Frequently Asked Questions
Using FuseFX
Can I add more/less Part A to make the mixture more/less transparent?
NO - you MUST mix the Part A in a 50:50 ratio with the Part B otherwise the product will NOT cure. You can mix these by eye, as long as the ratio is close to 50:50 but other ratios will not work.
To make a colour more transparent you can thin the mixed paint with an appropriate solvent (Toluene, Xylene, or Naptha - see elsewhere in this FAQ for more info) or you can add M/F-110 Clear PART B to the coloured Part B of your choice BEFORE adding enough Part A to equal the two B's _combined_. For example you might mix 1 part M/F-110 Part B to 1 part F-230 Darkest Brown and then add 2 PARTS of Part A to activate the mixture for painting.
There is a "Part A" but where is the "Part B" mentioned in the instructions?
With all our 2-part products (the F, LY, and M-series paints) the "Part B" is the coloured bottle. To activate the product you need to mix it 50:50 with the included Part A.
Can I use FuseFX paints to paint a vinyl/latex/unidentified "rubber" _______?
No, FuseFX paints are for painting platinum* silicone pieces ONLY**. They either will NOT cure if applied on other surfaces (like latex) or if they do cure then they will peel off.
** FuseFX CAN be used to paint tin silicone but ONLY if the piece is first primed with FuseFX's BondFX primer.
What solvents can I use to thin FuseFX?
FuseFX paints (the F, M, and LY series) can be thinned with Toluene, Xylene, or Naptha. These solvents are not always sold under these names (often they are sold as odorless paint thinner). It is recommended to do a test before using a new brand or type of odorless paint thinner to make sure it contains the correct solvent and does not contain other fillers which may inhibit the FuseFX paints.
Can I airbrush FuseFX paints?
Yes! You will need an appropriate silicone solvent (such as Toluene, Xylene, or Naptha - see next FAQ question for more information).
Mix the FuseFX paint as normal (50:50 Part A and the coloured Part B) then dilute the mixture with 1.5-2 parts of solvent and continue to mix until smooth.
Spray at approximately 15 PSI.
What is the difference between your pigments/"intrinsic" colours and your paints/"extrinsic" colours?
Our pigment/"intrinsic" colours include our S, SFX, and BC series colours. These products come in a single bottle and are meant to be mixed into a batch of uncured silicone to tint the entire batch a uniform colour.
Our paint/"extrinsic" colours include our M, F, and LY-colours. These products come in 2-part "kits" - an uncoloured, 'Part A', catalyst, and the coloured 'Part B'. They are meant to be mixed 50:50 and then applied to the surface of a cured, cleaned, silicone piece to paint it.
In other words our pigments tint an entire piece inside (instrinsically) and outside while our paints only cover the outside (extrinsic) part of a piece.
Can I custom mix my own colours?
YES! Any FuseFX colours can be mixed PRIOR to activating with Part A. You must add
Are FuseFX products skin safe?
Yes ... and No.
For FuseFX paints and pigments the products are skin safe once they have cured. While the products are in an uncured state, however, you should wear vinyl or nitrile gloves (NOT latex) while handling the product.
Smoothie and Royal Jel-E should be used while wearing vinyl or nitrile gloves.
Do FuseFX products expire?
It depends on the product.
Our S and BC-series pigments do not generally expire.
Because they are essentially platinum silicone our 2-part products, such as our F, M, and LY-series paints DO eventually expire. We recommend using our paints within 2-3 years of purchase.
In many cases you CAN continue to use the paints past the 3 year mark, however we cannot guarantee they will continue to work. FuseFX paints that are beginning to expire will become very thick and be very hard or impossible to squeeze from the bottle. In the case of colours in a jar you may notice a wrinkled or curdled appearance on the surface. As the paints begin to reach their expiry date their cure time will actually speed up to the point of being almost unusable. After they have expired the paints will not cure at all.
I have an older silicone piece - can I still paint it with FuseFX?
Possibly.
If you know you will not have a chance to paint your piece right away after demolding it is best to either place your piece in a sealed plastic bag, plastic tote, or wrap it securely in plastic wrap. This will protect your piece from collecting dust and you should be able to paint the piece at a later date with no problem.
If you are trying to paint an older piece that has been used or been on display it is best to wash it thoroughly with soap and water, scrubbing gently or even wet sanding with 400 grit sandpaper, then wipe it down with a lint free tissue or cloth and isopropyl alcohol or a silicone appropriate solvent (see the Solvent question in this FAQ for some suggestions). You may wish to apply a thin layer of BondFX as a primer before painting.
