epoxy-dye/?sku=AL30301&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-LOEBhDCARIsABrC0TkqaJ0vgIk0gCghNzSF26dE7hqwNrC8_W3 D7iXMWero7rxPZ0K_rkgaAqS3EALw_wcB) God bless. g

[John TenEyck]

To repeat what Eric said, you can add Transtint to epoxy w/o issue. I've done it many times to fill knot holes, etc.

John

[David Zaret]

i routinely add Mixol black, and transtint dark walnut to West Systems epoxy with no issues at all.

[Dave Bunge]

Run of the mill powdered tempera paint from Michaels (black) has worked well for me. 1 part tempera per 20 parts epoxy. Disperse the powder into the epoxy polymer (part A) first before mixing in the catalyst (part B). A lifetime supply for me, my kids and grandkids cost about $5.

[Don Stephan]

Years ago I purchased a kit of dry pigments from a national company that gave classes for finishers, and sold many products to fix finish defects, can't recall the name, There are peprhaps 15 different powdered pigments, the ones I use most often are burnt and raw umber, black, and champaign to tint epoxy.

[mreza Salav]

13 year old thread....

[Matthew Curtis]

13 year old thread....

Not anymore.

I was wondering the same thing about tinting epoxy.