Baking Powder as Flocking?

[JollySipper]

Hey, guys...... I believe that I read somewhere that you could use baking powder as a flocking material, for carpets and such. Has anyone had any luck trying this? Of course, it would need to be painted..... If so, any tips?

Thanks...

[JollySipper]

The kit I'm working on has all the steel stampings in the floor board. I need a way to cover that.... I may just end up ordering some actual flocking material.....

 

[peteski]

Baking powder (and baking soda) are both water soluble, and will absorb moisture from ambient air (especially in humid climates).  I would never use either one on any of my model (in any form) They will liquefy and ruin your model.  I don't know why people come up with these silly ideas! 

Stick with the things that work like flocking, or embossing powders.

Edited May 27, 2022 by peteski

[Ace-Garageguy]

12 hours ago, peteski said:

...I don't know why people come up with these silly ideas! 

Lotta repressed chefs out there? Like the guys who use cooking spray for mold release on resin?

Maybe I'll try salt and flour and water instead of bondo. It made great 3D maps when I was 8.

Hmmmmm...maybe hard cheese for carving masters? You can eat your mistakes.  

Spaghetti for roll-cage tubing? Wet angel hair for plug wires?

How about elbow macaroni for zoomie headers?

I think we're on a new frontier of "organic" modeling.  

Edited May 27, 2022 by Ace-Garageguy
TYPO

[JollySipper]

41 minutes ago, peteski said:

Stick with the things that work like flocking, or embossing powders.

Yea, I believe I saw the post on IG or something. Lots of experts there! I'll just order myself some flocking.........

Thanks, guys!

[Plowboy]

I've used baking soda as flocking several times. I always preferred it over flocking and even embossing powder. To me, it has a much better in scale appearance. Flocking is way out of scale unless you want it to look like shag carpet. Embossing powder is better than flocking. But, still a bit out of scale judging photos I've seen. I did use super fine embossing powder on a recent build and it has the closest look of baking soda. But, it still had a little more buildup than baking soda and I still had to paint it. This interior is done with baking soda. 

If it didn’t work, there's no way I would have used it on this model.

Just because some don't know how to do something doesn't mean no one knows how to do it.  

[peteski]

1 hour ago, Plowboy said:

Just because some don't know how to do something doesn't mean no one knows how to do it.  

Fine, you just found a great flocking material.

Nothing I'll ever use (for the reasons I specified above.  It is not about not knowing, it  is about using the knowledge about some substance and determining whether I should utilize it for a certain purpose. I think that is called "analytical thinking".  This thread asked for recommendation, and I threw in my five cents.

I have seen too many nasty failures of using water-soluble material for permanent tasks.  Maybe your paint sealed the baking soda well enough so that the moisture will not get to it, but there is no reason for me to take that chance on model I spent lots of time building.  Thanks, but no thanks.

[Plowboy]

9 hours ago, peteski said:

Fine, you just found a great flocking material.

Nothing I'll ever use (for the reasons I specified above.  It is not about not knowing, it  is about using the knowledge about some substance and determining whether I should utilize it for a certain purpose. I think that is called "analytical thinking".  This thread asked for recommendation, and I threw in my five cents.

I have seen too many nasty failures of using water-soluble material for permanent tasks.  Maybe your paint sealed the baking soda well enough so that the moisture will not get to it, but there is no reason for me to take that chance on model I spent lots of time building.  Thanks, but no thanks.

My response was based on actual, repeated experience and a photo. Not "analytical thinking". 

[Jon Haigwood]

I used baby powder in the past now I use embossing powder. Baby powder is not water-soluble when sealed with paint

[peteski]

1 hour ago, Plowboy said:

My response was based on actual, repeated experience and a photo. Not "analytical thinking". 

Very good Roger - I'm very happy to see good result using something I would not (and will not) consider using. I simply explained my reasoning for not wanting to even try using baking soda.  Thinking in general seems to be in decline nowadays (in general, not you specifically). Get back to me in 10 years to let me know how that worked out.   We can keep this going if you want.

[Classicgas]

Good lord, a guy asks for tips and gets people arguing. TJ, I've no opinion on it, but I say try it on some spare parts.

Edited May 27, 2022 by Classicgas

[JollySipper]

24 minutes ago, Classicgas said:

a guy asks for tips and gets people arguing.

I've seen a lot worse "arguing"..... Life on a forum!

