posted
I beat the heck out of my test piece and everything is good to go. It is just the stuff in the cup that isn't drying. Thanks for all the replies. You guys are great!
ORIGINAL POST BELOW Yesterday (Friday) I did a smalts background sign. Today I noticed the cup with the mixture of paint and Smith's cream is not even close to being dry. So here is what I did. Am I in trouble here??
50/50 mix of Smith's Cream with Red Devil Oil Enamel paint. Little bit of Mineral Spirits to thin it a bit for brushing on. Used the Red Devil because I didn't have green one shot and couldn't get it until Monday.
Is that wrong? Or am I being too impatient. I didn't check it on the sign but I have a test board going with the same mixture from yesterday that wasn't dry.
Any ideas? Suggestions?
Supposed to ship this Tuesday!!! Help!
[ July 28, 2002, 11:49 AM: Message edited by: Amy Brown ]
-------------------- Amy Brown Life Skills 101 Private Address Posts: 3502 | From: Lake Helen, FL, USA | Registered: Feb 2001
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posted
I'm not certain, but if I recall correctly, Red Devil has some interesting additives that other paint manufacturers don't use.
Some years ago, I client brought me some panels that he had painted. They were to be hand-lettered. A few weeks later, I got a call saying that the lettering was "falling off." Totally perplexed, I went out to where the signs were installed. Sure enough, "falling off" was the right choice of words. You could literally push an entire letter off without damaging it.
It was kinda cool actually.
Anyhow, I spoke to some "old timers" about it. According to them, an additive that is used to make Red Devil more durable also makes the paint like teflon. Nothing will stick to it.
I called the client back and repeated what I was told. He laughed and said not to worry. He didn't like the paint anyway. It took a week for it to dry.
Anyhow, that was a long story and probably had little to do with anything other than Red Devil takes a long time to dry and it doesn't act like other paints that I use.
(Smith Cream)is a slowing agent to slow down the drying time so you can blend colours with the ones you have laid down. Adding Minerals to it will slow it down somemore
If you wanted to speed up the process(For Monday) then you needed to (Flash) the paint with Hardners or Lacs. or Japan Dry.
Put the Heat Lamps to it!!!!
Remember that Smith Cream is a Blending agent for Oils and Enamels to work colours with.
-------------------- Stephen Deveau RavenGraphics Insinx Digital Displays
Letting Your Imagination Run Wild! Posts: 4327 | From: Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000
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hi amy,........i have a 1/2 gallon mix of 50/50 smith cream/black enamel that i use for smalt....i keep it sealed with saranwap.....(it may crust over slightly, but so what ?).......when it gets low i mix more in......it stays workable for a long time, but when applied to sustrate for smalts, it does dry .....vance........give it time !.....a few days.......( i have never added thinner.....and i have smalt work that has been out there for a while )
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I got my smalts, Smith's Cream and INSTRUCTIONS directly from the expert, Rick Glawson at Esoteric Sign Supply and that is exactly the way he says to apply smalts. Paint and Smith's Cream premixed in a cup will never dry. But, applied to a board and allowed to sit overnight, it will harden right up. Just be sure to jiggle it often to settle the smalts into all the voids. How about posting a pic of your project when you are finished??
-------------------- John Smith Kings Bay Signs (Retired) Kissimmee, Florida Posts: 822 | From: Central Florida - The Sunshine State | Registered: Jan 2000
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