Hydro Dipping More Photos

KAG

KAG

New member
Well after doing lots of reading and then more reading. Combined with watching youtube videos I told myself "I can Do that". SO I bought a kit as well as extra hydrographic film. Ordered what I could not get locally....film and activator. The adhesion promoter, primer, base paints and clear coats I purchased locally from Autozone and wallyworld. I tried to get high end rattle can stuff.

I started off with 2 magazines

The one on the left I scrubbed with a grit pad to ruogh it up and washed it in dawn. I let it dry then used self etching green automotive primer on it.

The one on the right I did nothing other than wash it then used just plain brown primer on it.

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I bought a couple of cheap walmart plastic tubs. One big one small. I filled the small one with luke warm water. Taped off my film, cut it and made stress reduction cuts in it. Put it in the warm very gently, blew on it to get the bubbles out and then sprayed it can of activator. This started working almost immediately because of the warmer water and I dipped the magazine very slowly. Pulled it and rinsed it off.

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The second magazine used very cool water and I was much quicker on my spraying pass of activator. I did nothing other than wash the mag then used just plain brown primer on it. I dipped it once i saw the film start to take off. From film in the water to dip was under 60 seconds.

This activator is very quick. I plan to get some slower stuff.

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This is not to say I am as good as the pro's, just that I can do this and achieve basic results I can live with.

Now on to much tougher stuff....like my buddy's rifle stock....I mean i don't want to practice on my guns yet...
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Actually maybe I will do an older scope to just see....The pattern I am using is a wood burl pattern to play with
 
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Looks pretty promising, I've heard both good and bad about these kits. Keep the photos coming, so I can learn at your expense. Haha
 
Ok I took an old Taurus 357 and tried it. The photo could be better. Here's what I learned from this. Dip one side at a time, do not try to roll dip the entire thing. I figure I will strip it down and try again doing one side a time then the cylinder. Once I get this down I should be able to knock out a disassembled AR upper using my camo patterns.

A learning process but still interesting.

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I bought one of those kits when they first came out. Did some archery parts, all small pieces. I used an aquarium heater in the tank to keep the water warm, seemed to help a lot doing multiple pieces. Might have to dig it out again.
 
It looks awesome but that stuff cant be very durable (can it?)... I would think running that mag in and out of the well a few times would have it off... BUT I've been wrong before!
 
I tried to do my entire MA-21 caller. I took it completely apart and dipped it. I made some mistakes with it. The megaphone part because of its shape needed a much larger tank. It actually may need to be dipped in 2 stages to get it looking good. I plan to try that next. I will just rough it up again, primer it, and try again. There is quite a bit of trial and error in this. It is a learned skill for sure but this is very doable for the average guy to eventually be able to dip the basic stuff.

I found a very small web forum for this stuff and the guy who owns the site has been very very helpful in offering tips and suggestions. I asked the PM mods if I could post a link but I have not heard because from Jeff yet.

I have 2 new rolls of camo film I got in so I will be continuing to play with it. Once applied this is some pretty tough stuff. You have to spray a couple of coats of clear coat on it and I sure that does a lot to make is wear better.
 
My MA-21

Could of been better. The edge of the speaker I touched and jacked it up. On the back top portion I needed more film than what I had in the tub so it did not cover it....a work in progress. Yes the caller still works perfect. For me its still better than the Krylon I had on it.

By changing the base color you can have many different versions of the same camo film you use. I like that part of it. I am waiting for a Ruger 10/22 I just did to dry. Its my 7y/o rifle and he picked the camo pattern for it. I will post it up when it is finished drying.


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The Ruger was pretty beat up as we have had it for a long time and has been through 4 boys and me. Actually the stock might have been the easiest one so far except for the remote.

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Here's a nice video a guy on archerytalk made showing how to do this. Starts out a little cheesy but get better. It's what got me started.
 
You're gonna run out of things to dip. Pretty soon the pets will start hiding when you get the kit out! I'm gonna have another go at it after coyote season goes out. I get easily obsessed so I'm leaving it alone for a while longer. There should be a warning label about it being addictive.


 
I just got 9m of this camo pattern.

Its ATACS and I plan to do one of my AR's in it and maybe my heavy barrel Remington Sendero SFII .264wm in this pattern.

I will post the results....when I get it done.

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I also got 5m of this I am going to try out

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