What do you thin solvent based FrogJuiice with?

[TimToad]

I don't know if anybody has had this issue, but every time we try to thin solvent based FrogJuice with the recommended solvent, Mineral Spirits, it congeals in the container, gets lumpy, milky in color and basically unusable.

This has occurred over the span of a year with several cans worth of both FrogJuice and mineral spirits, so I don't think its a bad batch of either product.

The tech support guy at Superfrog was baffled.

We're trying to come up with a decent, easy to apply liquid laminate for our direct print stuff primarily on DiBond that can either be rolled or sprayed.

We bought a quart of ClearShield "production clear" formula and the results have been good, but at times, it looks like it might not be bonding to the unprinted areas as well as the printed areas.

 

[Gino]

Mineral spirits is a better form of paint thinner, but lacquer thinner is far better than either. It is much cleaner and far more effective. It doesn't have any oily residue afterwards, which is what you are experiencing. Also, the non-smelling turps and such are ALL junk.

 

[TimToad]

Mineral spirits is a better form of paint thinner, but lacquer thinner is far better than either. It is much cleaner and far more effective. It doesn't have any oily residue afterwards, which is what you are experiencing. Also, the non-smelling turps and such are ALL junk.

Thanks buddy, I'll give it a try. So the lacquer thinner won't eat into the ink or alligator it?

 

[Gino]

Not if you use the right amounts. It's tricky, but it will work in clear. I'd never use it with oil based paints, but you said Frog Juice and that's what we use. We have cans thinned to 30% 40% and 50% and we get no spider-webbing or milkiness if we use the lacquer. Also, use a slow drying lacquer. There are many things to know about lacquer before just going ahead with it. Personally, I don't like ClearShield all that much, but the ClearJet is great stuff.

Another thing when working with clears and solvents..... if you're in a humid area, tendencies are to get a blushing effect which is milky in appearance. Adding retarder can help that.