39 replies to this topic

[Gator Bob]

Is there a preferred procedure?

Powder or liquid?

 

How long does it take to color an endbell or change pink gears to black?

 

Thanks.

 

 

[Matt Sheldon]

I use both. The liquid is more concentrated, but I have more consistent results with the powder. Within 5 minutes pink gears become black! I boil the water and add the dye, letting the dye self mix during the boiling process. I then take the heat down to 140 degrees and then dye my parts. My word of advice is more is not better as it does not take very long for parts to become too dark. It is definitely a babysitting process. The liquids are nice for mixing colors to get some unique colors. I also use a strainer in the mix to keep the parts off the bottom of the pan as well as an easy way to extract our small parts. Make sure that you rinse them with warm water out of the pot as well.

[Bill from NH]

Bob, if dyeing gears, don't expect the teeth of remain black for long. Endbells are better. Don't try green on the Parma pink, but red is nice.

[Matt Sheldon]

Bob, if dyeing gears, don't expect the teeth of remain black for long. Endbells are better. Don't try green on the Parma pink, but red is nice.

Yellow turns them a nice orange

[Pablo]

It doesn't work on rubber bands, I can tell you that

The instructions say keep the part(s) moving, so like Matt said, it's a babysitting job.  Take the portable TV into the kitchen with ya

[HarV Wallbanger III]

This works good Bob and does not take long at all. I started doing this to plastic parts when racing RC stuff in the late 70-80's.
We used to boil the suspension parts to make them more flexible and less prone to break and color them too. We boiled them
but these type of parts you should boil the water and then take it off and dip them till you get the color you want.

I would not boil gears as it may make them soft and wear faster...? I learned the hard way when I had white plastic front wheels made for Front Line back in the 80's and over boiled them and they wore out too fast. I learned to just boil the water and dip till I got the color... if it stops taking color re-boil the water and dip again. I've wondered if you just boiled some guides that break too easy if it would help???
Good luck!

[Jairus]

I would not let any plastic parts touch the bottom of the pan. That is where the heat is most concentrated.  You will melt a plastic gear pretty fast if you do.
suspend all parts on a wire hook tied to a wood dowel that spans the rim of the pan.  I use copper wire and lift after 5 minutes to check color depth.  (hold up to a bright light)

I also add a bit of vinegar to the solution to aid the color's saturation.  It ensures that the color penetrates deep enough to put up with normal wear.

 

One other thing, always scrub the item with soap and cold water using a tooth brush.  The cold water tends to "set" the color and remove anything that doesn't penetrate.

[Gator Bob]

Here is what I did....

 

Took Rit - Orange Sunshine  liquid

 

put it in a small rinsed Bush Beens can

 

Diluted to 3:1 approx. w/ RO water 

 

put the can in boiling water, like a double boiler.

 

when the liquid got hot in went the NOS Champion endbell.

 

After about 10 minutes I pulled it out and rinsed in clear water to see any change. Nope!

 

Put it back in for about a 1/2 hour more and barely any color change. 

 

Dump that diluted mixture and poured the dye in straight up.

 

Brought the water to a boil and put the can in.

 

When hot again I put the endbell in.

 

Turned the heat down to low and let it 'simmer' for 3 hours.

 

Removed and rinsed ... better but not ... not much.

 

Took the can out to the shop and let it sit over night.  

 

Looks better but not deeply 'toned'.

 

It is still sits in there ....

[Gator Bob]

 I did keep it from touching the bottom of the can.

[Bill from NH]

Barney, I still boil nylon guides when I have any, using an old Pyrex coffee carafe. Each guide is held individually by a length of thread to keep it off the bottom.  The thought was that boiling helped to relieve stresses that were introduced when the guides cooled from injection molding.  Does it work? It has always made me feel better when I do.

[Gator Bob]

Thanks for all your replies Gents !

[Gator Bob]

OK so ...

 

When I was doing the double boil step (if that is even correct because the dye didn't come to a roiling boil like the surrounding water.

Over time the Orange Sunshine turned to thick 'Gravy' (although not Wavy) .

I poured the 3:1 back in the can and it's prob back to no more than 2:1.

 

Just rinsed and checked the part and it is looking better. In the dye since overnight. After a trip to the vault of Champion the factory orange end bells don't look all that great either, not as deep as Mura colors.

