Hard as a rock!

[Not your average framer]

Does anyone else do this? Since I can't get "Hard as nails" anymore, I now add Cascamite casein resin powdered wood glue to any other waterbased filler or medium which happens to be available at the time. The results depend upon the particular filler you choose, but in most cases if it's not one of those elastic or flexible fillers you end up with something which sets incredibly hard and can be sanded to a great finish.

Strangely the Cascamite does not work as a thickening additive, so it won't turn acrylic paints into fillers unless they are thick enough without the Cascamite. I've only used it once as an additive with "Ripple coat" so far, but on the basis of just one go It produces a very tough and hard coating when set. If you add more than a certain amount "Ripple coat" becomes glossy when set, but also as hard as a rock. I've also added it to black acrylic gesso, which seems quite promising too!

Before anyone asks, I don't tend to measure quantities, but just add what seems about right. My thinking is that mixing two or more waterbased mediums can't do much harm as long as none of them contain nasty reactive substances. Generally results have been o.k. so far.

[prospero]

As it happens.... I have been doing some black frames using black acrylic gesso. It's nice to use as you can texture it. The frames in question have a flat panel between two othe reeded mouldings. The panel gets stippled to give a contrast. Looks great and breaks up the overall 'black' look. When the gesso is dry I gets it a buffing up with wax, but I do find that although the gesso looks and feels dry, it can be still a bit soft, even after a couple of days. I have used the white acrylic variety before, (different brand) and that sets as hard as hell's door knockers in and hour or two. I'll try a bit of Cascamite in the black stuff to see if that makes it harder.

Cheers Mark