What brand of paint...

[Blind_Squirrel]

...do you use for the tubes that you apply labels to and cast in resin? I tried a couple different brands and it seems to be reacting to the label adhesive. Using the Avery 8253 labels I had a failure similar to Steves; the tube came out. I am looking for an off-white to match the white label.

 

[BRobbins629]

I brush on an acrylic paint from Ben Franklin. The brand is Americana. Although rare, I too have had a tube slip. If you are careful, and haven't damaged the label, you can slide the tube back in and still turn the pen. Once the fittings are in there will be no more movement. I have done this and it works.

 

[ahoiberg]

you might try aging the tube with some of that brass aging solution... no paint to mess with that way. unless you're looking for a color other than black.

 

[stevers]

So far I have had success with Krylon flat white. It dries quick and I know the labels stick to it because when I tried to pull off a label, the paint came with it. I did have another of the same failures the other day. I strongly believe it has to do with the curing of the resin, along with how aggressive I get with the skew. If the resin isn't fully cured and I get aggressive, it rolls the tube in the blank. Even a slight movement is too much.
I do wish I could find something that sticks to the tubes better. I realize, my next move may be a powder coating rig.

 

[Blind_Squirrel]

Originally posted by ahoiberg
<br />you might try aging the tube with some of that brass aging solution... no paint to mess with that way. unless you're looking for a color other than black.

I've ordered some up for doing black, but I am looking for something to do white with. I think Steve is on the right track with the PC system. Not another tool! [xx(][]

 

[BRobbins629]

I'm heading to PC land as well. Just ordered one from HF at $49. on sale. I have okay luck with paint except when I want to reposition the label and then the paint comes off. Hoping powder coating will let me be a little more picky. Also wondering just how good we can do the graphics. Is color laser better than ink jet? Is there a way to get true photo quality on a label and still be able to cast? Now that we have this licked, lets kick it up a notch!

 

[Blind_Squirrel]

Originally posted by BRobbins629
<br />I'm heading to PC land as well. Just ordered one from HF at $49. on sale. I have okay luck with paint except when I want to reposition the label and then the paint comes off. Hoping powder coating will let me be a little more picky. Also wondering just how good we can do the graphics. Is color laser better than ink jet? Is there a way to get true photo quality on a label and still be able to cast? Now that we have this licked, lets kick it up a notch!

I was looking into the color lasers...but the price...<b>OUCH!!!</b>

If you get a color laser mabye I can "subcontract" out some images to you to help defer the cost. []

Also, I think the ink jets have a higher resolution than the lasers. I believe that we need to search for (and find) a photo quality label.

 

[alphageek]

I can put my 2 cents in here... A good inkjet will have better quality than a laser... Lasers are built for speed, not quality.

However, if you want REALLY good - I'd be curious if we could get a dye-sub to wrap that tight? Dye sub printers give better quality because they roll a sheet for each color. Some of the 4x6 photo printers are dye-sub....

 

[Blind_Squirrel]

Here is what I found while searching for permium labels:

White Photo Gloss
2 x 4 Rectangle
LT125-10JHG+
Archival quality acid-free photo labels for use through Inkjet, Laser and Color Laser Printers! These photo gloss sheets have a total thickness of 7 mils with a brightness rating of 92 and are backed with permanent adhesive. They feature a resin based coating that locks in inks immediately & are extremely smudge proof even when moisture is present. For best performance select a paper mode setting equivalent to Photo Paper or higher. This size is compatible with the Avery template # shown.

Across: 2 Corners: RC
Down: 5 Side-to-Side: 3/16
Labels/Sheet: 10 Top-to-Bottom: BC
Sheets/Box: 100 Avery #: 5163
Adhesive: Perm Color: PhotoGloss
Label Shape: Rectangle Sheet Size: 8 1/2 X 11

Boxes Per Box
1 - 2 $42.00 [:0]
3 - 6 $37.00
7 - 20 $32.00
21+ Call for price

http://www.planetlabel.com/catalog/white-photo-gloss-rectangle-p-58.html?osCsid=fdakfib9nm55s5m41o3oeqmi12

If I am reading this right, this means that you are getting 1000 labels for $42.00. Not bad considering I paid $17.00 for 100 Avery labels @ Office Max.

I ordered a box. I will let you all know the outcome.

Bruce and/or Steve, if these turn out to be as good as I hope, perhaps we can swap some labels for some PC tubes. [8D]

 

[stevers]

FirefighterEMT was asking me what I thought about powder coating the blank then painting a design or picture on it and casting it in PR or alumilite.
Anyone tried this yet?

 

[BRobbins629]

Originally posted by Blind_Squirrel
<br />Here is what I found while searching for permium labels:

Bruce and/or Steve, if these turn out to be as good as I hope, perhaps we can swap some labels for some PC tubes. [8D]

As soon as I learn how to powder coat will be happy to make a few for you. Keep usposted on how the labels work. Only thing I worry about is the "resin based coating" I and others got seam lift on some plastic labels. Hope these don't do the same.

 

[polarbear1]

I would pay you a healthy profit for a sheet or two of those labels shipped to me -- those are the same size I use now, and they look much better sounds to me like they are opaque, you may not need to paint the tube at all.

 

[Glass Scratcher]

Originally posted by alphageek
<br />I can put my 2 cents in here... A good inkjet will have better quality than a laser... Lasers are built for speed, not quality.

However, if you want REALLY good - I'd be curious if we could get a dye-sub to wrap that tight? Dye sub printers give better quality because they roll a sheet for each color. Some of the 4x6 photo printers are dye-sub....

