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| Issue 173 (May 2010) |
Words: Brian Skinner |
Dyeing plastic parts sounds easy, and it is, but there are some tricks to make the job easier and consistent. This how-to has been done several times over the years, but when the guru of plastic, Richard Royall from RPM, stopped by the other day, all of us at the office learned some new insights about plastic we just had to pass on to you. The tips we learned will not only help you dye plastic better but will also help revive plastic parts you thought were ready for the trash. Join me now as we take a magical carpet ride to the wonderful world of colorful plastic dyeing, and rejuvenation.
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LET'S GET TO DYEING!
No matter what plastic you will be dyeing, the process is the same. If you use white plastic, chrome, or some other color plastic, the process does not change. Here are some tips to make your dye process better:
1. Use the smallest pot relative to the size of the parts used, and use a high concentration of Rit. If the pot is small to medium, use half the contents of Rit. If larger, use the whole thing. This will shorten the dyeing time and produce a rich color.
2. Different colors take different dye times. When dyeing your part, time how long you have to let it soak. When you get a color you like, note the time so "all" of your parts will look the same.
3. Remember to keep the water "hot" at all times. The heat is what helps the dye penetrate the plastic and makes the color consistent across parts.
4. For small parts, use a string or wire to hold them together. This will make retrieving small parts out of the hot water safer and easier for you.
5. Use an old pot or Pyrex dish for dyeing. These work best, and using older ones will keep peace in the family.
Step 1. Before you get started, set up your work area. Lay an old towel out or paper to protect your work surface from getting dye spatter—it will stain the surface. Set your parts, tongs, and dye within easy reach of where your pot of hot water will be. Place your pot on the stove and bring water to a boil, and then reduce the heat so the water remains hot. The temperature should be around 200 degrees Fahrenheit (160 degrees if you're on Mount Everest).
Step 2. Once everything is set up and your water is hot, stir in the Rit and place your part(s) into the mix. The dye time depends on how you want your part to look. Darker, richer colors will take longer than lighter colors. Check your part every minute or so until you find the color you like and note the time. This will give you an idea of how long to wait when dyeing the next part, and it keeps the parts consistent in color shade.
Note: Use your tongs to gently place the parts into the mix. Remember, the water is hot, and you could scald yourself, or you could splatter the mix all over. We want you safe so you can keep pulling trigger!
Step 3. Once the part is done and the desired color is achieved, use your tongs to pull the part out of the pot, and set the part on the towel. Let the part cool and drain enough so you can wash it with soap and cool water in the sink—try to do this as soon as possible. Remember, there will be some residue dye on the part, which can stain the sink if you do not rinse the sink after you're done washing off the part. No need to get Mom or your significant other upset, you know!
Step 4. When you are finished with dyeing, remember to clean up quickly. Wipe down the counters with a soapy rag, wash the tongs, and wash the pot with soap and water ASAP! If you let the dye set too long, it can discolor whatever surface the dye is on—better safe than sorry, Mom always told me.
Step 5. As a side note: if you plan on doing more dye jobs at a later date, you can store the dye you just used. Cover it up and store it in a safe place for next time. Even if the water completely evaporates, the dye crystals will still be there and ready for use again. Just add water and away you go!
RANDOM INFORMATION
• The best plastic for dyeing is nylon or any plastic that has hygroscopic properties.
• Hygroscopic means the ability of a substance to attract water molecules from the surrounding environment through either absorption or adsorption.
• ABS plastic will not take a Rit water-based dye. This type of plastic is not "hygroscopic."
• A good test to see if your plastic can be dyed is to do a file test. If the plastic flakes or crumbles, it probably will not dye. You can always test it in the dye solution to make sure.
• The majority of A-arms, wheels, and wings on the market can be dyed.
• You can dye colored parts, but the dye has to be darker in color than the original. However, you can get some funky effects matching different colors.
• Some clear plastic parts can be dyed as well.
• The part finish will stay the same: matte will stay matte; glossy will stay glossy.
• A lot of the chrome-plated plastic these days can be dyed. This really brings out a unique finish in the chrome.
TECHNO-WEENIE STUFF
• Did you know you can revitalize some of your plastic parts? Most A-arms start to sag after a while—they get that droopy look to them, and you know they need to be replaced. It turns out that they can be re-shaped back to straight. Heat up some water to a boil, and let the part soak up the heat for a minute or so. Pull the part out, tweak it straight, and then let it cool. If you're in a hurry, pour some cold water over the part to set it in place. Wear pit gloves to handle the hot part; you'll be safer.
• You can make plastic parts more resistant to impacts by boiling the parts for a minute or two as well. Boiling them can rehydrate the plastic so they are not as brittle. The downside is this process can make them less ridged and flexi—the choice is yours.
• FYI: The main reason your plastic parts break when it's cold out (aside from crashing!) is that plastics have water content. When it gets cold out, the water in the plastic causes the plastic to become ridged or brittle, and it breaks just like an ice cube would if you dropped it on the ground . . . sort of like that anyway! You could warm up the parts before you go out to play. I tried that when I was in Canada once, and it seemed to work.
GET FUNKY
You can actually be creative and do all sorts of things with dyeing. You can tie-dye, you make logos or names, you can do confetti, and even splatters!
• Confetti: Cut any variety of small shapes from tape and place them on the part (triangles, circles, squares, etc.). Then dye the part in a light color such as yellow (or start with a yellow rim for example). After you have dyed the part once, cover the part with more shapes and dye it a darker color such as blue, then move to black, repeating the same process. When you remove the shapes, you will have a part with cool colors and shapes. Use a heat gun or fire to bond the tape to the plastic; this will give you hard lines. If you do not heat up the tape, some color may seep into the spots; this can sometimes look good in the end. You can also tear the tape instead of cutting it to get faded edges. You can use duct tape to do this to get really cool effects.
• Fades: In order to fade from one color to the next, you can simply hold a piece of the part out of the dye as you dye the rest of it. That way, one part will remain its current color while the rest of the part will be fade to another color. You can play with this to get sharp fades or subtle fades by varying the time and amount of the part that's in the dye.
• The glue technique: You can get some crazy-looking parts this way! While the part is still white, drip glue over the part (you can use Elmer's glue or a glue gun) in the areas that you want to stay white. Then dye the part. After you're done, rinse the part in cold water and take the glue off; this will give the part a marbled effect. You can do many colors if you want, but you'll need to do it in stages, starting with your lightest color first, then add more glue or take off glue as you go. Just get funky!
• Pam cooking oil technique: Spray a light coat of oil on the part. Then dye it one color. The oil will not mix with the dye, and you'll get a funkedelic splattered look. After you've placed the part with the oil in the dye, place the part under cold water and dry the part off with an old dish rag. Drying the part will remove the oil. If you want to do more colors, repeat the process and see what you get!
TO SUM IT ALL UP:
Dyeing parts is fun for the whole family, and will make your car stand out in the crowd. Just follow the easy steps, and soon you will have a personalized car that is different from the crowd of clones. The main thing is to have fun, but remember to keep that water hot, and keep the time thing down so you'll have consistency. Of course, if you're getting funky with it—the sky's the limit, and damn the instructions! Just one thing: make sure to be careful since this is hot water, and make sure to get approval form your mom, wife, or significant other. If they give you a hard time, you can always pour the dye on their flowers and just wait a couple of days. The flowers will have a funky color all their own. No plants were harmed in the making of this how-to!
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