what kind of epoxy

[Dean S Walker]

I need to fill some cracks. What kind of epoxy do you use to do this? or am I off all together. If I want to color the epoxy what do you use to tint it? I need some thing that can be sanded to a finish. For tiny cracks I have used CA but these are a little big for that I think.
Thanks

[Jim Colombo]

Dean,
In order to fill the cracks use an epoxy with a longer pot life. It needs time to flow into the crack and a 5 minute epoxy may not give you enough time. I use DevCon epoxy (it's the same stuff I use for rod building). As far a coloring is concerned, I've used crushed turquoise, coffee grounds and powders depending on the desired color.

Jim

[JohnC Lucas]

I use all sorts depending on the size of the crack. 5 minute or longer is necessary if your going to color it. I use all sorts of things. Transtint dyes are my favorite but I've used alcohol based shoe dyes and even oil and water based paints. Do a test first on anything you use because some things will affect both the cure time and even if it will cure properly. I remember I went to a lecture one time and the person said do not use water based paints it won't work. Well I had been using them for years. Some won't work and some wont even mix but other will so it's always a good idea to run a test. For really thin cracks I prefer epoxies that are slow cure so I can heat them a little to make them run into the cracks.

[Dean S Walker]

Thanks. I have some 30 min epoxy and some color powders to tint with. I also have some transtint and alumalite colors. The powders I used on fishing rods and I have some of the epoxy for that but it doesn't cure very hard. But if 30 min will work good it would appear I have what I need. Thanks fellas

[Dave Bunge]

I've been using black tempera paint powder, mixed at about 1:10 ratio (one part paint powder to 10 parts of epoxy). I mix the all the powder with "Part A" of the epoxy. Only after they are well mixed, add "Part B" the catalyst. That way you don't waste part of your pot life mixing in the powder.

I mostly have used 5 minute epoxy. You do have to work fast and it doesn't flow into small cracks very well as others have noted. On the flip side, I tried a much slower curing epoxy and couldn't get it to stay put on the curved surface.

I use a scale to get accurate mixtures. 1 oz medicine cups make good, cheap disposable mixing containers. Bamboo chopstick to mix and apply the epoxy - flat end of the chopstick whittled to make it thinner and more like a spatula. I wipe off and reuse the chopstick.

Dave

[Bill Boehme]

I prefer Transfast powders to paint or other liquids that might not always be compatible with epoxy. I think that other powders such as what Dave mentioned would also be fine. I really like his idea of mixing the powder with the resin before mixing with the catalyst.

[Brice Rogers]

I typically use 5 minute epoxy. But as an experiment, I have added some acetone to both thin it and to slow down the curing. It does both. But it requires some experimentation to get the viscosity and curing time correct. One time I had to wait a few days for it to totally harden. I typically use masking tape to keep the epoxy from dripping too far. I have also used polymer clay (Plasticine).
I have also used tester's enamel, turquoise, coffee grounds, Transfast powders, acrylic paints and all (so far) have seemed to work and to cure with the epoxy. I have also added fine glitter and Pearl-X and they are also nice.
I tried mixing acrylic paint with CA glue and it had a "pot life" of about 3 seconds. Ha ha.

[Dean S Walker]

Thanks fellas. Ill mix the powders in part A first. That makes good sense, Thanks Dave

[Dean S Walker]

I have been lookin around at different methods to fill voids. What do you guys know about epoxy resins? I have been looking at using the acrylic to fill in voids like for worthless wood but I am unclear on how the epoxy resin works. I watched a video of a guy turning a olive burl and fill all the voids with the epoxy resin does this finish good? And how about longevity? What problems have you guys come up with.

Thanks