[Classicgas]

Lol. True.

[Mark]

To sum it up...

"Your results may vary".

[SfanGoch]

Call Arm & Hammer and they'll tell you it's a bad idea. The sodium bicarbonate will break down as a result of chemical interaction of the lacquers and/or enamels that it was in contact and/or combined with. The baking soda breaks down and becomes a gunky, oily, resinous yellow-brown ooze as a byproduct. It's not a matter of if, but when, the baking soda breaks down. It won't happen immediately; but, when you notice the goop seeping from under the paint, you'll regret using it. Armor modelers have been wise to this for years and avoid it like the plague.

[cobraman]

I have only used it for snow on a military diorama and it did yellow in time. Looked like a pack of dogs ran through but stopped to pee.?

[Smoke Wagon]

5 hours ago, SfanGoch said:

The baking soda breaks down and becomes a gunky, oily, resinous yellow-brown ooze as a byproduct.

Sounds like just the right thing for a Cheech and Chong Impala build. ?

[Rick L]

15 hours ago, SfanGoch said:

Call Arm & Hammer and they'll tell you it's a bad idea. The sodium bicarbonate will break down as a result of chemical interaction of the lacquers and/or enamels that it was in contact and/or combined with. The baking soda breaks down and becomes a gunky, oily, resinous yellow-brown ooze as a byproduct. It's not a matter of if, but when, the baking soda breaks down. It won't happen immediately; but, when you notice the goop seeping from under the paint, you'll regret using it. Armor modelers have been wise to this for years and avoid it like the plague.

I didn’t know Arm & Hammer gave out modeling advice!?

[Jon Cole]

Well, tho off topic, but we ARE talking baking powder, I use it as a glue setting. Especially for superglue. 
Would the moisture absorbency be an issue there?

 

[Plowboy]

24 minutes ago, Jon Cole said:

Well, tho off topic, but we ARE talking baking powder, I use it as a glue setting. Especially for superglue. 
Would the moisture absorbency be an issue there?

 

Not if it's sealed with primer and paint afterwards. I have models twelve to fifteen years old that were flocked with baking soda. They're still fine. If nothing has happened by now, I don't think anything is going to. 

[Jon Cole]

2 minutes ago, Plowboy said:

Not if it's sealed with primer and paint afterwards. I have models twelve to fifteen years old that were flocked with baking soda. They're still fine. If nothing has happened by now, I don't think anything is going to. 

Thanks, Roger.

[NOBLNG]

18 hours ago, Jon Cole said:

Well, tho off topic, but we ARE talking baking powder, I use it as a glue setting. Especially for superglue. 
Would the moisture absorbency be an issue there?

 

Baking Powder is completely different stuff than Baking Soda.

Edit: Apparently they are very similar ? but different.?

18 hours ago, Plowboy said:

Not if it's sealed with primer and paint afterwards. I have models twelve to fifteen years old that were flocked with baking soda. They're still fine. If nothing has happened by now, I don't think anything is going to. 

You have been clear I think that it is Baking Soda NOT Baking Powder that you use, correct?

Edited May 29, 2022 by NOBLNG

[Plowboy]

14 minutes ago, NOBLNG said:

Baking Powder is completely different stuff than Baking Soda.

I wasn't aware that they are different. But, you're right. Baking soda requires an acid and liquid to activate. Baking powder only requires a liquid to activate. That's probably why I get by with using the soda for flocking. I would be leery about using the powder for flocking since it only needs moisture to activate. Sorry for any confusion I may have caused on the subject. 

[Plowboy]

1 hour ago, Jon Cole said:

Well, tho off topic, but we ARE talking baking powder, I use it as a glue setting. Especially for superglue. 
Would the moisture absorbency be an issue there?

 

 

30 minutes ago, Plowboy said:

Not if it's sealed with primer and paint afterwards. I have models twelve to fifteen years old that were flocked with baking soda. They're still fine. If nothing has happened by now, I don't think anything is going to. 

I have to retract this statement as I was thinking that baking powder and baking soda were the same substance. Baking soda will be fine. No idea on baking powder.

[Jon Haigwood]

I have not used baking powder or soda , only baby or body powder with success. I used to mix baby powder with super glue as a filler. I now use flocking powder as it is easier to apply using a small salt shaker and mix styrene with Tamiya extra thin for filler. (also known as "sprue glue")

I do use baking powder to clean car batteries LOL