Frosted resin question

[sycor]

Is there an additive or easy way to get a clear resin to be semi-opaque. Basically I'm trying to get a frosted look without having to paint it. I'm trying to light the piece from the inside/underneath. My other option is just to use wax instead of resin, but wasn't sure how well the wax would hold up long term.

 

[booksandcorsets]

You should check out chinbeard's Keening dagger. He does a translucent-sort of thing with the blade of it that might solve what you're looking for.

http://www.therpf.com/f9/elder-scrolls-skyrim-keening-165197/

 

[Kasss Gnarl]

Not sure what your needs are, but would it be possible to give it a rub down with a fine grit sandpaper?

 

[sycor]

Wow chinbeard did a great job with that, but it's not quite what I'm looking for. But it is an idea. Kasss, unforunately sanding it not an option. There are detailes that may get sanded away if I try.

 

[OdiWan72]

Just add a tiny bit of white pigment or talcum powder to the clear resin.
It´s a bit of a trial and error to get the wanted results, but works :thumbsup

Markus

 

[sycor]

Interesting. I didn't even think of talc. Thanks!

 

[Kasss Gnarl]

Kasss, unforunately sanding it not an option. There are detailes that may get sanded away if I try.

I had a feeling you were going to say that, hopefully you can find a solution that works out for you. If you do try the talc would you post a picture for reference?

 

[OdiWan72]

Interesting. I didn't even think of talc. Thanks!

Talcum is more risky because of the chance to contaminate your resin with moisture, so resin pigment is your best choice. SmoothOn offers these in their "So-strong" product line

Markus

 

[sycor]

Good point about the Talc. Pigment might be better. I will just have to trial and error I guess. I'm starting to think that Wax might be better option.

Basically what I'm doing is using the portal ice cube trays to make little companion cubes that I'm going to just make a little LED light for to put on my desk or something. Just a quick full little project.

 

[auzorann]

what about something like this?

 

[sycor]

It might work. I really didn't want to paint it, but I may not have a choice. Thanks everyone!

 

[msleeper]

I have some totally unopened Smooth-On "crystal clear" for a project that never went anywhere. Let me send you a PM!

 

[Willswoosh]

I have some totally unopened Smooth-On "crystal clear" for a project that never went anywhere. Let me send you a PM!

Ha! Jawjuh.......

That is all :lol

 

[robstyle]

Without pictures I cant comment on what your trying to do but for all the Jack Frost stuff in Santa Clause 3 it was just dipped and re-dipped and re-dipped... or layered into a mold. Regardless the material coats were given an eyeball set of time to cure or tac up before the next coat was applied. This also allowed tinted coats to be used in various blues and sometimes a light green along with clear. Another trick was using a left over contaminated clear material that would haze itself over and slightly expand.

 

[Wellss01]

Try sand blasting with a fine grit or even bi carb soda


Check me out:
www.facebook.com/steamjunkprops Or Steamjunkprops.deviantart.com

 

[bookface]

You could try using something like Smooth-ons 325 clear resin without any pigment. Because they're designed to be used with a pigment, they don't cure water clear. The main downside is that they cure pretty fast, which can trap air bubbles inside, but if you tried one of the slower curing ones, like the 327, that might work better. Here's a pic of it as used for the light bars on a BSG helmet.

 

[OdiWan72]

You could try using something like Smooth-ons 325 clear resin without any pigment. Because they're designed to be used with a pigment, they don't cure water clear. The main downside is that they cure pretty fast, which can trap air bubbles inside, but if you tried one of the slower curing ones, like the 327, that might work better. Here's a pic of it as used for the light bars on a BSG helmet.

But these cure yellowish (working with SmoothCast 326 all the time)
That´s why I recommended a tiny drop of pigment.

Markus

 

[bookface]

Wasn't my experience with the BSG helmet (as you can see), but perhaps it varies from batch to batch. I do remember the Polytek resin curing with a distinct yellow tint to it.