Red pigment for marbling

[PTH]

I have been trying different shades of red and do not like the results. I want to use red as the base coat but every batch I make looks translucent and weak in color. I keep adding drops of pigment but it still looks weak. If any of you have a suggestion, I thank you in advance.

Pete
Elsa, Tx.

[clcanton196]

Pete, I'm not sure with the pigment and epoxy but I know in auto paint red is a tricky color and the partial translucent situation is similar. In auto colors in the past I have found the best thing you can do is have a primer or base coat that works well with the red and makes it look the way you want. A quick way on a rod would be to just spray paint for a base coat where your going to coat red, I have done this when trying some marbeling or with large sections of white as a under wrap I paint the blank white.

[Raymond Adams]

What pigment are you using?

[PTH]

I have tried two different shades of red from Testors and one called Model Masters in "Stop Light Red Metalic". They are the enamel versions.

[Raymond Adams]

OK, are you pouring off the solvent after allowing the pigment to settle to the bottom of the bottle or just using the "paint"?

[PTH]

I am using a pick to get the stuff from the bottom after it separates.

[Raymond Adams]

Sounds like your not getting enough good pigment or your getting solvent (if you didn't pour it off) soaking into the toothpick into the epoxy along with the pigment.

[PTH]

Ok, I will pour some solvent out this time. i will try it again tonight. Thanks for everyone's input.

Pete
Elsa, TX. (Where?)

[Terrynj]

Raymond is right about getting pure pigment into the epoxy, but to get the brightness you want, I agree with clcanton. You will need to paint the area you are going to marble the color you are looking for, then put the tinted epoxy on top of that. ..you will need the red in the epoxy to make the swirling look correct. You also may find that when you paint the blank, you may want to spray it white first, then the red to make it pop. You would have to put a lot of red coats on it to overide the dark back ground
Good luck
Terry

[Comedie]

Originally Posted by PTH

I have been trying different shades of red and do not like the results. I want to use red as the base coat but every batch I make looks translucent and weak in color. I keep adding drops of pigment but it still looks weak. If any of you have a suggestion, I thank you in advance.

TAP Plastics opaque red pigment is very stong and opaque. One of their smallest plastic bottles will probably last you a lifetime. Their black, white, and red are the best. The others from TAP seem to come out duller.