I have many old quarts of screen enamel from long ago, and was told that I could thin them down to use for lettering and that they would last because they still have lead in them. I only tried this once with some maroon and it flaked of the marlite surface in less than a year. Wondering if they should be kept and used or given to the hazardous waste folks?
Posted by stein Saether (Member # 430) on :
Hazard Waste. The hazard isnt so much using it as it is that the lead spreads out to the environment as the paints detoriate, or get sanded or is burned. Lead is nasty stuff when absorbed in a body.
Posted by Alicia B. Jennings (Member # 1272) on :
I wonder why it flaked off? What is Marlite? Like a plastic?
Posted by Preston McCall (Member # 351) on :
I assume it is oil based screen ink. Not that much different from poster enamel but with a xylene solvent? I would love to have it all, if available to make abstract pieces and to coat out with a urethane seal. Call me at the gallery and maybe we can make a deal? 505-930-5154
Posted by Bill Modzel (Member # 22) on :
If it's Naz Dar ink, they make a mixing varnish to thin it rather than straight solvent. I've never had any longevity issues with it but the maroon is probably the least opaque color in the series.
I'm retiring in a couple of months and have beed doing so little screen printing in the last few years that Britten Studios is going to shut down my screen area. The enamels are going to be the only ink that I'll take home with me for whatever projects I'll be getting into.
Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :
