Measurement of paint-on die spacers used for casting relief

Three paints used for die spacing were measured for film thickness. Two of the materials are marketed as die spacers, and the third is sold as a model airplane paint. The materials were applied to stone dies in multiple coats. They were embedded in resin, sectioned, and measured photographically through a microscope. The three die spacing materials were capable of achieving clinically acceptable relief in the range of 20 to 40 mu by using a variable number of coats. Different paints produced different thicknesses. The two paints sold specifically for die spacing gave 11 to 13 mu per coat. The hobby shop paint had the smallest film thickness per coat, yielding approximately 5 mu per layer. It also had the smallest standard deviation. This control plus the relative low cost and availabilty make it attractive for this purpose.