Pigment for Rocketpoxy

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rocketsam2016

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Hi folks, rocketpoxy advertises that is OK to add color to it, but I couldn't find any standalone pigments advertised for it online (outside of package deals including the epoxy and I already have plenty) nor much info about what restrictions on pigment there are.

For example, I'm looking at the following pigment:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01K0YRDKK/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Would it be OK to add to rocketpoxy? And any advice on how much is safe to use?
 
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Hi folks, rocketpoxy advertises that is OK to add color to it, but I couldn't find any standalone pigments advertised for it online (outside of package deals including the epoxy and I already have plenty) nor much info about what restrictions on pigment there are.

For example, I'm looking at the following pigment:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01K0YRDKK/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
Would it be OK to add to rocketpoxy? And any advice on how much is safe to use?

RocketPoxy pigmets are available separately from Madcow: https://www.madcowrocketry.com/pigments/
 
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The pigments that I've been using were part of a package purchases of RocketPoxy. The pigments are from Glenmarc Industries, maker of RocketPoxy. The first two pint packages I purchased came with a bottle of black pigment that states "MIX UP TO 5% BY WT". Then last year I purchased a special from Wildman which included 2 pints of RocketPoxy and an assortment of florescent color pigments. However, these florescent color pigments, say "MIX UP TO 20% By WT". Here's some pictures of the bottles:

Original Black Pigment, late 2015 and 2016 purchases. (5% BY WT)
IMG_3756.jpg

Color Pigments from late 2016 purchase. (20% BY WT) Black Pigment Leaked in this set.. so I don't know what the tolerable mix ratio is.
IMG_3755.jpg

From memory working with the 5% BY WT black pigment, I do not recall detecting a solid in the pigment and it was homogenous. To get a very black epoxy, I only needed a few drops per 40 grams of epoxy. From memory, this was far less than 5% by weight, more like 2% by weight.

I recently worked with the 20% BY WT Florescent Red pigment, it seemed that there was a fine ground solid(powder) in the color pigments.. and that the initial few drops of color pigment did not have good color density as the drops were without sufficient pigment, as if the solids settled/separated from the liquid. However, subsequent drops were very potent in coloring the epoxy. While the mixing the red at 2% by weight produced good florescent red color, I opted to go with 3% by weight, as the red became very rich and striking at that ratio. That's 0.3g pigment per 10g of epoxy. I wanted to use the minimum amount of pigment, as I was not certain how the epoxy material properties are impacted by these pigments.

I just looked closely at my remaining unopened bottles of color pigment and noticed that there is a thick clear liquid that separated on the top 1/16" of the bottle. This will need to be mixed prior to use.

As far as using coated strontium aluminate glow powder per your amazon product link, I don't know how it would impact material strength of the cured epoxy. I assume that Glenmarc would have verified that their product was not adversely impacted using their pigments at the recommended ratios. It would be interesting to know the material properties of their pigment ingredients and compare them to the coated strontium aluminate glow powder. Would it make sense to assume that the epoxy strength would be reduced proportionally to the amount of powder added? ie.. if you use 5% power by weight, then the epoxy would be reduced to 95% strength? Or should that be by volume? This assumes that the powder is inert and did not interfere with the epoxy cure.

I just did a google search and found that Madcow sells the pigments separately, $7.99 for 2 oz. of the Florescent Colors... here's a link: https://www.madcowrocketry.com/brands/Glenmarc.html

Lol.. I see the previous poster found that faster than I while I was taking pictures and typing.

Hey, so have you flown your Frenzy XL since the J600 flight?
 
Thanks for the quick replies! I'll go with Madcow though the price is... high.

Kevin - I haven't been able to fly the frenzy since the J600 flight! I think 3 launches I wanted to go to were cancelled, and the 4th I showed up and the farmer had just replanted the fields without telling us so we could only fly in teh corner and had to stay under 1500. Each of these launches was supposed to be on a75mm K.... I'm still hoping to fly on an M1101 at MDRA late fall or early winter, but the schedule isn't out yet.
 
Thanks for the quick replies! I'll go with Madcow though the price is... high.

Kevin - I haven't been able to fly the frenzy since the J600 flight! I think 3 launches I wanted to go to were cancelled, and the 4th I showed up and the farmer had just replanted the fields without telling us so we could only fly in teh corner and had to stay under 1500. Each of these launches was supposed to be on a75mm K.... I'm still hoping to fly on an M1101 at MDRA late fall or early winter, but the schedule isn't out yet.

PM me about this. I think I have a full set of color pigments unopened from the 2016 sale and I'll never use them. I'll send them to you for free.
 
I used black mica pigment (shiny/sparkly black). From Amazon and it works great in Aeropoxy.

I used it for the fillets on our CF Dragonfly upscale.

IMG_1868.jpg


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To the OP- if you post on the for sale section, I bet you'd be willing to find someone to sell you their pigment(s) for cheap. We have some at home- never really used them. What colors are you looking for?
 
I've pigmented epoxy before when using Aerosleeve fiberglass sleeves on LOC paper tubes.

Black - Lampblack/Carbon Black
Red - Red Iron Oxide
Silver - Aluminum powder
Gold - Brass powder
Yellow - Yellow Iron Oxide

I typically added them in less than 5% amounts. Most were a couple grams per hundred of epoxy.

The rockets were sport fliers, nothing serious. Kept me from having to paint rockets, and if they got scratched no big deal.

Edward
 
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