Sawgrass makes dye sublimation ink for inkjet printers. The shop where I get space at has used Epson inkjet printers and HP printers and I think is now using a Lexmark. The Sub-Dye ink is not cheap and doesn't alsways do a good job.

http://www.sublimation.com/home/
http://www.sawgrassink.com/products/sublimation/index.php

 

[Blind_Squirrel]

The box of labels arrived today!! I printed an American and a British flag to try out.

The good:
OMG they look GREAT!

The bad:
The labels are thicker and the edges want to raise up.

The solution (I hope):
I rolled the label wrapped tubes very tightly with paper. I am going to let them set until tomorrow to see the the label adhesive "sets". I unwrap them tomorrow and provide another update.

 

[stevers]

Fingers crossed Scott.

 

[BRobbins629]

and toes.

 

[Woodlvr]

and eyes.[]

Mike

 

[Blind_Squirrel]

I just cast them. They stuck to the tubes. I will take a look tomorrow A.M., snap a pic and post results.

 

[stevers]

We'll be waiting.

 

[Blind_Squirrel]

Results: Inconclusive.

Here are the two images I used

USA Flag

British Flag

Cast blanks

I had a monster headache and rushed the casting. I have small bubbles around the USA flag. In the daylight I can also see that the labels turned a bit translucent. I would say that they definatly need a PCd tube.

Bottom line: I think that the potential is there and I am going to keep playing with them (after all, I have 1000 to use up!) I will gladly ship out a few sheets to anyone that wants to give them a try. PM me your address if you are interested.

 

[Blind_Squirrel]

Second update of the day:

I printed and cast two more labels. I found if I make the image smaller, leave some white and overlap the label a bit adhesion/lift up is not a problem. The labels did react with the PR and turned translucent. Air bubbles also bled out from the middle of one of the labels for 5 minutes. I will snap another pic and post it this evening when I pull the blanks out.

As of right now I would have to say the Avery 82xx are better labels. That would most likely change if I had some white PCd tubes to use.

 

[Blind_Squirrel]

Confirmed failure!!

For S' & G's I decided to turn the Union Jack. The color is off and you can see many tiny air bubbles under the label

I would still like to try one with a white tube to see if these are salvagable...

 

[skiprat]

Going back to the painted tubes....do you use a primer under the paint? As far as I know, there are not many paints ( perhaps Hammerite ) that can be successfully applied to bare metal. Perhaps while the resin is curing, the heat generated is ruining any bond between the paint and the tube? Also, are you de-greasing the tubes before you paint them? Just my tuppence worth.[]

 

[Blind_Squirrel]

Originally posted by skiprat
<br />Going back to the painted tubes....do you use a primer under the paint? As far as I know, there are not many paints ( perhaps Hammerite ) that can be successfully applied to bare metal. Perhaps while the resin is curing, the heat generated is ruining any bond between the paint and the tube? Also, are you de-greasing the tubes before you paint them? Just my tuppence worth.[]

I picked up some Krylon Fusion today. "The no-prep, superbond paint. Bonds to plastic! Also Great for Wood, Metal, Ceramic and More" It specifically says no primer needed. I think part of my problem with the paint was I was not letting it fully cure. I painted two tubes today and will not apply labels to them until tomorrow afternoon (24 hour cure time). I wipe my tubes down with acetone before painting.

I also have to report a second, conclusive failure with the high gloss labels.

Sorry for the huge pictures, but I want to show the details.

 

[TellicoTurning]

I don't do any casting yet... but this is interesting concept of using the labels and casting over them..

A question about the tubes.. if the label sticks to the tube well, why can't you use a blank label instead of the paint, then stick the printed label over it.. or does this create a new set of problems??

 

[stevers]

Chuck, It may make it all a bit thick and not sure whether it would all stay bonded.

Scott, how much pressure do you use? I use, at or just over 20 pounds. I haven't had a bubble problem yet. Did you paint the tube on the "we want you" blank only? I don't see paint on the ends of the others. I tried one this weekend using the "brass ager" I just got in the mail. Unfortunately, the photo I cast this time was fairly dark and the ager just made it darker. The one I am referring to is the cigar with the photo of my dog. It's in another post here at Cast n Stable.
I have a couple of PCed tubes on the way and plan to experiment with them. I am going to try to determine if it's worth investing in a PCer at this time. I'll let you all know how it goes when I get them.

 

[Blind_Squirrel]

Originally posted by stevers
<br />Chuck, It may make it all a bit thick and not sure whether it would all stay bonded.

Scott, how much pressure do you use? I use, at or just over 20 pounds. I haven't had a bubble problem yet. Did you paint the tube on the "we want you" blank only? I don't see paint on the ends of the others. I tried one this weekend using the "brass ager" I just got in the mail. Unfortunately, the photo I cast this time was fairly dark and the ager just made it darker. The one I am referring to is the cigar with the photo of my dog. It's in another post here at Cast n Stable.
I have a couple of PCed tubes on the way and plan to experiment with them. I am going to try to determine if it's worth investing in a PCer at this time. I'll let you all know how it goes when I get them.

I have been doing all of my casting at/near 20 PSI. These are unpainted tubes as I have not found a paint that I am 100% sure of yet. I am currently testing some Krylon Fusion. I think that the bubbles are being created by small air pockets between the label and the tube. I did a LOT of label work yesterday and have come up with a pretty solid way to apply the labels to the tubes. I will put together a tutorial to show everyone what I have learned after I get all of the final bugs worked out.

 

[stevers]

Awesome, someone finally stepped up and volunteered to do a tutorial on this. Thanks Scott. [][][]
I new if I waited long enough, someone else would do it. Seriously, if you want some help with it, let me know.