Epoxy Questions

[Peterjay]

Hey Salty; to settle an argument: Does water weaken epoxy or specifically, would the moisture content in acrylic paint (used for coloring) prevent the epoxy from curing properly? Would the acrylic polymers in the paint do something similar? Is 70% drugstore alcohol a suitable thinning agent? Sorry to bother you with this stuff, but I need a professional opinion, and you're the most knowledgeable guy I know. (see, I can be nice, especially when I want something )

[Salty]

Water does not weaken epoxy. Moisture content from paint? Mixing paint with it? Then you got bad juju 

you want to thin with drops of denatured alcohol. not rubbing alcohol. denatured.

[Peterjay]

Thanks for the info Salty - some fly tyers use TINY amounts of acrylic paint to supply a little translucent color, but some clown was telling me that any amount is OK as long as you mix it thoroughly.  I just didn't buy it. If you can stand one more dumb question: why would denatured alcohol be superior to rubbing alcohol as a thinning agent? Is there a difference other than moisture content? I swear, I won't have any more idiotic questions - if you answer this one, I'll go back to my usual method of obtaining information by interrogating winos in alleyways.

[Salty]

I make plugs I'm not a chemist 

[Salty]

I wouldn't mix anything wet with it unless it was meant to thin it.

[Iamskippy]

I have added pearls, Paints, Denatured Alcohol, to my epoxy and i don't experience any issues.

[handyman]

testers model paint peter Jay.

[Peterjay]

You know, I think I've got a bottle or two of Testors kicking around here somewhere - I'll have to give it a shot just for the heck of it.

[handyman]

yea peter mix a little at a time till ya get it the way u like it.......alittle dab will do ya

[Peterjay]

I found a bottle of pearl acrylic medium while I was rooting around, and while I'm at it, I think I'll try that too. Wonder where all this stuff comes from - I can't remember buying any of it. Must be all those vodka-dead brain cells that never grew back. Or maybe too many years of sniffing Flexament.

[handyman]

lol.     peter

[Salty]

PJay I could send you some way cool stuff but if it ever leaked it would be close to ww3 with the response you'd see. Stuff looks like a white powder but sparkly. Best not shipped. Works very well in epoxy...strengthens it too.

[Iamskippy]

Pjay, i have used that pearlize medium you are speaking of, i open the top and dip in the Popsicle stick about 1/4" in and then stir my epoxy with what is on it, seems to be a nice mix for about 5 - 8 ml at a time. just figured i would give you a starting point.

[dafrods]

hey , I was just looking around and saw this post. you shouldn't use "rubbing alchol here part of the wiki definition: Isopropyl rubbing alcohol USP
/B.P.
 contains 68–99% of isopropanol
 (isopropyl alcohol) by volume, the remainder consisting of water, with or without colour additives, suitable stabilisers, and perfume oils.

the alcohol is the problem its the other crap that doesn't mix witk th epoxy. also another good epoxy thinner is acetone but i. the small amouts you would use on a plug use a eyedroper to add also testor does work used in rod production in a couple different ways.

[Salty]

there's a big difference though in denatured alcohol vs rubbing alcohol. Always use denatured.