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Surfactants for clear violin varnish

I am a violin maker. I make my own varnish and colour for varnish. I have made several bright water based colours, both acidic and alkaline, that I would like to bind with oil varnish. I have not been satisfied with the surfactants available. Which surfactants would you suggest that will enable the colours to mix smoothly with the oil varnish?

Thank you.

Paco Shenefelt
Violin Maker - St. Joseph, Missouri, USA
November 2, 2010

Have you tried any of the polysorbates yet?

Ciaron Murphy
Aerospace - South Wales, United Kingdom
November 10, 2010

Thank you for the response. No I have not tried polysorbates yet. Any specific ones I should try?

Paco Shenefelt
- Saint Joseph, Missouri, USA
December 28, 2010

Not really anything specific, I am just recalling that I had some success in oil water emulsions with these. Polysorbate 20 and 80 were ones we commonly used and were reasonably easily available. You might start with those.

Ciaron Murphy
Aerospace - South Wales, UK
December 31, 2010

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