Anyone tinting Bondic?

[Woody V]

Looking for tips on tinting Bondic to make formation lights.

I tried using epoxy but it's too thin to get a dome shape, it just runs out onto the surrounding surface.

[Out2gtcha]

57 minutes ago, Archer Fine Transfers said:

Looking for tips on tinting Bondic to make formation lights.

I tried using epoxy but it's too thin to get a dome shape, it just runs out onto the surrounding surface.

 

 

Id be interested in that too as I love Bondic. Works super nice for IP glass too. I would think the small droppers of food coloring or some Tamiya clear red/green might to the trick. 

 

 

[Woody V]

13 hours ago, Out2gtcha said:

I would think the small droppers of food coloring or some Tamiya clear red/green might to the trick. 

 

I'll try that. Thanks

[Woody V]

Did a test and Bondic can be tinted with Tamiya clear colors. It does harden but when I rubbed my finger over it it lost it's shine but a tiny but of clear gloss or Future took care of that.

[Out2gtcha]

6 minutes ago, Archer Fine Transfers said:

Did a test and Bondic can be tinted with Tamiya clear colors. It does harden but when I rubbed my finger over it it lost it's shine but a tiny but of clear gloss or Future took care of that.

 

 

Good to know Woody!   I was hoping some clear Tamiya acrylic would do the trick. 

[dmthamade]

First time I tried tinting was with Tamiya clear paints, even after hitting it with the UV It didn't dry/harden. Tried again after 6mos, same thing but let it sit longer(days) seemed to be OK. Have a project on the go that I might try on...

 

Don

[Woody V]

9 minutes ago, dmthamade said:

First time I tried tinting was with Tamiya clear paints, even after hitting it with the UV It didn't dry/harden. Tried again after 6mos, same thing but let it sit longer(days) seemed to be OK. Have a project on the go that I might try on...

 

 

Which color did you use? If red, you may be on to something because red blocks UV. 

I used blue and "cooked" that stuff for at least 15 seconds.

[dmthamade]

It was red, never did try blue or green...

 

Don

[dmthamade]

K, i used Bondic on some formation lights on a Trumpeter P-40F i'm doing. Instead of mixing the paint with the Bondic i painted the well with the needed color, allowed to dry, then used a toothpick to fill the well. Hit it with the light, and checked. Looks OK, but the Bondic felt soft, rubbery, sticky. Let set a few days, and the Bondic did harden ok. Was able to get it to form a teardrop shape, i had to fill two of them twice, but i'm good with the results. I used Tamiya clear green X-25 and clear red X-27.

 

Don

[Woody V]

17 hours ago, dmthamade said:

K, i used Bondic on some formation lights on a Trumpeter P-40F i'm doing. Instead of mixing the paint with the Bondic i painted the well with the needed color, allowed to dry, then used a toothpick to fill the well. Hit it with the light, and checked. Looks OK, but the Bondic felt soft, rubbery, sticky. Let set a few days, and the Bondic did harden ok. Was able to get it to form a teardrop shape, i had to fill two of them twice, but i'm good with the results. I used Tamiya clear green X-25 and clear red X-27.

Don

 

Don,

 

That's interesting because that's exactly why I'm inquiring!

 

How did you make the "well"? Was it already molded into the kit or did you make it somehow? My experience is that you really can't just try to lay it on a flat surface in a teardrop shape so I even considered taking a round brass rod and filing the end into the desired shape, heating it and pressing it into the kit to make a well. Sounds risky so that's my Plan B based on what I see when my formation lights come from Russia. I did manage to find CMK formation lights but those things are insanely molded in a way that I couldn't imaging trying to get them off the "sprue".

 

I've also found that Bondic doesn't harden right away. Even after I let it sit for a few days it still dulls if you rub your finger over it so I put a coat of Future (clear acrylic) over it to seal it. I figure if it's not hard it will gradually pick up dust.

 

At this point, I'm thinking tinted epoxy is still my best bet.

[dmthamade]

2 hours ago, Archer Fine Transfers said:

 

Don,

 

That's interesting because that's exactly why I'm inquiring!

 

How did you make the "well"? Was it already molded into the kit or did you make it somehow? My experience is that you really can't just try to lay it on a flat surface in a teardrop shape so I even considered taking a round brass rod and filing the end into the desired shape, heating it and pressing it into the kit to make a well. Sounds risky so that's my Plan B based on what I see when my formation lights come from Russia. I did manage to find CMK formation lights but those things are insanely molded in a way that I couldn't imaging trying to get them off the "sprue".

 

I've also found that Bondic doesn't harden right away. Even after I let it sit for a few days it still dulls if you rub your finger over it so I put a coat of Future (clear acrylic) over it to seal it. I figure if it's not hard it will gradually pick up dust.

 

At this point, I'm thinking tinted epoxy is still my best bet.

 

The well is in the kit mouldings, they are relatively deep, probably deeper than they need to be. I think if the Bondic is tried on a flat surface it wouldn't work as well. I think the depth of the well and surface tension work to make a nice teardrop shape. Don't think you need much of a well, but I think the edges would need to be sharp for surface tension to be your friend. Sealing the Bondic sounds like an excellent idea, whether gloss or dull coat depends on your weathering of the build. Epoxy sounds like a good choice, at least you may have a little control over drying time.

 

Don

[thierry laurent]

 Another solution I used in the past:

 

1. Create a master of your light with sanded plastic (typically from the end of a sprue or a plastic blob superglued on a toothpick) 

 

2. Push that master in epoxy putty to create a well and let the putty dry fully

 

3. Use heat to soften the end of a colored clear sprue

 

4. Push the soft sprue end in the well to mold the light

 

5. Let it cool down

 

6. Saw the light from the sprue

 

7. Glue it! 

 

Hope this helps

 

Thierry 

[Out2gtcha]

55 minutes ago, thierry laurent said:

 Another solution I used in the past:

 

1. Create a master of your light with sanded plastic (typically from the end of a sprue or a plastic blob superglued on a toothpick) 

 

2. Push that master in epoxy putty to create a well and let the putty dry fully

 

3. Use heat to soften the end of a colored clear sprue

 

4. Push the soft sprue end in the well to mold the light

 

5. Let it cool down

 

6. Saw the light from the sprue

 

7. Glue it! 

 

Hope this helps

 

Thierry 

 

 

Good advice!  I've seen a similar method used to make non round formation lights and markers such as the tear drop shape. Much easier to get the shape you want when making the master then plunging it into putty or milliput or the like.