 

So .... does the Dye need to reach a full boil to go deep into the material?

[Matt Sheldon]

I understand it as the plastic needs the heat to help open up the pores of the plastic. I have tried letting plastic sit in the dye overnight with little success as far as penetration (keep it professional). 

 

I always bring it to a boil (pre insertion of parts), then turn it down and monitor the temp with a candy thermometer. Once at 140 I add my parts and inspect every couple of minutes.

[Gator Bob]

Then I would think it should have done what you said as it was in dye that had to be 185+. ... for a long time.

 

Is 140 a 'magic' temp.?

 

... melting Sugar

 

Using candy, thermometers and penetration in the same post can raise some serious .. eyebrows.  

[Matt Sheldon]

I have some orange and will dye and document some Parma Blade's when i get home. I typically use a cap of liquid per quart of water.

[Gator Bob]

Wow ... "Super Diluted"

 

Thanks Matt,

 

I'll be a watchin'

[HarV Wallbanger III]

I would feel better too Bill as we have broke some guides! I always use powder not sure why it did not work for you Bob??? Oh and when I said "I would not boil gears.." I mean I would do the dippy do so they do not get to hot. Maybe they have changed the dyes in the last 25 years or so?? Took out all the bad stuff and maybe it does not work as well for plastic?? Years ago I did endbells (Mura's soak up fast) Jet Flags (just to change color) and front wheels.... No Problems
Plastic does need heat to open the pores.

[Samiam]

Is there a preferred procedure?

Powder or liquid?

 

How long does it take to color an endbell or change pink gears to black?

 

Thanks.

 

 

Ask Rachel Dolezal.

[Gator Bob]

Ask Rachel Dolezal.

 

Oh no ... Not her again ...   

 

I said pink gears not pink ears.

Don't ask me ... "what color is that endbell supposed to be? "       

[C. J. Bupgoo]

Took Orange Sunshine, huh, Bob??     

[Gator Bob]

I would feel better too Bill as we have broke some guides! I always use powder not sure why it did not work for you Bob??? Oh and when I said "I would not boil gears.." I mean I would do the dippy do so they do not get to hot. Maybe they have changed the dyes in the last 25 years or so?? Took out all the bad stuff and maybe it does not work as well for plastic?? Years ago I did endbells (Mura's soak up fast) Jet Flags (just to change color) and front wheels.... No Problems
Plastic does need heat to open the pores.

 

Might be the material compound of this 517/507 style Champion endbell.

I put an NOS vintage Champion screw type guide and a factory colored orange Gr-20 endbell in the can right on the stove. Brought it right to whre it started to boil like a volcano and cut the heat off.

 

 

 

 

Do you guys (Bill) 'boil' modern Graphite guides?

 

I never went to 'home ec' mixing slot cars and 'stove work' just don't feel right.

 

.

.

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[Rick]

Why is it all clumpy? Never saw that happen before.......

[Gator Bob]

? from boiling it ?

 

Worked perfect on the guide, made the Group 20 bell darker. Both after 45 minutes.

The 517 bell has been through like 5 'boil' cycles and sat in there for 24 hrs.

[Matt Sheldon]

Ok so for the first experiment I used Tangerine orange. 32 oz. of boiling water to 2 caps of dye. Once at a continuous boil I turndown to 140 degrees. Unless doing black I check every 2-3 minutes. 

 

Warning!!!!!! This stuff stains countertops, floors, appliance epoxy, etc. Use caution and do not let it boil over on your countertop. I am fortunate enough to have a stove top in my shop for this type of stuff.

 

 

This is after 2 minutes. Neat color, but not what I wanted.

 

This is after 10 minute and fairly close to what I wanted. Also remember that the colors darken when they cool so you can test by running under cold water.

[Matt Sheldon]

I have been making replica fuchsia colored blades for my mid school Flexi friends for years. As you will see, not all colors are created equally. This mixture is 32 oz. of water to only 1 cap of dye. Same process as above and a slower dye process of about 11 minutes.

 

 

Just to show the difference in dye penetration the guide on the left is 1 cap of dye @ 11 minutes and the one on the right is 2 caps of dye at the same 11 minutes.