Coloring CA

[Jim Boyd]

Has anyone tried coloring ca glue? I've done a cursory search and found coloring everything else but ca.

 

[lkorn]

Jim,
While I haven't tried adding color to the CA, I have used several different art markers to add color to the blank just before finishing. Remember to use markers with "archival" quality ink. They dont seem to react with the CA and change color on you.

 

[Ron Mc]

Jim,
I've got some black CA that I purchased at SWAT but haven't given it a fair shot yet. I was going to try it on one segmented pen but when I ran a test glue up on spare wood I just didn't like the way it set up and the fact that it took so darn long.

 

[gerryr]

I also build fly rods and have had a fair amount of experience coloring epoxy, the kind used to coat the thread wraps on the guides. Depending on what you're trying to accomplish, you might want to consider using that instead. If you don't need adhesive properties, the epoxy thread finish will work since it's worthless as an adhesive. Email me if you want more information.

If you need adhesive properties, the problem with CA is that it would probably set up before you could get the pigment mixed in. With epoxy thread finish, it takes a good 30-40 seconds to mix in the pigment. There is another product used for rod building that does have excellent adhesive properties that would probably work. It's a 2 part epoxy called Rod Bond and is commonly used for mounting grips and reel seats.

 

[Jim Boyd]

I've colored epoxy using artist colors but always ended up with bubbles. I have been looking for a way to do fine line infills all of the way thru the blank. Seems like epoxy would be too thick to do that. Yesterday I tried the artist colors with thin ca and it did work but not like it should and I still had bubbles. Those were probably from the accelerater but I wanted to make sure the center was dry. It worked pretty good in the spider legs but not the body.

 

[Mudder]

Had to color some CA for a job at work once. We needed to make it red and I used red pigment tint from an art store mixed with acetone. I had a terrible time getting it to work and used a method that was very messy and not redily avaliable. I don't know why this worked or why I had to do it this way but it worked.

Here's how I did it.

First you need a Vacuum chamber and a magnetic stirrer like this one:

I mixed the 1 tablespoon of pigment to 6 ounces of acetone and mixed it for about an hour in the chamber. After it was mixed I added 18 oz of thick CA and let that mix in the chamber for another hour under vacuum.

For reasons unknown to me I could not get it to mix until I introduced a vacuum. (I'm not a chemist, perhaps Lou could shed some light on the subject)

I managed to get my red CA but three things happened.

1. The thick CA thinned to just a little thicker than water thin CA but not quite as thick as medium CA.

2. The strength of the adhesive bond was cut in half.

3. It took 3-4 times longer to cure.

Maybe experimentation could yeild you a better result but if tinting CA was easy I think you would see a rainbow of colors packed in little tubes for sale.

This is how I see it, but I've been told I need glasses.

 

[Jim Boyd]

Originally posted by Ron Mc
<br />Jim,
I've got some black CA that I purchased at SWAT but haven't given it a fair shot yet. I was going to try it on one segmented pen but when I ran a test glue up on spare wood I just didn't like the way it set up and the fact that it took so darn long.

I saw that stuff in my search. Looks like what I needed but my blank is ebony and I need white ca[]
Mudder.......[V][V][V][V][V][V][V] Thanks![]

 

[Mudder]

Originally posted by Jim Boyd
<br />I've colored epoxy using artist colors but always ended up with bubbles.

Jim,

You can remove bubbles from epoxy in a vacuum...... Perhaps that is why my CA tinting worked.

 

[dfurlano]

I used these pigments with epoxy and they worked very well:

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=4505