I don't know much about this kind of stuff, so I am seeking some painting advice from you experts! First, you should know that what I'm working on is quite crude overall so I'm not looking for the "perfect" way to do this, just a cheap and easy way that will look decent.
The surface I wish to paint is formed from plumber's epoxy putty (came in a tube, claims to be steel filled). This stuff hardened in a few minutes, now it looks and feels like rock or a ceramic.
I'm wondering what kind of paint I should use on this, if I want bright colours and lustrous surface? Really would like to get it shiny, the hardened putty surface is quite smooth already. I don't know anything about paints, so if you could point me towards a type of paint it would help :)
Maybe I should add, the surface I'm going to paint is not very large overall, 2 square inches, nearly flat. There are slightly raised features off the flat surface that I want to make stand out with different colours.
Once hardened and cleaned to remove any oils resulting from curing, I think you will find that it takes paint like just about any other common modeling "plastic". If you want it yellow, you'll have to prime it. If you want it shiny, you'll have to sand and polish it.
Like Kurt said, you should probably sand and polish prior to paint to achieve a superior finish. If you're looking for a quick fix, buy some Testors gloss enamel and after it's cured if it looks uneven you can sand with 600 or 800 grit paper (available at auto paint stores) and then recoat. hth
I ended up using some Tamiya acrylic paints on the cleaned surface, topped off with a gloss coat lacquer spray. The result looks very good, not sure how this material will last, but it's definitely good enough for what I need!
Don't know if it helps now that you're done, I could also add that epoxy putty is resistant to paints that attack styrene. As you may notice epoxy putty is a bit more vulnerable to crumbling, being a bit grainier, but shouldn't give problems now that it's painted and sealed.
This is the first time I've played with the epoxy putty so I'll see how it holds up. I used an exacto knife to trim the crumbly looking edges of the putty and the solidified units did seem to take the paint quite well.
Additionally, the material is extremely strong! I made a disc 1/16" thick, and was unable to break it with my hands. A hammer did the trick though.
Well, I wouldn't eat it but I don't see a problem especially since it's painted. The best person to ask is the mfg; there should be a WATTS line (800 number) somewhere on the package. They should be able to assure you that there's no problem after it's cured. hth
My understanding is that it is not a question of volatiles but a question of whether you have mixed the ingredients in proportion so that everything is reacted with nothing left over. Residual reactants are still chemically as in the original form although they may be pretty well encapsulated in the cured putty, especially after painting. It would, for example, not be recommended to use epoxies to repair dishware used for serving food etc.
Good idea, I've sent an email to Oatey's tech support dept. Someone else also pointed out that if the epoxy proportions are not correct, leftover resin still remains a problem. The Oatey product has prepared amounts of the epoxy rolled around each other in the tube (separated by a thin barrier that is broken during kneading). So probably proportions of epoxy are not a problem, since the amounts are set by the manufacturer.
This may all be "over-tech-ing" the whole topic. Remember, epoxy putty is *the* standard medium in the figure industry; and *no**one* I know uses any type of measuring instrument to obtain equal parts of "a" and "b". No one has ever suffered any adverse effects, yet.....
Oh, and very few figure artists like the "coaxial" packaging you described. The "barrier" (cured putty) does not *completely* break apart while kneading; making it somewhat "iffy" for sculpting fine details.
I thought that, within a fairly broad range, the catalyst and the resin would always exhaust each other, the only issue being the curing time. It doesn't work that way?
Depends on the epoxy, ambient temperature during the cure, etc......basically as long as it isn't sticky when you're done it's OK. Slow cure epoxies are better at exhausting themselves as you put it but watch out for 5-minute Devcon from the hardware store, it reacts fast enough that most people have a hard time mixing it completely and tends to have uncured components left. Usually a simple scrub with methanol will remove the excess uncured goop.
Jem, you are being overly cautious here. Have you read any warning labels on any other modeling products you use?! Those labels are there becuse of all the lawers we have in this world. Carcinogen labels (especially for products sold in California, USA) are placed on stuff which might have been remotly in contact with some substance which is just suspected to cause cancer.
Think about it - there are tens of thousands of modelers who use Epoxy Putty and various other Epoxy based products. They are all alive and well because they are all posting messages on this group! ;-)
I'm no chemist, but I don't think Epoxy has many volatile components. It cures by a chemical reaction, not by evaporation of solvents.
IIRC, gloves are recommended for handling the uncured epoxy because some small percentage of human population might have a slight allergic reaction to it. Once cured, there should be no problems.
Also, I wouldn't inhale Epoxy dust (when sanding it). But, I also wouldn't inhale any other material's dust either. Use common sense - something that is very lacking in today's world!
Would you inhale styrene dust?! No...
The paints you are using are probably more toxic and dangerous than Epoxy Putty.
This is just plain silly. Are you using the Epoxy Putty to make some product which could be gnawed on by children or something?
If you like to be scared away from modeling - read all the warning labels, and throw them all away as they are all very dangerous chemicals and go hide under your bed. Or, use your hobby supplies visely and enjoy your modeling!
Jem may be being a tad paranoid but epoxies do have some truly nasty chemicals in their uncured form. Every epoxy out there has an amine based catalyst and those can cause some pretty severe respiratory problems in otherwise healthy people. Not to mention various nasty monomers, esters and in some cases thinning agents. I've worked with industrial epoxies for decades and in some cases I'm still here to type because I paid attention to the hazard warnings in the MSDS's. Now most "hobby" epoxies are much tamer than their industrial brethren but don't trivialize the hazards of uncured epoxy. Gloves are recommended when mixing the putties, avoing skin contact with the liquids and gels, not deliberatly inhaling the fumes and of course not ingesting them are all common sense. Basic common sense and basic industrial hygiene will usually cover your ass when dealing with anything you can buy retail.
I understand what you are saying, but throughout my education in engineering (including lots of chem labs) I've developed a habit of reading instructions and being aware of real dangers that exist.
Epoxies do contain bad chemicals. Pretty much all the paint-related stuff is terrible as well. This doesn't mean I'll stop working with this fun stuff, but it's definitely wise to take precauations and minimize exposure. I have been using acrylics mostly, for instance.
I also spend a lot of time soldering and have probably ingested my fair share of lead and other bad fumes over the years. I'm a young guy who enjoys my nervous system etc. so I don't feel I'm being overly cautious here. I have seen friends who have been purely careless working with paints etc and they're no better off for it.
Of course, as you say, the materials should be used wisely, and enjoyed. Precautions must be adhered to, and I dare add, less harmful substances used whenever that option exists.
Jem, I was probably little too harsh, but your posts seemed a bit paraniod.
Again, the theme here is to use common sense. Which seems to be lacking in today's world (especially in the USA).
I too have done my share of inhaling solder fumes. But I wouldn't worry much about using Epoxy Putty. As I said, there are scores of modelers around the world using it. It is even mentioned in many modelling publications. Just follow the directions and use common sense. It should not be any more dangerous than the paints or glues you are using.
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