I’m trying to standardize rare earth pigment color recommendations so people have a better idea of what colors they can expect without just pouring in some pigment and hoping for the best on their brand new boat.
For this first test I divided 32 ounces of the part B polyurethane into 2 ounce cups and then added various pigments with a 16th of a teaspoon, to show what a full teaspoon would do in a full batch. The I mixed in various pigments and we made a test palette, Then to test how accurately our tests compared to real life I chose one color and put it on a boat.
For this canoe, I used 3 teaspoons of cypress in 48 oz of Part B, and let it sit overnight, before mixing the next day. This color was represented to me as “You only need a tiny pinch and it will be super dark.” Clearly this is not the case, which is why we do science. I’ve named this color “dead sturgeon”.
As far as the actual application goes, because of the color is suspended in the coating, it’s very important to use a methodical rolling technique to get even results (what my course shows is right for this), and to use a light smoothing touch with the scraper card. Otherwise the finish will look streaky and uneven.
Interestingly, some of the colors foamed badly in the mixing cups, so I will have to repeat the experiment To determine if this was a mixing ratio issue, or actually a chemical reactivity with certain pigments.
There are other builders that are a lot more familiar with using pigments so I’m probably going to talk to them before I write any official recommendations.
Theres no perfect color system. Acid dye gives vibrant, even colors, but can slowly wash out if the boat is frequently submerged, and the darker colors are especially vulnerable to UV degradation. Pigments are more UV stable but the colors are more muted and there are potential chemistry issues, and if the application isn’t perfect the results can look pretty bad.
As an experiment I taped off the bottom of this canoe the next day and added two more coats for extra durability. This went well, and I’ll share the details in a different post.
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