Coloring wood with carbon

[email protected] (Charlie Campney) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...

> I have a large quantity of black powdered carbon for refilling Xerox
> photocopiers.

It's not carbon, it's a hugely complex mixture of a heat-fusible
plastic, carbon black colourant, and an iron compound. Formulation
varies (a lot) between machines.

For some of these powders, watch out for rust. The stuff can go brown
and clumpy if it gets damp.


> It is a real fine powder.

You can say that again. Don't store it in glassware, because if you
drop it you've an awful task to clean it up. Be careful vacuuming it
up - it goes straight the the bag on many machines.


> Can this stuff be used for tinting lacquer, or other finishing products?

I've had great success using it to tint raw latex rubber. Mould
yourself a Batman suit.


> Would it be of any use at all for coloring wood.

Not that I can really see. Maybe if you mixed it into a carrier, like
shellac.

I'd certainly keep it. In fact I still have a jar.

On 14 May 2004 03:06:13 -0700, Andy Dingley <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> You can say that again. Don't store it in glassware, because if you
> drop it you've an awful task to clean it up. Be careful vacuuming it
> up - it goes straight the the bag on many machines.

And if (when) it gets all over your hands, use _cold_ water and soap
to wash with. Hot will open up the pores in your skin and you'll never
get clean.

>> Would it be of any use at all for coloring wood.
>
> Not that I can really see. Maybe if you mixed it into a carrier, like
> shellac.

Maybe you can get an MSDS from the toner manufacturer, which will
identify what's in the stuff. If it's got the black oxide of iron
in it, I'd hesitate using it on anything. If it's just carbon and
plastic binders, well, I'd still use something else.

Dave Hinz

I don't think it would make good pigment for stain, paint or tinting
lacquer, as toner is not powdered carbon but very fine black plastic that
will melt if heated, as it does in the copier's fuser.

I hear it works well mixed with epoxy to fill voids in certain woods that go
well with black.


"Charlie Campney" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Greetings,
>
> I have a large quantity of black powdered carbon for refilling Xerox
> photocopiers. It is a real fine powder. Our church got a new copy
> machine and we can't use the bulk media with the new machine. Can
> this stuff be used for tinting lacquer, or other finishing products?
> Would it be of any use at all for coloring wood. Yes I know that
> black isn't considered a color, but the absence of color. I'd hate to
> toss it if it might be useful.
>
> Regards,
> Charlie in Kentucky

Mix it with epoxy, coat the wood.
Cover with varnish.

"Charlie Campney" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Greetings,
>
> I have a large quantity of black powdered carbon for refilling Xerox
> photocopiers. It is a real fine powder. Our church got a new copy
> machine and we can't use the bulk media with the new machine. Can
> this stuff be used for tinting lacquer, or other finishing products?
> Would it be of any use at all for coloring wood. Yes I know that
> black isn't considered a color, but the absence of color. I'd hate to
> toss it if it might be useful.
>
> Regards,
> Charlie in Kentucky

I would save the toner only for one reason. Dip my binoculars in it
before I give them to my friends. Good, old practical joke.




[email protected] (Charlie Campney) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Greetings,
>
> I have a large quantity of black powdered carbon for refilling Xerox
> photocopiers. It is a real fine powder. Our church got a new copy
> machine and we can't use the bulk media with the new machine. Can
> this stuff be used for tinting lacquer, or other finishing products?
> Would it be of any use at all for coloring wood. Yes I know that
> black isn't considered a color, but the absence of color. I'd hate to
> toss it if it might be useful.
>
> Regards,
> Charlie in Kentucky