Derick - Rio Grande sells kits of coloring agents especially
formulated for doing “cold enamel” work using epoxy resins. Other
suppliers may have similar products available.
Jim Small
Small Wonders
Hallo Jim, Thank you for taking an interest. The two cold enamels on
pages 514 to 516 of “The Gems and Findings” section in the Rio Grande
catalogue, are ‘Colores’ and ‘Durenamel’. Am I right in assuming you
mix the colours with the epoxy resin? and then apply the coloured mix
to the piece you wish to enamel? If that is the case you seem to end
up with a lot of wasted coloured resin. You may only want to apply
tiny portions of each colour. Durenamel suggests mixing a minimum of
10 grams of coloured Durenamel with 3 or 5 grams of hardener. If you
only apply ,say, a gram or two you end up with 11 grams, or more waste
of that particular colour. If I’m enamelling a single silver cloisonne
brooch, then, from an economy point of view, I would prefer to try
adding a colour or stain direct to the silver metal and cover that
colour with clear epoxy resin. That way there will be no waste of
coloured pigment and little or no waste of clear epoxy resin. The only
reservation to that is that the finished effect has to look as good as
the traditional vitreous enamel. Best wishes, Derick.