Epoxy Resin

[Mark Trueman]

Hi

Can anyone recommend a place to buy clear epoxy resin. Im in Luton, Beds.

Cheers

Mark

[The Natural Philosopher]

How clear does it have to be?

You local toy aeroplane shop will have SOME - get teh stuff used fopr laminating glass - its nearly clear - a slight reddish tinge usually - you MUST get slow set stugff or it will get cvery hot and burn on settiong.

If you want really clear stuff for casting stuff in you need an art shop or a specialist supplier. Google may be your friend here.

[Simon]

here and look for west system epoxies

or go here

(you have to register) and look up Araldite

20/20 Transparent Epoxy

Or go here;

and look for clear epoxy resins

so what's it for?

[Mark Trueman]

Im creating a fake rock background for a fish tank which requires the building of the rocks from polystyrene, painting and then coating them in a couple of coats of epoxy to prevent the paint from altering the water characteristics/poisoning the fish. Rocks that float!!

Any ideas what sort of paint would be ok for painting polystyrene? Ive heard that some paints may melt it. I assume a water based paint would be ok.

Cheers

Mark

[Peter Ashby]

yes, solvent based paints melt polystyrene. I discovered this aged about

12 when painting some strips I had cut to act as hedges for wargaming with Humbrol enamels.

If I were you I would also check in the aquaria groups about that resin. You don't want to use something that will kill your fish.

An alternative for want you want to do might be tuffa rocks.

Peter

[Andy Dingley]

Look for the West System trial pack. Top quality epoxy, about a tenner, and and much greater quantity than a model shop pack.

Axminster probably have it.

[Andy Hall]

You may need to be a little careful with that one.

Tuffa rock is essentially calcium carbonate. This is OK, and actually beneficial in a marine aquarium where a highish pH is wanted (normally a bit over 8). However in a fresh water aquarium, it's possible with certain environments and fish that an acidic pH is needed, and tuffa is not going to be compatible with that.

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

[Martin Moore]

Have a look here

[The Natural Philosopher]

FWIW I made a tiny pilot bust of out blue foam.

I then covered it in tissue paper and thinned PVA. Then gave it a coat of cellulose (clear dope) that would have caned the polystyrene if it had got throiugh any cracks - there were none.

Just pva and iiuse/beronw paper to seal the blocks, and then paint with almost anything.

Layup epoxy is thin enough to brush - and can be thinned while unset wth cellulose thinners - I'd take a trip to the local model shop.

[Mark Trueman]

Thanks,

I had never actually heard about tuffa rock before but if its calcium carbonate it would bring up the hardness of my water and increase the ph. This isnt really a problem, as my new tank is going to be housing Malawi Cichlids which need quite hard water (the 12.5dKh/ph8.4 that comes out of the tap here is excellent for it). I'll stick with the polystyrene rocks.

And ive checked up on the resin, seems that epoxy resin as a whole is regarded as pretty safe once its cured. I suppose aquatic life wouldnt live on the bottom of boats covered in the stuff if it wasnt safe.

Thanks for the input

Mark

[Gnube]

[snipage]

[snipage]

Are they meant to float? That doesn't quite sound right so far.

Take Care, Gnube {too thick for linux}

[Gnube]

Thought it unlikely, but not seen anything about stopping that happening before; but then my ISPs news server is running behind a bit at the moment.

Ah, right, got it.

Good luck.

Take Care, Gnube {too thick for linux}