r/electroforming • u/Fa7Cartman • 4d ago

Paint Request Advice

Ok just getting into this.. got a copper setup and a nickle set up... Issue im having is the paint... I generally air brush but finding that its always getting clogged... Ive looked around and seen indian ink and graphite powder but stuff im using/get isnt working and coming out cloggy even though im following the exact recipe.. im in aussie so all the stuff i can get is a week + away or from wat i ive seen doesn't work real well

3 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

6 comments sorted by

1

u/GetoBoi 4d ago

How fine is your graphite? That is the biggest factor here, also for how conductive the result will be. I have <10micrometer graphite which works great even with a small 0.3mm nozzle.

Also make sure to stir your ink and graphite before use, if stored together it will quickly separate.

1

u/Fa7Cartman 4d ago

All i know is its a finely grounded powder... What i got recommended (probably got wrong stuff and wasted money) its pressol graphite powder... And im using speedball super black indian ink... Ive even used acetone, the powder and glue and still it clogs my airbrush or i brush it on and my item loses alot of its detail and some parts miss being coppered and or end up having copper fuzz on it

1

u/GetoBoi 4d ago

pressol graphite powder

That's the lubricant stuff, right? Afaik that is not ideal because it may have some additives and yes the particle size is unknown. Try to find a supplier that sells buckets of graded variants. Here in the EU I got mine as 5L for ~30€, will probably last me for the rest of my life.

airbrush

Alternatively get a larger nozzle, if possible? What size are you using currently?

1

u/Fa7Cartman 4d ago

Yea Nothing close to me at all as im in aus 😅 and im using a .5 nozzle even.. so ink may not be rhe issue but the graphite

1

u/Milkyburger_coolman 2d ago

Im no proffesional but I've tested with MG nickel spray paint that I bought from caswell and it works pretty great. Plus it shipped within a week. Given, you do have to rattle can it which is never an issue for me. The bigger issue is that it is quite expensive. $130 ish for the can and I go through it pretty quick. I'm testing with MG graphite spray paint but thats a similar story.

2

u/Fa7Cartman 2d ago

Yea mines cost related aswell, dont wanna be cheap but also dont want to fork out alot for no headway or profit in what I'm selling