Be warned however that with a well-used piece even a thorough cleaning may not work and delamination might still occur. The piece may have come in contact with some sort of inhibitor, or the dirt be just too ground in to be removed.
How should I prepare a silicone piece for painting?
You will have the best result by painting a silicone piece fresh out of its mold. In this case simply wash the piece thoroughly with soap and warm water to remove any mold release residue then dry the piece with a lint free cloth or lint free tisues.
How much FuseFX paint do I need for my project?
30g of catalyzed F-series paint can cover approximately 12sq ft if stippled in a thin layer. Our M and LY-series paints will go even further as they are typically painted sparingly to create a realistic skin look instead of applied as a continous layer.
If I make a mistake while painting can I fix it?
YES! As long as the paint has not yet cured you can simply wipe it off with a lint free tissue and a bit of isopropyl alcohol.
Once the paint has cured however, it permanently bonds to the piece and will have to be cut off to be removed.
Should I wash the Royal Jel-E off my molds before storing them?
Yes. It is best to wash all Royal Jel-E residue from your molds before long term storage. Prolonged exposure to Royal Jel-E residue can shorten the shelf life of your molds.
What is the difference between using Matting Powder and Liquid Sheen?
Matting Powder creates a completely matt surface to the silicone whereas Liquid Sheen leaves a satin or "eggshell" finish.
Liquid Sheen can sometimes work better for skin tones than Matting Powder as it creates a healthly looking "glow" to the skin without looking sweaty or wet.
What are the best brushes to use with FuseFX? And how do I clean them?
For painting realistic skin tones we recommend a natural bristle fan brush. It is also helpful to have a piece of tweezers on hand for removing any dropped bristles.
Detailed areas can be painted with a nylon bristle brush.
Troubleshooting
How do I know if my paint is expired?
First, check the lot number on the side of the bottle or jar. The last two digits indicate the year the product was bottled. There is a strong chance that any product older than 3 years old could be expired.
FuseFX paints that are beginning to expire will become very thick and be very hard or impossible to squeeze from the bottle. In the case of colours in a jar you may notice a wrinkled or curdled appearance on the surface. As the paints begin to reach their expiry date their cure time will actually speed up to the point of being almost unusable. After they have expired the paints will not cure at all.
Help! The paint is not setting!
There are a few things that may have caused your FuseFX paint not to set properly:
1) Are you sure you combined Part A and Part B (the coloured part) in the proper 50:50 ration and mixed thoroughly? FuseFX colours will NOT set unless mixed with Part A.
Excess humidity can also leave pieces
mostly cured but still slightly sticky to the touch. If possible leave in a warm, dry spot to cure further.
The number one rule of working with silicone!
What is "inhibition"?
I used M/F-110 Clear and my piece is still sticky!
We get this question a lot. The main culprit is usually that the customer has forgotten to mix the M/F-110 with Part A.
Although it is uncoloured M/F-110 still works the same as any other FuseFX paint colour. It MUST be mixed 50:50 with the included Part A or else it will not set.
If you HAVE mixed the M/F-110 Clear with Part A in the proper ratio, check out the other suggestions under our "Help! The paint is not setting!" FAQ question.
Ordering FuseFX
I can't find an order page on your site - how to I buy FuseFX?
We do not sell directly to the public from our website. BUT we DO have distributors all over the world who would be happy to sell you FuseFX. You can find them on our Distributors page.
_______ distributor doesn't have the item I am looking for - what can I do?
You can ask any of our distributors if they will special order the item for you. ALL our distributors have access to our entire catelogue - we do not limit some distributors to carrying only certain items.
I need a LARGE amount of ______ product. Do you offer quantity discounts?
We actually have larger sizes of most of our products available for special order through your nearest FuseFX distributor. These larger sizes are already marked down considerably from purchasing the equivalent amount of product in our "regular" sizes.
S & BC-series pigments are available in 250g (8oz), 500g (16oz), and 4 Kilo (4 L) amounts.
Again speak to your nearest distributor about placing a special order - we also will do our best to accomodate requests for other sizes and quantities.
There is no FuseFX distributor in my country, what can I do?
Many of our distributors have online stores and will ship internationally. Check our Distributor page for the country closest to you.