Poured "Acrylic" resin over canvas?

[disneytoy]

There is a company in LA that prints on canvas. Rather than just stretched on a frame, there is a masonite backing, so more of a cradle. Then they say they "pour" an "acrylic" resin. This leaves a glass like finish.

Anyone familiar with a pourable "Acrylic" resin that can achieve this?

I mainly ask because I have been using an high gloss thick epoxy resin, but have had a lot of trouble with bubbles and the amount of drying time "48+ hours."

I've been reading a lot of posts here and can see there are some VERY knowledgeable print-makers.

I'm a good googler, but with search words Acrylic, Canvas, Clear, you can imagine I'm getting a lot of regular art results.

Any ideas would be appreciated

Max

[huguito]

I have done few of those prints on stretched canvas pouring epoxy resin in top, looks very nice and glossy.
Main problem was the tiny bubbles, I have to use a small propane torch over, barely touching the surface of the liquid resin with the tip of the flame, that pops the bubbles in the surface or close to it.
The other problem is that any airborne piece of trash seems to be attracted to it and once attached on the surface is just there forever.

You can watch few short movies in youtube to get an idea.

If I was to do it again, and I may, since I like the result very much.
I would make some sort of cover that I can place over the print while it hardens to protect from airborne particles

Hugo

[disneytoy]

That is why I was interested in the "Acrylic" over the Epoxy. Think of those butterflies etc in a solid acrylic block.

Epoxy is an adhesive. I didn't try it yet, but it is the CO2 from the tourch that pops the bubbles not the flame. I thought of making a clear box and somehow blowing in CO2 like from a tank used in a soda machine.

I'd still like to know what acrylic they used?

[huguito]

I will check the name of the company I got the resin from and share it with you, it hardens very clear and its almost no change to the hue or tonality of the embedded print.

What's the name of the company in LA that you mentioned at the start of your post?

Hugo

[disneytoy]

Check out this video. The third canvas has the Acrylic coating.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgXhVRCzxQU

[huguito]

I just watched, that's exactly the type of surface finish I got using a good clear epoxy resin image in the on stretched canvas.
Seems to me that the image in the video wasn't as glossy and popping as the one I got


Hugo

[disneytoy]

Well,

I've done alot of research. There are different types of RESIN.

The epoxy is from Envirotex LITE. A low oder 1:1 2 part clear apoxy they use to coat bar tops. Low odor and low shrinkage is a bonus. But it takes a long time to cure, and has a bubble issue

Next is Polyester Resin. The stinky stuff. It shrinks and can yellow. It is 2 part but you only put a couple drops of the activator. If not treated properly, the suraface will remain tacky. The smell is a deal killer.

Now, I haven't tried ACRYLIC resin. Acrylic usually means water based. When I search Acrylic Resin, I'm often brought to Epoxy or Polyester. Acrylics usually don't smell much. But I haven't found a source yet for a water clear Acrylic resin, with the right viscosity to pour on and self level.

My other option, is to use an automotive clear coat sprayed on. I'm still researching that. Would require several fast drying coats to leave no canvas texture, and I'm pretty sure I'd need to polish it with the proper equipment.

So my journey continues...

Max

[huguito]

The company is Aero Marine  (877) 342-8860, they have several resins.
The one I used is the Epoxy Resin #300
Hardens clear. I have a canvas made this way few months old that has not turned darker or yellow over time.
Have fun

Hugo

[spacegrey]

Have you tried Mod Podge?

[Bill Koenig]

I work for a research university. One of are projects required that we pot a photomultiplier tube in a two part Silicone Gel.
Bubbles were a problem, the solution, was to degas each of the components in vacuum chamber before mixing.
The vacuum chamber we made wasn't really fancy, in fact some what crude, just big enough to hold two 1000ml beakers, and strong enough to hold up to the vacuum produced by one of the mechanical vac pumps that you had in your high school science class.
Not sure how much of a vacuum you would need, but I just through this out, as it worked for us.      

[disneytoy]

Thanks Bill!

I never tried a vacuum, but built one fore degassing silicone. May revisit that set up. I don't know how much of a vacuum my recycled vacuum pump can hold.

PS I found a company the describes: they hand pour ACRYLIC resin over the canvas. So, maybe still a chemistry change from Epoxy to Acrylic may be in order.

[bill t.]

Worked on a commercial requiring super-creamy genuine simulated chocolate being poured.  Was necessary to de-bubble the chocolate before each take using an old refrigerator pump pulling the air out of an old pressure cooker.

