Topic: Colorants
Why do some people say their colorants can be used for a lot of plastics, and others are specific to ABS, PLA, etc.?
Re: Colorants
If you are referring to masterbatch pellets, then they are designed by putting powdered color mixed with a base of the plastic that they are made for and then pelletizing them. If they are masterbatch and say that they are universal or made for a number of plastics, then they usually have PE (Polyethylene) as the base plastic. The universal masterbatch kind will mix some of the PE plastic with your plastic that you are using which doesn't always work well.
The dry powdered colorant that we sell says that it is compatible with PLA, ABS, HIPS, PC, and Nylon but Not compatible with PP or PE due to the additive we added to help the powder stick to the pellets.
-os3dp
Re: Colorants
Hmm, thanks. I guess I was unsure about master batch and such. I think what I saw was powdered stuff. So master batch pellets are the colorants used at a ratio of like 2 or 4%, or like 1 to 80 or something? And powdered colorant is basically mixed at the same rate, but are not previously mixed with another plastic (base?) like PE?
Re: Colorants
I mean, master batch pellets are like a base pellet melted with powdered colorant, and powdered colorant is not mixed with a base prior to mixing in my filistruder?
Re: Colorants
pap4tinker wrote:
I mean, master batch pellets are like a base pellet melted with powdered colorant, and powdered colorant is not mixed with a base prior to mixing in my filistruder?
Yes, but the powders that we have we put in an additive to help the powder to stick to the raw pellets instead of your whole house. 
-os3dp
Re: Colorants
My whole house! Hmm, do I have to scrape the sides of the house before painting in this way? 
Thanks for the reply.