Greetings,
I have a large quantity of black powdered carbon for refilling Xerox photocopiers. It is a real fine powder. Our church got a new copy machine and we can't use the bulk media with the new machine. Can this stuff be used for tinting lacquer, or other finishing products? Would it be of any use at all for coloring wood. Yes I know that black isn't considered a color, but the absence of color. I'd hate to toss it if it might be useful.
Regards, Charlie in Kentucky
I don't think it would make good pigment for stain, paint or tinting lacquer, as toner is not powdered carbon but very fine black plastic that will melt if heated, as it does in the copier's fuser.
I hear it works well mixed with epoxy to fill voids in certain woods that go well with black.
Mix it with epoxy, coat the wood. Cover with varnish.
It's not carbon, it's a hugely complex mixture of a heat-fusible plastic, carbon black colourant, and an iron compound. Formulation varies (a lot) between machines.
For some of these powders, watch out for rust. The stuff can go brown and clumpy if it gets damp.
You can say that again. Don't store it in glassware, because if you drop it you've an awful task to clean it up. Be careful vacuuming it up - it goes straight the the bag on many machines.
I've had great success using it to tint raw latex rubber. Mould yourself a Batman suit.
Not that I can really see. Maybe if you mixed it into a carrier, like shellac.
I'd certainly keep it. In fact I still have a jar.
And if (when) it gets all over your hands, use _cold_ water and soap to wash with. Hot will open up the pores in your skin and you'll never get clean.
Maybe you can get an MSDS from the toner manufacturer, which will identify what's in the stuff. If it's got the black oxide of iron in it, I'd hesitate using it on anything. If it's just carbon and plastic binders, well, I'd still use something else.
Dave Hinz
I would save the toner only for one reason. Dip my binoculars in it before I give them to my friends. Good, old practical joke.
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