into this disc:
The disc is an Gateway X-Out EHPP. BE ADVISED that not all plastics will dye using this method, and some may not dye at all. Premium plastics (Star, ESP, EHPP, Sirius, etc) and candy plastics (Champion, Elite-Z, Opto) will do best.
==List of Materials==
Everything you need can be found at WalMart or Target, but for those of you who are tired to giving money to corporate monster, I'll try to point out where else you can find them. Here is the list:
1. Acetone or Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) - check your local hardware store, usually around the paint.
2. Jumbo Cotton Balls
3. Rit Fabric Dye - your local grocery store most likely has this along with laundry detergents and bleach, also check hobby arts and craft stores. You can also order directly from Rit on their website.
4. 2.5 cups of hot tap water - as hot as it comes out of your faucet.
5. Stock Pot - wherever they have pots... you don't want to put dye in a pot you use for food. Saute and Fry pans work fine, but I prefer stock pots or one with high walls because you don't want to splash dye all over the floor... its not fun to clean up, and sometimes impossible.
6. Clear Contact Paper - I don't know where else to look other than Walmart or Target... it is not in the arts and craft section, but in the "kitchen drawer organization" aisle. Contact paper is what many households line the bottom of their kitchen drawers with.
7. An old credit card - very crucial to have this or some small hard plastic edge.
8. Precision Knife (Xacto)
==Step 1: Stamp Removal (Optional)==
A few things about stamp removal. You don't have to remove the stamp. If you a dye a disc with the stamp on, the stamp will stand out infront of the dye. Some stamps leave a "ghost stamp" after they have been removed. This happens most often with star and esp plastic. Some stamps are also deeply engrained where you can feel it as you run your hand over. It may take a little work to get into those grooves.
1. Wash the disc - Before removing the stamp, wash your disc thoroughly and try to get it as clean as possible. I found that using a Magic Eraser is very good at restoring plastic to its original color and shine, but a wash with warm water and dish soap does well. DO NOT USE A GREEN SCOUR PAD, it will sand the finish off your disc.
2a. Stamp Removal Using Acetone - Soak about 4-5 cotton balls in acetone. Pour just enough acetone on top of the disc to cover the stamp, watch it carefully as the color begins to lift off of the stamp, but the foil should still remain. Take a cotton ball and begin wiping the stamp away, work with smooth strokes. Wipe the stamp off, don't rub. Work quickly and try not to let the disc dry until everything is removed: with colored stamps, acetone can dissolve and dye the disc that color. Use a new cotton ball as they become saturated with color. The advantage of Acetone over MEK is that it is usually half the price and it does not smell as bad. It is also generally more vailable.
2b. Stamp Removal Using MEK - Soak about 4-5 cotton balls in MEK. Pour just enough MEK on top of the disc to cover the stamp, watch it carefully as the color begins to lift off of the stmap, but the foil should still remain. Take a cotton ball and begin wiping the stamp away. Work with smooth strokes and try not to rub. The advantage of MEK over acetone is that it does not evaporate as quickly. This leaves less risk of the stamp dyeing into the disc. It generally takes a lot less MEK to take off a stamp. Only thing is, MEK has a much stronger smell. Definitely do it outside.
==Step 3: Draw out your Stencil==
1. Cut out a portion of contact paper - Outline your disc onto the contact paper and cut out a usable portion of the contact paper, leaving about 3-4 inches around the outline.
2. Draw your stencil onto the contact paper - easiest way is to trace, just place the image underneath the contact paper and try to get light behind it. Sometimes I tape both the image and the contact paper to my TV and put on a bluescreen.
==Step 4: Prepare the dye bath==
1. Mix the dye and water - Pour 2.5 cups of hot tap water into the stock pot and stir in 1 packet of rit fabric dye.
2. Heat dye bath on stove top - Turn the burner onto very low to low heat.
3. Stir every 5 minutes for 30 minutes - Do this to dissolve the dye and to make sure that the bath does not get too hot. If the dye granules get stuck to the bottom of the pot, they will burn.
Notes about the dye bath: Make the pot as hot as possible while still being able to put your hands on both sides. If the bath is too hot or if it boils, the water level will go down thus bringing the disc closer to the heat - it will be more likely to burn. Brown, Orange, and Yellow colors seem to have trouble fully dissolving. In other colors, undissolved dye granules are not a problem, but in the case of brown, orange, and yellow, granules have a habit of clumping on the disc leaving uneven and blotchy color on the disc. To avoid this, bring the bath to a boil, strain it through a sieve, and allow the bath to cool to a lower heat.
