[Balloon-makers] Painting on Fabric...

[Barry DiLibero]

--- On Tue, 4/22/08, Kelley Morgan <kmorgan777 at swbell.net> wrote:

> From: Kelley Morgan <kmorgan777 at swbell.net>
> Subject: Re: [Balloon-makers] Painting on Fabric...
> To: balloon-makers at taleos.com
> Date: Tuesday, April 22, 2008, 12:09 AM



> Since the only thing that will stick to silicone seems to be
> silicone adhesive, like silicone bathroom caulking.
> I wonder if you mixed the 100 percent silicone caulking
> with pigments. If you could create a silicone paint.

No. In fact, most times, it won't stick to your balloon fabric. There are many factors besides the somewhat similar chemistry, which is no guarantee of adhesion. Then there is the elongation of the silicone you are using, the fact that there are different silicone oils that are in each material, typically what gives the slippery feeling in your fabric which will act as a release to uncured material and the material used to reduce the silicone. There are hundreds of other variables.
> 
> I know you can cut silicone caulking with white gas/camping
> fuel or mineral spirits or lighter fluid  to thin it.

Be very careful. If you do not know the base of the coating on the silicone, the mix could act as a drier or softener and destroy the coating on your fabric.
> 
> Of course the "silicone paint" would take a long
> time to dry/cure.

Again, it may or may not. There are too many variables and without knowing the mechanical properties of the silicone you chose as well as the chemistry, it is not possible to judge the time it will take to cure.
> 
> You would have to test it to see how well it would hold up
> to being packed unpacked/fabric folded. Wonder if it would
> stay on the fabric, or start to peel off over time.

No, you would paint it on scrap material, then wait 24 hours and try to scrape the newly applied material off the textile with a pen knife. But we have never been able to achieve a good bond to silicone without developing a good sizing as a bridge between two materials. Like a primer to go between metal and paint.

That's all I got,

Barry



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