Higgins Fadeproof Ink?

The "building" column in this month's issue of "Stunt News" suggests using Higgins Fadeproof Ink in clear dope as a finish for Silkspan. Have you tried this technique? Could this be brushed on? or, should it be sprayed to get even color coverage?

The Higgins ink works great. Just a few drops per pint, but use it from the bare wood up so the color builds. On my replica Magician, I pre dyed the wood with Higgins ink in alcohol, then started with the clear dope. This should work well with Silkspan, too. Put some dye in your spray water while you are covering. Work over newspaper to pick up the overspray, though.

Larry

LAST EDITED ON Jul-02-03 AT 07:05 PM (CDT)
 
>The Higgins ink works great. Just a few drops per pint, but
>use it from the bare wood up so the color builds. On my
>replica Magician, I pre dyed the wood with Higgins ink in
>alcohol, then started with the clear dope. This should work
>well with Silkspan, too. Put some dye in your spray water
>while you are covering. Work over newspaper to pick up the
>overspray, though.
>
>Larry
>
>

You can also use the dye that is used to tint epoxy and polyester casting resin (to color the clear dope). You can get any effect from candy to opaque, weighs nothing and doesn't fade either. I got the tip from GMA...

John

I stopped by the art supply store yesterday evening to see if I could get some "Higgins Ink". They didn't have that brand. But, there is a vast selection of various pigments and dyes, powders, and liquids, for water based solutions and just about every other solvent you can think of. All in a zillion colors. I was simply overwhelmed and didn't even know where to start. The opaque paints I have used in the past are just the very small tip of a very large iceberg. A trip to your local art supply store will really get your creative juices flowing.

Give the resin dye a try. It makes beautiful colors and is compatible with dope- just dump it in the clear- won't separate out of solution- once it's dyed, it's dyed. You're right about the variety- you can do all kinds of neat stuff with the vast array of pigments, etc. The metallic powders are especially neat.

j