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My whole batch of 'midnight violet' ink went moldy after just two weeks
I mixed it in a clean glass jar with some distilled water, a bit of gum arabic, and a drop of surfactant. I guess I didn't add enough phenol, or maybe the dye I used was already a bit off. It smelled like a wet basement and had these little fuzzy spots floating on top. Has anyone else had ink go bad this fast, and what do you use to stop it?
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the_robert2mo ago
Forget phenol, that stuff is nasty. Try a few drops of tea tree oil or clove oil in your mix next time. I've heard of people using a tiny bit of vodka too, acts as a biocide and evaporates off. The fuzzy spots mean it was already growing something, maybe from your tools or the jar itself. Always wipe everything down with isopropyl alcohol before you start, even if it looks clean.
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wyatt7712mo ago
Wait, is all that really needed for a simple home project? Seems like a lot of extra steps.
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the_miles2mo ago
Right, it's totally overkill for most things. I skipped the fancy stuff last time and just used rubbing alcohol to clean everything, worked fine. People get way too deep into the hobby side of basic tasks.
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