The point here is, draw the vacuum on the acrylic BEFORE pouring, when it is much easier.  Would be very difficult to build a box to pull a vacuum on a big flat piece as you would get at least a few tons worth of deflection at the center of a box as small as about 16 x 20.  The pressure cooker we used was barely adequate for the atmosphere pressure involved with the chocolate, even with that wimpy refrigerator pump.

BTW, have been getting pretty good at creating almost mirror like surfaces by spraying 4 to 5 medium density varnish coats on smooth matte paper.  Multiple coats is the key, and so is spraying just barely enough to create a wet surface capable of leveling itself, but not so thick as to puddle into an egg shell pattern.  The first coat is the tricky one.  And be sure to pick off the crud after each coat is dry.  Slightly thinned Polycrylic works well.

[disneytoy]

Hey bill!

I was prepping a canvas (Epson Exhibition Matte) to test using automotive clear coat. Don't know if the solvents within the clear coat will react to the ink or canvas.

I know a bit about spray painting.

Do you thin it at all?

What pressure you use? 40psi?

Do you know the nozzle size? 1.3 etc?

So you wait how long to dry before the next coat?

i ask because Auto Clear coat, you spray wet on wet. Just 2-3 min between coats. I'm assuming you are using the liquid Minwax Polycrylic  not a spray can?

Thanks

Max

[bill t.]

I thin the Polycrylic 1:4 for the super gloss work.  That's with smooth Epson Hot Press Bright.  Looks ugly after the first coat.  Takes three coats to get a nice satin gloss, 4 or 5 to get glossy (using Polycrylic Gloss).  For a given surface quality, Pura Smooth takes one less coat.  As far as a gloss finish is concerned, all the coats must lay down wet for at least a minute for leveling, otherwise it's egg-shell city and there's nothing that can be done to fix it.  That can be tricky in this low humidity.

Don't know the pressure.  I'm using a Fuji Q4 turbine that was mega-strong when it was new, but in its present old age is probably closer to one their smaller turbines.  I'll guess it's equivalent to around 40 PSI for a regulated gun, towards the high end of what you would want for acrylic.  Have tried throttling down the air flow by partially closing the inline valve, but that seems to degrade the finish.

Have been going back and forth between 1.3 and 1.5 mm nozzles on a Fuji T-73 gun.  The 1.5 cap is a better match for the air volume, giving relatively less overspray than I get with the narrower 1.3 cap.  But the 1.3 cap puts down a finer spray which is probably better for getting a smooth gloss.  Can't say conclusively which is really better.  It's an art, and I'm still a student after all these years.

The humidity where I spray is about 15% this time of year.  The print surface goes tacky in about 3 minutes, and I can safely remove dust by wiping the print with my hand after about 10 to 15 minutes.  I masking-tape the prints on a big Coroplast carrier sheet.  The tape soaks up less paint than the print, so it dries slower.  I figure I'm good for the next pass when the tape just starts to feel dry to the touch.

Using Minwax Polycrylic Gloss out of 1 gallon buckets.  Quarts may be a better choice unless you're going through a bucket every 2 weeks or so.  As it comes out of the can, Polycrylic very aggressively forms skins and you don't want it to sit in almost-empty cans for very long.  Diluted Polycrylic doesn't skin nearly as fast, so if you need to store a small amount for a while you might consider diluting it first.  In any case, use 190 mesh filters when filling the spray can.

Lemme know how the clear coat works out.

[FredAz]

I've shot some automotive clear (Valspar) on my canvas' using a HVLP gun.
Looks good to my eye.
No issues with dissolving the Epson ink.

I've not tried to shoot many coats and try to make it smooth out.
But imagine it would work ok.....

[disneytoy]

Bill, You are the  king. I've been reading a lot of your posts on different topics. I will give the Polycrylic a try. There is a company in LA that does a very nice Gloss coat on canvas, but very expensive and a 3 hour drive.





Thanks

Maxi

[huguito]

What kind of tape is used to wrap around the side of the stretched canvas. Looks very clean.

[disneytoy]

Actually, there is a printed brown canvas that is wrapped over a Masonite topped frame. A cradle. The actual image canvas is extremely well laminated to that brown canvas, and then the "ACRYLIC" resin is poured. There are no runs on the edges. That made me think it was sprayed. I had terrible trouble with runs on the sides using Epoxy resin poured on. The same type used for bar tops.

[bill t.]

That surface looks really smooth!

How tough is it?  Fingernail proof, wipe with dirty towel proof, or what?  Can you remove scratches through polishing?

[disneytoy]

The company also does custom table tops withe the stuff. Those little outdoor restaurant patio tables. I will be getting a piece finished by them, but for our gallery shows, we need 12-18 pieces. So the upfront cost is an issue.