Hacker News Reader

HNHacker News

Top New Best Ask Show Jobs

Comment by kazin1870 | Hacker News Reader

Parent Full thread

kazin1870·

I use paraloid all the time, a bit surprised to see it posted here but I’ll support it.

View on HN

I'm new to it and having trouble finding guides:

- how do I apply it as a coating? I want it to be ~ 1/6" to 1/8" thick and as hard as possible

- will turpentine dissolve or soften it?

I found a couple:

https://resources.culturalheritage.org/osg-postprints/wp-con...

https://www.zoicpaleotech.com/pages/paraloid-b72-in-fossil-p...

acetone will dissolve it, dunno about turpentine.

I'm reading that turp does not dissolve it, which is ideal so I can mix paint on top of it.

It's a relatively soft plastic and I don't think you can realistically build a uniform, good-looking layer that's 1/8" thick, if that's what you mean. If you need that thickness, high hardness, and nice appearance, I think your best bet is just a sheet of glass or acrylic on top.

It can be used as protective varnish, but that would be a very thin layer, probably 0.1 mm or something like that.

Does it not level from gravity like other resins?

It's solvent-based, so it won't set well in thick layers and it will shrink significantly as the solvent evaporates. You can do thick layers with solvent-free thermoset resins such as epoxy, but epoxy will yellow over time.

Purchase as crystals and dissolve in acetone or ethanol to desired concentration. It will self level based concentration, allow to evaporate before applying next layer

Reply on news.ycombinator.com