ok, ive got some halfords flexible vinyl die (i hope that the right stuff :/ ) now how do i apply this stuff? do i spay a *very* thin coat wait till its dry then another thin coat or spay thinly till totally covered?
http://www.linear1.org/mods/vdye.php and http://forums.gideontech.com/viewtopic.php?topic=2866&forum=4&14 for some other guides and stuff.
Lots more pics: http://linear1.org/gm/archives/00000065.php http://linear1.org/gm/archives/00000070.php http://linear1.org/gm/archives/00000073.php http://linear1.org/gm/archives/00000081.php
linear why don't you do a guide for bit-tech. I am sure you get asked the same questions over and over.
It occurs to me that there is a great need. So I'll consolidate all my photos from previous vinyl dye adventures into a mothership article once I finish dying my reamining peripherals black. Then I can show bezel, drives, speaks, monitor, rodent, keyboard, HP loserjet, scanner, and smartmedia reader will al have undergone the beige->black transformation. Stay tuned...
whats the overall scratch resistance to the stuff, a lot better than paint i assume? and how well does the stuff stick to metal? -scoob8000
it doesn't go on metal very well at all. Its very resitant and hard warering. For more infor check out linears site.
I understand that vinyl dye seeps in the plastic surface a bit and it doesn't give much of a glossy finish. Is there a way to make it shinier? And also, I have heard that you can't cleat coat a dyed material. Anyway, I'll look forward to the guide.
>can you do network cables by any chance? Yep. I did a mouse cord and a couple power cords. I don't see why Ethernet cables wouldn't work just fine. >whats the overall scratch resistance to the stuff, a lot better than paint i assume? On plastic its great. It doesn't build up (if properly applied) so it is far more chip resistant than paint. >and how well does the stuff stick to metal? Use paint for metal. >Is there a way to make it shinier? There are gloss and flat dyes, but in my experience the underlying finsh on te plastic part dictates how the finshed piece will look, not so much the type of dye. So if you compund your part to a high gloss before dying it, you'll get a pretty glossy part (but not 'show car' glossy). > And also, I have heard that you can't cleat coat a dyed material. I see no reason at all that you couldn't clear coat it. But I've never tried. The thing with finish sanding a clear coat is that you will make it absolutely flat. That negates two of the main advantages of dye--the ease of application and the ability to retain your fine detail (like embossed logos and raised letters and such). Your raised lettering will get flattened, and you'll get fill in your embossed areas. No one asked this one, but it also is great for coating over a screenprinted logo. I've dyed mice and other things with lettering on them, and other than a very slight change in the texture, the lettering is not visible through the dye.
What I would like to know is a respirator/mask thing really nescesary if you do it outside? because my can doesn't have any such warnings on it but on your site theres a picture of you decked out like Vader :dude: I really don't want to kill my lungs off, but if I can get away with just spraying it outside and having the thing being a bit stinky (maybe it will stop cats craping in my garden) then thats what I'll do
Well, the stuff reeks. I personally can't tolerate the fumes without a respirator. I get headaches and nausea. And spraying it indoors is just not an option. If you want to have a go at it without the respirator, you can, just take a break every few minutes. Having the respirator allows me to work uninterrupted for some length of time. Don't bring the dyed workpiece into an enclosed area until it has had a chance to outgas for at least a few hours (a little bit shorter if you can set it in the sun). It will continue to outgas for up to a week. You'll know when it's done--it will stop stinking. I've placed small pieces on the back of my monitor before to speed the process along, works pretty good.
There was a guide posted on MODTHEBOX last month if it will provide any assistance to anyone here: http://www.modthebox.com/vinyldye.html