==Step 5: Lay/Cut your Stencil==
Whether you cut the stencil and then lay down the contact paper OR lay down the contact paper before you cut the stencil, depends entirely on the complexity of the stencil and your ability to cut. I prefer the latter.
Cutting the stencil OFF the disc - Pretty simple, lay your contact paper down on a cutting surface (or any surface you dont mind scratching up) and use your xacto knife to cut out the stencil.
Laying a cut stencil on the disc - This is the hard part about cutting before applying the contact paper. My advice here is to put the stencil face down, adhesive side up. Push the disc down on the stencil lightly just so that it sticks. Flip the disc over, lightly lift one half of the stencil, and use your credit card to squeegee from the middle to the edge. Make sure you squeegee along every cut edge. Lift the other half and do the same. Do your best to remove all bubbles. Bend all edges of the contact paper tightly around the edge of the disc.
Laying contact paper before cutting the stencil - This is very simple, center the uncut stencil over the face of your disc, and let it stick loosely. Lift one side of the contact paper and use the credit card to squeegee from the middle to the edge. Lift the other side and do the same. Whether you are applying the contact paper before after cutting the stencil, SQUEEGEE! Be very diligent and don't let bubbles get between the contact paper and the disc. Bend all edges of the contact paper tightly around the edge of the disc.
Cutting the stencil ON the disc - In my opinion, cutting after laying down the contact paper helps you get cleaner lines because it is easier to get rid of any air pockets underneath the contact paper. HOWEVER, cutting on the disc takes a little bit of getting used to. I have learned to cut so that there isnt a single scratch on the disc. It doesnt take much pressure to cut through the contact paper: you don't have to press down on the disc to cut. Use a sharp blade and let the knife do the cutting.
Cutting on the disc helps you get the most detail out of your stencil and is the easiest way to get "islands" in a stencil (pieces in a stencil that aren't connected to other parts, like the middle of the letter "O"). Cutting on the disc is pretty much essential for doing remasks (multiple colors). Learn it if you want to do more intricate dyes.
==Step 6: The Dip==
1. Check the dye bath - Make sure that you can hold your hands to the sides of the pot. It should be as hot as possible without burning you. If it is not, lower the heat.
2. Break up bubbles in dye bath - Sometimes there will be bubbles floating in clumps on top of the dye. Use something to poke at them and stir up the dye a little so that the bubbles go away, or at least push them to the very edge. Clear a landing spot for the disc.
3. Here is a quick checklist before you dip -
- All pieces of the stencil have been cut and removed
- The cut stencil is on your disc and all edges have been squeegeed clean from bubbles
- Dye is hot but not too hot
- Bubbles in dye are gone/out of the way
5. Check for bubbles/leaks - After about a minute in the dye, lift the disc and check for bubbles and leaks. Do this by lifting the disc out of the dye. If there are no bubbles or leaks, just put it right back in. If there are bubbles, pop the bubbles on the disc and in the dye, or move them out of the way. Bubbles act as a mask on their own and will stop dye from taking within the bubble. If there are leaks, rinse the disc under cold water and use the credit card to seal up those leaks. Cold water will dilute whatever dye got underneath the mask, and will stop help stop it from dyeing the disc.
6. Dip 2, color checking - Let the disc float in the dye for about 10-20 minutes depending on how dark you want the color. If you are going for black, it is best to let the disc sit for 15+ minutes. To get the color you want, lift the disc out of the dye often, and rinse. If you want it to get darker, rinse with hot water as this helps the dye set, and return the disc to the dye. Do this until you get the right shade. Color checking also allows you to monitor for bubbles and leaks. If you find leaks, DO NOT rinse with hot water. If leaks keep showing up, you may have to remask the disc.
7. Rinse and Cleanup - Once you are satisfied, rinse the disc with hot water. Leave the stencil on until all visible dye is removed. Turn the tap to luke warm, and remove the stencil. Rinse the face of the disc with cold water to stop the dye. Sometimes gunk gets left behind from the contact paper. The best way to get rid of this is with warm soapy water or with my personal favorite, a Magic Eraser.
==Step 7 Post a Picture, DONE!==
If you mask it a couple times, and dip it in some more color... you can get here:
Congrats! You just dyed a disc! Now all you have to do is post a picture for everyone to see! Not just to brag, but because the online disc golf community is a great way to learn new techniques. Many online forums (There should be a DGCR link around here somewhere) have wonderfully amazing dyers who are usually more than enthusiastic about helping beginners. Now you know how its done, the possibilites are endless. Don't be afraid to show your friends and your fellow club members how to dye discs. More often than not they will ask you to make one for them... they will probably also offer you money... CHA CHING!
