Plastic Dye

[John A.]

Anyone ever dye their plastic accessories a different color?

I've watched a lot on the subject on youtube and from what I have seen, you can dye an item a darker color, but can't dye a darker item a lighter color.

Just curious if anyone here has done it? What dye you used, and how it turned out.

 

[rdm76mav88]

Im into hobby grade rc cars and have dyed white wheels black with rit dye. use a pot that you dont intend to use for food! put water in the pot enough to cover the objects add dye let boil turn heat off out stuff in water i used powdered dye but I should have used liquid! White wheels came out nice and black! Youtube dying RC wheels that should help too!

 

[John A.]

From what I have seen, even the liquid black has a purplish/bluish hue to it after it is dry.

Do you think leaving it in the dye overnight (or for an extended time) would make it any darker?

What about instead of adding water to the liquid RIT, just straight dye?

 

[rdm76mav88]

If you leave the parts in the water they might melt found that out the hard way! Defibnately need to boil the water add the dye a little goes a long way! If you plan to do thst alot I'd get a pot second hand and mark it "for dye use only" trying to figure out how to link vids

 

[mingaa]

I know a few who have dyed the EP lowers and following their lead I did mine today. I'll be curious to see the match of colors after a long dry - it feels set and dries very quickly initially if done hot.

I used black liquid Rit well over the cloth spec and kept it close to simmer for about 2 hours - because a guy I trust did and because I had the time! It seemed to take very quickly but longer did not hurt from whst I see. I added vinegar to the mix. That seems to be the way they go for synthetic cloth. The other direction is salt. With a high concentration I bet they both work.

My wife has a stove for dying in her studio. I bought a thrift store pan that was close in size to the part.

I'm saving the mixture and will try and use it again Monday on. Magpul AFG that I bought in tan at a bargain price - hopefully that works out Monday. I've seen a few net vids of folks dying other accessories SO I put that in the plan as well.

I have good pics and I'll see how good the match is and if yhe color stayed a good black after a long dry time. I'll post more in the AM!

 

[ripjack13]

Would ink work well? Like the fountain pen stuff?

 

[mingaa]

I bet you would have to seal ink - car wax, something like that.

The guy on another forum Rit dyed 3 poly lowers and he says that he gets no residue or rub-off at all with no coating.