# Dying silicone



## kickedinthevader (Jan 30, 2011)

So I've worked with casting silicone for a while and have changed the pigments based on what I was working on. Now I was wondering if anyone has ever added pigments to clear 100% silicone to turn it black or brown. Lemme know


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## kickedinthevader (Jan 30, 2011)

Alright everyone! Because no one had any answer I decided to do some at home testing! Using a 100% White silicon (from ace... 2.50 a tube... couldn't say no) I laid down two small beads across a sheet of acrylic. One as a test, the other as the control. I added a small amount of brown water based, non toxic pigment to one of the beads and mixed. I also mixed the control but without anything added. Just to make sure they both were being treated the exact same way. 21 hours later I checked on my little test to find they both dried the EXACT same way. Same consistence, same strength, everything the same. I am about to head to work. I am placing both tests in two different containers of water to make sure the pigment wont leach or hurt the bond of the silicon. Ill let you know around 11pm.


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## kickedinthevader (Jan 30, 2011)

home now. Seems that the test has gone as I thought. No change, no leach, both fully intact. Any thoughts on all this? Anyone?


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## FIT BMX (Jun 10, 2011)

cool!!!!!!


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## frograck (May 1, 2005)

Kudos for you for testing... But can't you just buy black or brown silicone?


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## Neontra (Aug 16, 2011)

One obvious reason is that GE I only comes in clear (I believe) and there is some health concerns using GEII and it's more convenient to have different colors that are safe. To the OP: I think if you added too much it could be an issue. About how much water would YOU add for say, a 12 inch bead?


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## kickedinthevader (Jan 30, 2011)

Neontra said:


> One obvious reason is that GE I only comes in clear (I believe) and there is some health concerns using GEII and it's more convenient to have different colors that are safe. To the OP: I think if you added too much it could be an issue. About how much water would YOU add for say, a 12 inch bead?


exactly! By water do you mean the water based pigment? I just added a little at a time till the color changed the color I liked. So pretty much I recommend using as little as possible. I also had a successful test with water based non toxic acrylic paint. The acrylic doesn't seem to effected by water.


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## Neontra (Aug 16, 2011)

kickedinthevader said:


> exactly! By water do you mean the water based pigment? I just added a little at a time till the color changed the color I liked. So pretty much I recommend using as little as possible. I also had a successful test with water based non toxic acrylic paint. The acrylic doesn't seem to effected by water.


Yup i mean the pigment. But i'm curious, wouldn't acrylic paint make the silicone hard and crusty? Or maybe I just don't know what water based acrylic paint is likE???


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## MrFusion (Jul 18, 2011)

Would it be correct to assume that if you wiped your finger across the dried silicone that the dye would rub onto your finger?


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## kickedinthevader (Jan 30, 2011)

Neontra said:


> Yup i mean the pigment. But i'm curious, wouldn't acrylic paint make the silicone hard and crusty? Or maybe I just don't know what water based acrylic paint is likE???


It doesnt seem to be hard or crusty at all. Once again I only used enough to.change the color. It did however dry a bit faster but has been sitting for almost 24 hours and is just as rubbery as the control.


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## kickedinthevader (Jan 30, 2011)

MrFusion said:


> Would it be correct to assume that if you wiped your finger across the dried silicone that the dye would rub onto your finger?


Incorrect accually. There has be no transfer or leaching of the dye at all. Even after rubbing the bead in my fingers for a good 2 mins after sitting in water for a looong time


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## VivariumWorks (Feb 27, 2008)

You could always use silicone based pigments that are designed to be used with air-cure and platinum cure silicone. These would actually bind at the chemical level to the polymer instead of just being trapped inside it.


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## kickedinthevader (Jan 30, 2011)

Hmm. My only issue with that is those pigments work great for silicone being used in mold making. But are they non toxic?


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## kickedinthevader (Jan 30, 2011)

well I dug deeper into the idea of using silicone specific pigments and found that smooth-on sells a product called Silc-Pig. Used for pigmentation special FX silicone used in prosthetic. Seems that it has no hazardous materials in the pigments itself here is the MSDS on it. http://www.smooth-on.com/msds/files/SILC-PIG_SERIES.pdf

Thoughts?


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## Dizzle21 (Aug 11, 2009)

kickedinthevader said:


> well I dug deeper into the idea of using silicone specific pigments and found that smooth-on sells a product called Silc-Pig. Used for pigmentation special FX silicone used in prosthetic. Seems that it has no hazardous materials in the pigments itself here is the MSDS on it. http://www.smooth-on.com/msds/files/SILC-PIG_SERIES.pdf
> 
> Thoughts?


non toxic and safe. I use the stuff at work. almost all silicone is non toxic once cured. the stuff we used is an A/B mixture that doesnt have that vinegary smell to it as it cures.


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## james67 (Jun 28, 2008)

smooth on claims that virtually ALL of their products are "not toxic" after curing for the recommended time. ive used a variety of their products for modeling and prototyping and they make good products (VERY EXPENSIVE, but good) unfortunately many of their products only work correctly with some very expensive equipment. we commonly use vacuum chambers for pulling bubbles out of 2 part mixtures, use pressure pots for molding, and rotational casting machines for hollow casts, none of which are cheap. your eye is drawn to imperfections as if they're mocking you when your creating transparent or translucent plastics.

james


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## kickedinthevader (Jan 30, 2011)

Well it seems like these silicon pigments might be the way to go. I know mixing the pigments doesn't take any kind of special machines because the silicone we are using is one part air dry. Ill be ordering some fairly soon to conduct another set of tests.


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## VivariumWorks (Feb 27, 2008)

It will work. I've done this before.


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## james67 (Jun 28, 2008)

kickedinthevader said:


> Well it seems like these silicon pigments might be the way to go. I know mixing the pigments doesn't take any kind of special machines because the silicone we are using is one part air dry. Ill be ordering some fairly soon to conduct another set of tests.


yes, of course. i was just commenting on smooth on and my experience with many of their products (like most of their 2 part mixtures, which are generally expensive and require expensive tools, for a professional end product)

the last bottle of smooth on dye i bought cost almost $15. (BTW their black is a purple based black that is quite lavender colored when not mixed heavily.

james


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## kickedinthevader (Jan 30, 2011)

Thanks for all the info guys! James, sidenote, what all have you casted with smooth ons product?


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

In the frognet archives one can find the following post Yahoo! Groups 
which while not the same as pigments accomplishes some of the same goals 


> Hi Guys,
> I have been out of town for almost a month, one week of family vacation
> and three weeks of working out of town.
> So sorry if these have been beat to death already, but I thought I
> ...


Ed


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## kickedinthevader (Jan 30, 2011)

AMAZING find Ed. This sounds like something I will have to try also. It sounds a lot like what Grimm did for his vines without the thinner. Making it more of a clay.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Not so much as find as simply remembering the discussions. There are a number of good nuggets in frognet even though it isn't as active as it once was. A lot of old timers that don't frequent the forums are still hooked up to it. 

Ed


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

This is a FASCINATING old thread that deserves to be brought back to life--thanks toJPcussa.....and I loved how the original testing was done....and the link to dyes...thanks to all the posters...


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

Bringing back this goody to see whether anyone used the formula that Ed supplied from an old Frognet post...or whether anyone dyed the silicone as some of the posts described....


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